Electrical Controls Technician

Position Title: Electrical Controls Technician

Department: Maintenance

Reports to: Assistant Plant Manager

FLSA Status: (Non-Exempt)

Position Purpose

The Electrical Controls Technician is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the plant's automated control systems and industrial IT infrastructure. This role serves as the technical bridge between traditional mechanical maintenance and digital automation, ensuring that all PLCs, motor controls, and networked devices operate at peak efficiency.

Primary Functions

• System Diagnostics: Lead the troubleshooting of automated machinery to identify root causes of downtime, distinguishing between mechanical, electrical, or software failures.
• Preventive Maintenance (PM): Perform routine inspections and backups of PLC programs, HMI applications, and drive parameters.
• Calibration & Accuracy: Execute scheduled calibrations for electronic scales and RTD sensors to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Hardware Integration: Install and wire new control components, including actuators, electric valves, and safety sensors, ensuring they interface correctly with the PLC.
• Industrial IT Support: Provide first-level support for production-floor IT issues, including network drops, industrial PC hardware, and data communication between machines and the server.
• Mechanical Collaboration: Act as the technical lead for the mechanical team during complex repairs involving hydraulic and pneumatic systems with electronic controls.
• Safety Compliance: Ensure all electrical work meets NFPA 70E and local safety standards. Maintain up-to-date documentation of any wiring or logical changes made to the equipment.
• Inventory Management: Identify and maintain a critical spare parts list for electronic and control components (PLCs, VFDs, fuses, relays).

Working Environment

• Hot, humid environment at times, as well as cold, frigid and wet conditions for up to 12-hour shift.

• Lift and carry up to 50 lbs. on a frequent basis, including lifting at shoulder level or higher.

• Lift and carry up to 100 lbs. on an infrequent basis, including lifting at shoulder level or above.

Information System Skills

• Automation & Programming: knowledge of PLC logic (troubleshooting and minor programming) and HMI configuration. Understanding PID loops and control logic.
• Motor & Power Control: Deep understanding of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), Soft Starters, and the electrical theory behind three-phase motor control.
• Instrumentation & Sensing: Proficiency in calibrating and scaling Electronic Scales, RTDs (Temperature Sensors), and various analog/digital sensors (4-20mA, 0-10V).
• Electromechanical Systems: Mastery of electrical components including contactors, relays, and circuit breakers, as well as their integration with electric air valves.
• Fluid Power Integration: Functional knowledge of how electrical controls interact with pneumatic and hydraulic actuators, water pumps, and hydraulic power units.
• Industrial IT & Networking: Knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, ProfNet). Ability to troubleshoot PC-to-machine connectivity and manage industrial managed switches.
• Schematic Literacy: Ability to read and interpret complex electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic blueprints/schematics.

Hazards

• Electrical
• Anhydrous ammonia

People Skills

The individual in this position possesses the skills that allow clear communication with anyone they encounter. They would have the ability to develop relationships with customers, as well as internal employees, easily. Maintains a good attitude and is respectful to anyone they interact with.

Core Values

It may be an understatement to say that we work every day to uphold our companys core values. Because being a servant leader, committed to relationships, pioneering, driven results and tenacious are not just ideals we work towards. We live them. We breathe them. These values are the true essence of how we work and are in every product, service, and opportunity we offer.

1. Servant Leader to All Humbly listening to and serving our employees, customer, and suppliers.
2. Committed to Relationships Caring about the long-term well-being of our employees, customers, and suppliers.
3. Pioneering Using our industry knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to connect our stakeholders to innovative solutions.
4. Results-Driven Having an intense desire to go beyond what is expected.
5. Tenacious Persevering in all that we do

Education Requirement:

• Degree: Associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 35 years of experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.