Controls Technician Jobs
Controls Technician jobs are open across manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, and automation, from entry-level to senior and lead, with specializations in PLC programming, SCADA systems, and instrumentation. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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Position Summary None exempt: (overtime is paid with this role)
We are hiring an experienced Instrumentation & Electrical Controls Engineer to support the reliability, troubleshooting, maintenance, and continuous improvement of automated production and bottling equipment.
This position is ideal for someone with hands-on experience in Allen-Bradley PLCs, Rockwell Automation control systems, industrial instrumentation, SCADA, VFDs, servo drives, electrical troubleshooting, and process controls.
The engineer will work closely with maintenance, engineering, production, and operations teams to diagnose equipment problems, improve control systems, reduce downtime, optimize production performance, and support preventive maintenance activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Troubleshoot and interpret Allen-Bradley PLC code within the Rockwell Automation environment
- Diagnose, repair, test, calibrate, and adjust industrial instrumentation, electrical circuits, automation systems, and control equipment
- Support pressure, temperature, flow, level, proximity, and detection instrumentation
- Troubleshoot automated bottling and packaging equipment, including fillers, labelers, laser coders, conveyors, palletizers, label detection systems, sensors, and material-handling equipment
- Troubleshoot, tune, and optimize process control loops
- Support both batch and continuous manufacturing processes
- Identify and resolve electrical, instrumentation, processing, and production equipment problems
- Optimize SCADA, DCS, HMI, operator control screens, and production interfaces
- Troubleshoot Allen-Bradley VFDs, servo drives, motors, industrial networks, and remote I/O systems
- Read and interpret electrical schematics, instrumentation drawings, loop diagrams, P&IDs, logic diagrams, functional specifications, and control narratives
- Perform instrumentation and electrical preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and asset-care activities
- Conduct root cause analysis and document corrective actions for equipment failures and recurring downtime
- Maintain accurate work orders, preventive maintenance records, equipment history, and parts usage within SAP PM or another CMMS
- Maintain electrical and instrumentation spare-parts inventories and assist with ordering critical replacement components
- Train maintenance technicians and production team members on controls, instrumentation, troubleshooting, and equipment operation
- Work collaboratively with maintenance technicians, engineers, operators, vendors, and cross-functional improvement teams
- Support continuous improvement projects focused on equipment reliability, yield improvement, waste reduction, quality, safety, and production efficiency
- Help the facility meet or exceed safety, reliability, quality, productivity, and operational performance KPIs
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Instrumentation, Automation, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent technical work experience
- At least two years of industrial instrumentation, electrical maintenance, controls, or automation experience
- At least two years of experience working with Rockwell Automation or Allen-Bradley control systems
- Strong hands-on experience troubleshooting Allen-Bradley PLCs
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot, calibrate, maintain, and repair industrial process instrumentation
- Experience working with SCADA, DCS, HMI, or industrial control systems
- Working knowledge of Allen-Bradley VFDs, servo drives, motors, sensors, and control components
- Ability to read and understand electrical schematics, P&IDs, instrumentation drawings, loop diagrams, and PLC logic
- Familiarity with industrial communication networks such as Ethernet/IP, Profibus, DeviceNet, ControlNet, DH+, and Remote I/O
- Knowledge of current electrical codes, regulations, lockout/tagout procedures, and safe electrical work practices
- Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, documentation, teamwork, and communication skills
- Ability to work safely and effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
Preferred Experience
- SAP PM, SAP CMMS, or another computerized maintenance management system
- Bottling, beverage, food manufacturing, packaging, consumer products, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, or other high-speed automated manufacturing experience
- Control-loop tuning and process-control optimization
- Experience supporting fillers, labelers, coders, palletizers, conveyors, packaging machines, and automated production lines
- Experience training maintenance technicians or operators
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a hands-on controls, instrumentation, and electrical troubleshooting professional who can quickly diagnose production problems, interpret PLC logic, work safely around energized industrial equipment, and collaborate with maintenance and operations teams to improve equipment reliability.
Relevant job titles may include:
Instrumentation Engineer, Electrical Controls Engineer, Controls Engineer, Automation Engineer, Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, I&C Engineer, PLC Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Process Controls Engineer, Controls Specialist, Instrumentation Technician, Electrical and Instrumentation Technician, E&I Technician, or Industrial Automation Engineer.
Controls Technician Jobs by Experience Level
Top Cities Hiring Controls Technicians
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Find Controls Technician JobsControls Technician Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Johnson Controls56
- Trane Technologies37
- Jobot28
- Thermo Systems28
- LONG Building Technologies18
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing106
- Staffing & Recruiting30
- Energy21
- Consulting & Professional Services21
- Technology & Software19
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in controls technician jobs.
- Experience programming and troubleshooting PLCs such as Allen-Bradley or Siemens
- Proficiency reading electrical schematics, ladder logic, and P&ID diagrams
- Associate degree or technical certificate in instrumentation, electronics, or a related field
- Hands-on experience with SCADA or HMI configuration and maintenance
- Knowledge of industrial networking protocols including Ethernet/IP, Modbus, or Profibus
- Familiarity with calibration procedures for process instrumentation such as transmitters and sensors
Tips for Your Controls Technician Job Search
List every PLC platform you know
Recruiters filter by brand: Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Omron. Spell out each platform you've worked with in your resume's skills section rather than grouping them under a generic 'PLC programming' label.
Highlight certifications prominently on your resume
ISA CCST, NICET, and OSHA 10 or 30 credentials move controls technician resumes past the first filter. Put them in a dedicated certifications section near the top, not buried in a dense paragraph at the bottom.
Target postings that match your control system depth
A job listing that emphasizes DCS and loop tuning needs different experience than one centered on motion control and servo drives. Match your application to the control architecture the employer named, not just the job title.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists controls technician openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a hands-on troubleshooting example
Controls technician interviews almost always include a scenario question about diagnosing a fault under time pressure. Rehearse one specific story where you traced an electrical or network issue to root cause, named the tools you used, and restored production.
Negotiate shift differential and on-call terms
Many controls technician roles include rotating shifts or on-call coverage. Ask about the rotation schedule and after-hours call frequency before accepting an offer. These terms affect your real compensation and are easier to negotiate before you start.
Controls Technician Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most controls technicians?
The companies hiring the most controls technicians right now include Johnson Controls, Trane Technologies, and Jobot, with the largest share of openings in Texas, Florida, and Virginia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Demand is consistently strong in manufacturing, energy, and utilities sectors.
How many controls technician jobs are remote?
About 5% of controls technician openings are fully remote or hybrid as of August 2026, which is low relative to many technical roles. The sub-areas most likely to offer remote flexibility are SCADA support, controls programming review, and systems documentation work, rather than hands-on instrumentation or on-site installation roles.
How do you become a controls technician?
Most controls technicians start with an associate degree or technical certificate in instrumentation, electronics, or industrial automation. From there, hands-on apprenticeship or entry-level maintenance work builds the field experience that employers require. Earning an ISA Certified Control Systems Technician credential strengthens your standing for mid-level and senior roles.
How do I get a controls technician job with little experience?
Entry-level controls technician roles are often titled instrument technician helper, maintenance technician, or automation technician trainee. Focus applications on manufacturers, water utilities, and food processing plants, which hire for these feeder roles regularly. Completing a vocational PLC programming course and demonstrating hands-on project work, even from a lab or personal build, closes the gap faster than additional coursework alone.
What does the controls technician interview process look like?
Most controls technician interviews include a phone screen with HR, followed by a technical interview with a controls engineer or maintenance supervisor. Expect scenario questions about tracing a fault in a PLC program or diagnosing a loop calibration error. Some employers add a practical assessment where you read a schematic or walk through a ladder logic diagram on a whiteboard.
Where can I find and apply to controls technician jobs?
You can find and apply to controls technician jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find the roles that fit your skills and location from the listings on this page and apply directly to each one.
See All 796+ Controls Technician Jobs
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