Electrical Controls Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Alabama
Alabama's electrical controls engineer job market centers on automotive manufacturing in the Huntsville and Birmingham corridors, with major employers like Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai Metia operating large facilities that regularly hire internationally. Defense and aerospace contractors in Huntsville add further demand. Visa sponsorship opportunities exist across both sectors for qualified engineers.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Electrical Controls Engineer ensures the plant PLC programs, HMI’s, and IT backbone function properly on a daily basis to manufacture fiber cement efficiently. They provide direction, coordination, and support for the daily execution of the electrical crew’s operating plan. Working with the Engineering Manager, Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Engineer, Planner, Maintenance Technicians, Operations, and Safety, the Electrical Supervisor drives department productivity and quality of workmanship for the purpose of increasing overall availability and reliability of equipment.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You’ll Do:
- Working safely is a non-negotiable.
- Supporting our operations and maintenance department in troubleshooting, installing, maintaining plant control equipment.
- Making or managing control/electrical system changes as requested by Safety, production, Environmental, or other departments and engineers, for process modifications, improvements, production trials, etc., may include programming and/or hardware changes.
- Supporting capital and plant projects for new or existing equipment including getting bids, hiring and managing contractor personnel and engineering firms, quoting, selecting, and purchasing electrical and process equipment and controls, programming for new systems, equipment commissioning and start up; projects may include some travel for new equipment purchases and acceptance testing, seeing equipment in other JH plants, etc.
- Maintaining and updating electrical drawings and standards as required.
- Historian and SQL server work for data collection, monitoring, and reporting.
- Supporting off-site engineers and IT with local technical issues or new upgrades.
- Developing plans for plant outages and other projects.
- Overseeing electrical requirements for insurance policy compliance, electrical testing and contingency plans.
Decision Making:
The Electrical Engineer balances priorities, manpower, material, and equipment availability to improve plant efficiency and performance.
The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Bring:
Skills include design, configuration, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of at least the following:
- PLCs with local and remote I/O, Allen Bradley (AB) Controllogix, but also other AB product groups.
- Safety systems for plant equipment, safety PLCs, class 3 and other E-stops, light curtains.
- Control communication networks including Devicenet, Controlnet, and Ethernet.
- AB and Siemens AC and DC drives.
- Electrical control systems including low voltage and medium voltage starters and soft start.
- Ancillary equipment including lighting, air compressors, boilers, ovens, and others.
- Servo drives, Allen Bradley Kinetix platforms.
- HMIs, including Wonderware Intouch and Historian, Allen Bradley Panelview, and other standalone HMIs.
- Plant power distribution systems, Square D switch gear, transformers, and relays.
- Process control systems, including a wide variety of instrumentation and control valves.
- Pneumatic and Hydraulic control systems.
- Microsoft servers and SQL.
- Fiber and Ethernet networks, some other IT functions.
- AutoCAD and other software.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree preferred (Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics preferred) or equivalent combination of experience and education.
- 5 years of experience controls experience in a continuous operating (24/7) manufacturing environment.
- CMMS skills with Hexagon or other type of maintenance planning tool a plus.
- IT network administration experience a plus.
COMPENSATION
As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this position is $110k to $125k. Placement in the range depends on several factors such as experience, skills, geography and internal equity and may change over time. This position qualifies for benefits and you will be eligible to participate in a bonus plan.
What You'll Receive
At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.
- Compensation: competitive salary and bonus eligibility.
- Insurance: day-one health coverage medical, dental, vision, life insurance.
- Paid Time Off: vacation and company holidays.
- Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match.
- Investments: Employee Stock Purchase plan (ESP).
- Work-Life Balance: parental leave, wellness programs.
- Purpose. Impact. Community: Sustainability Initiatives.
INTRODUCTION
The Electrical Controls Engineer ensures the plant PLC programs, HMI’s, and IT backbone function properly on a daily basis to manufacture fiber cement efficiently. They provide direction, coordination, and support for the daily execution of the electrical crew’s operating plan. Working with the Engineering Manager, Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Engineer, Planner, Maintenance Technicians, Operations, and Safety, the Electrical Supervisor drives department productivity and quality of workmanship for the purpose of increasing overall availability and reliability of equipment.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You’ll Do:
- Working safely is a non-negotiable.
- Supporting our operations and maintenance department in troubleshooting, installing, maintaining plant control equipment.
- Making or managing control/electrical system changes as requested by Safety, production, Environmental, or other departments and engineers, for process modifications, improvements, production trials, etc., may include programming and/or hardware changes.
- Supporting capital and plant projects for new or existing equipment including getting bids, hiring and managing contractor personnel and engineering firms, quoting, selecting, and purchasing electrical and process equipment and controls, programming for new systems, equipment commissioning and start up; projects may include some travel for new equipment purchases and acceptance testing, seeing equipment in other JH plants, etc.
- Maintaining and updating electrical drawings and standards as required.
- Historian and SQL server work for data collection, monitoring, and reporting.
- Supporting off-site engineers and IT with local technical issues or new upgrades.
- Developing plans for plant outages and other projects.
- Overseeing electrical requirements for insurance policy compliance, electrical testing and contingency plans.
Decision Making:
The Electrical Engineer balances priorities, manpower, material, and equipment availability to improve plant efficiency and performance.
The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Bring:
Skills include design, configuration, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of at least the following:
- PLCs with local and remote I/O, Allen Bradley (AB) Controllogix, but also other AB product groups.
- Safety systems for plant equipment, safety PLCs, class 3 and other E-stops, light curtains.
- Control communication networks including Devicenet, Controlnet, and Ethernet.
- AB and Siemens AC and DC drives.
- Electrical control systems including low voltage and medium voltage starters and soft start.
- Ancillary equipment including lighting, air compressors, boilers, ovens, and others.
- Servo drives, Allen Bradley Kinetix platforms.
- HMIs, including Wonderware Intouch and Historian, Allen Bradley Panelview, and other standalone HMIs.
- Plant power distribution systems, Square D switch gear, transformers, and relays.
- Process control systems, including a wide variety of instrumentation and control valves.
- Pneumatic and Hydraulic control systems.
- Microsoft servers and SQL.
- Fiber and Ethernet networks, some other IT functions.
- AutoCAD and other software.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree preferred (Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics preferred) or equivalent combination of experience and education.
- 5 years of experience controls experience in a continuous operating (24/7) manufacturing environment.
- CMMS skills with Hexagon or other type of maintenance planning tool a plus.
- IT network administration experience a plus.
COMPENSATION
As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this position is $110k to $125k. Placement in the range depends on several factors such as experience, skills, geography and internal equity and may change over time. This position qualifies for benefits and you will be eligible to participate in a bonus plan.
What You'll Receive
At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.
- Compensation: competitive salary and bonus eligibility.
- Insurance: day-one health coverage medical, dental, vision, life insurance.
- Paid Time Off: vacation and company holidays.
- Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match.
- Investments: Employee Stock Purchase plan (ESP).
- Work-Life Balance: parental leave, wellness programs.
- Purpose. Impact. Community: Sustainability Initiatives.
Electrical Controls Engineer Job Roles in Alabama
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Search Electrical Controls Engineer Jobs in AlabamaElectrical Controls Engineer Jobs in Alabama: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for electrical controls engineers in Alabama?
Automotive manufacturers are among the most active sponsors for electrical controls engineers in Alabama. Toyota's Huntsville engine plant, Mercedes-Benz in Vance, and Hyundai's Montgomery facility have histories of sponsoring H-1B visas for engineering roles. Defense contractors such as Dynetics and SAIC in the Huntsville area also sponsor engineers with controls expertise, particularly for systems integration and automation work.
Which visa types are most common for electrical controls engineer roles in Alabama?
The H-1B is the most common visa category for electrical controls engineers in Alabama, as the role typically qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Candidates from Canada or Mexico may also qualify under the TN visa category. Engineers with extraordinary ability may explore the O-1A, though H-1B remains the dominant pathway for this occupation.
Which cities in Alabama have the most electrical controls engineer sponsorship jobs?
Huntsville leads Alabama for electrical controls engineer sponsorship activity, driven by its concentration of aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing employers. Birmingham is the second-largest hub, with industrial automation and manufacturing operations in the surrounding metro. Montgomery also generates demand through its automotive supply chain. Smaller cities like Tuscaloosa and Lincoln have sponsoring employers tied to automotive assembly plants nearby.
How to find electrical controls engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Alabama?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for visa sponsorship eligibility, making it easier to identify electrical controls engineer openings in Alabama without sifting through postings that do not sponsor. You can narrow results by state and role to find employers actively hiring internationally. Given Alabama's concentration in automotive and defense sectors, searching for controls and automation engineering roles in Huntsville and Birmingham tends to yield the most relevant results.
Are there state-specific considerations for electrical controls engineers seeking sponsorship in Alabama?
Alabama's prevailing wage requirements under H-1B rules apply to the specific location of employment, so wages for roles in Huntsville may differ from those in Birmingham or Montgomery based on local wage surveys. Engineers working on defense contracts should be aware that some positions require security clearances, which can affect visa eligibility or timelines. The University of Alabama and Auburn University also supply a pipeline of engineering graduates that shapes local hiring competition.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored electrical controls engineer jobs in Alabama?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.