Automation Controls Programmer Jobs in Massachusetts

Woodard & Curran is a national engineering, science and operations firm with a simple vision for clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities and happy people. As an employee-owned company, we strive to cultivate teams that encourage collaboration in an inclusive culture. We seek talented individuals from all backgrounds to help us address a broad range of water and environmental issues. We prioritize our people, offering opportunities for professional growth, ownership and flexibility. This commitment enables us to make a meaningful impact on our clients, communities and the planet.
Woodard & Curran is seeking a dynamic, client-focused SCADA Automation & Controls Engineer to join our Team, supporting projects across the New England Region, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In this role, you'll collaborate with municipal and some industrial clients to develop, implement and manage a variety of water, wastewater, and remediation projects, with a focus on automation and control systems.
You'll support projects from planning through completion, with a team of project managers, technical managers, project engineers, and operations staff to ensure delivery within scope, schedule, and budget. Regular client interaction is key-you'll serve as a trusted advisor, keeping clients and our project managers informed on project status and identifying future opportunities to enhance their operations.
This position involves regular travel to job sites (typically within driving distance) to support SCADA project startups, participate in preconstruction and kick-off meetings, and maintain strong client relationships throughout the project lifecycle.
Who are we looking for:
The successful candidate will join a strong team of motivated individuals to execute projects for our municipal and industrial water and wastewater clients. The candidate will provide support for medium to large implementation projects that may be standalone or multidisciplinary SCADA projects. It is critical for the candidate to understand and meet project requirements while working within the project's scope, schedule, and budget constraints. Because the candidate will interface with a wide array of internal and external stakeholders, the candidate must have strong communication skills and technical skills. Additionally, the successful candidate will work closely with project engineers, technical managers, and project managers and contribute to initiatives aligned with improved performance and efficiency.
Offering Flexible Remote/Hybrid Work/Onsite Schedule: Hybrid work schedule (consisting of office, remote, and onsite pending project needs)
Travel: Regional travel up to up to 80%. Occasional overnight travel.
What you will be doing at Woodard & Curran

• Participate in site investigations to gather information about the client's systems, equipment and instruments to develop project plans and cost estimates to proactively maintain and upgrade the system;
• Develop process logic for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) used in the monitoring and control of water and wastewater treatment systems;
• Design graphical screens that represent process equipment and instrumentation in the Human Machine Interface (HMI) software packages used by our clients;
• Design graphical screens for the Operator Interface Terminals (OITs) utilized in our SCADA systems;
• Create automated reports, via specialized reporting software, to collect process information monitored by the SCADA system for use by the client or submission to regulatory agencies;
• Participate in the installation (oversight of contractors and guidance in wiring terminations), checkout and modification of the field wiring associated with the equipment and instruments connected to the SCADA system;
• Configure and calibrate instrumentation, including level, pressure, flow, temperature, process analyzers and more, and connecting to the SCADA system;
• Configure and commission industrial networking hardware, including Ethernet switches, wireless access points and licensed frequency radios;
• Participate in the testing and startup of the process equipment, instruments and SCADA system to ensure the SCADA system monitors and controls the equipment as intended;
• Train operations personnel on the use, maintenance and troubleshooting of the SCADA system hardware, software and installation;
• Participate in QA/QC activities for both the design deliverables produced by the design team and the code developed by the controls team.
• Understand that safety is paramount and adhere to safety protocol.

What you will need to succeed:

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering or associated field;
• PE License or CAP (Certified Automation Professional) is a bonus;
• 2 - 3 years' experience in control system integration
• Experience with Allen-Bradley PLC hardware and software (other PLC experience is a bonus);
• Experience with Allen-Bradley FactoryTalk, Aveva Wonderware, Ignition and GE Proficy iFix HMI software (other HMI package experience is a bonus);
• Experience configuring and developing graphics for OITs such as Allen-Bradley PanelView and Automation Direct C-More;
• Experience with automated reporting software (such as SyTech's XLReporter and HachWims);
• Hands-on experience configuring, interfacing with, and troubleshooting instrumentation found in the water and wastewater industry;
• Experience with using electrical schematics to commission or troubleshoot a control panel;
• Strong electrical and mechanical aptitude;
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
• Computer networking experience (hardware and configuration) is a bonus;
• Experience in higher programming languages (VB, C++, Java, Python) is a bonus;
• Water/wastewater industry experience is a bonus.

$75,000 - $100,000 a year
The anticipated pay range is flexible, depending on factors such as the employee's primary work location, skills, experience, and education. The following examples illustrate how the pay range for the same role can vary based on different locations.
Group B (Providence, RI, Northampton, MA) = $75,000 - $90,000
Group C (Andover, MA & Canton, MA): = $85,000 - $100,000
The anticipated pay range for this position is provided above; the final exempt salary or non-exempt hourly pay will depend on the candidate's experience level and a percentage-based geographic differential, considering the location where the candidate will be working. Geographic differentials recognize and reflect the cost of labor differences between geographic markets.
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Mutual Dispute Resolution (MDR)
As part of our commitment to a fair and respectful workplace, Woodard & Curran uses a Mutual Dispute Resolution (MDR) to help resolve most employment-related concerns efficiently and consistently.
What this means:

• MDR applies to both you and the Company
• Most workplace-related disputes are resolved through binding arbitration, rather than court proceedings
• Certain exceptions are outlined in the full agreement

If you are offered a position with Woodard & Curran, you will be asked to review and sign the MDR as part of your offer packet.
Review the full agreement here: Mutual Dispute Resolution Agreement
Employee Support & Benefits
Retirement Savings:

• 401(k) Pre-tax or Roth Contributions: The company matches 100% of the first 3% of salary contributed

Time away from work:

• Observed holidays: Choose up to 8 holidays to observe annually
• Vacation: Accrued based on years of experience and calculated on hours worked
• Sick time: Paid sick time for non-work-related illness or injury.
• Parental leave: Up to 80 hours of Paid Parental Leave for child bonding

Coverage and support for your needs and well-being:

• Disability: Paid short- and long-term disability
• Health: Medical plan options; plus dental and vision plans.
• Life: Basic employee group life insurance and AD&D benefits; additional voluntary life insurance for employees and families is available through Sun Life.
• Wellbeing: DarioMind assistance program combined with personalized mental health and wellbeing resources.

Workplace Information
E-Verify Participation
Woodard & Curran participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. As part of this process, we display the required Notice of E-Verify Participation and Right to Work posters.
View required Right to Work and E-Verify posters here.
Equal Employment Opportunity & Accessibility
Woodard & Curran is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to non-discrimination and make employment decisions based on job-related factors. Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact Beth Sweitzer.
View our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
View the "Workplace Discrimination is Illegal" poster
Inclusion & Belonging
We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and believe diverse perspectives strengthen our ability to serve clients and communities.
As an employee-owned company, we are committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment where employees can grow, contribute fully, and deliver meaningful impact.
Recruitment Agency Policy
We do not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Submissions without a signed agreement in place will be considered unsolicited and not eligible for referral fees.
Text Message Communication Notice:
To support an efficient hiring process, we may send brief SMS updates or reminders. You may opt out at any time by replying "STOP."
Terms, Privacy & Use of AI in Hiring
Woodard & Curran Terms of Use
Woodard & Curran Privacy Statement
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of the hiring process (e.g., application review or resume screening). These tools assist our team but do not replace human decision-making. All final hiring decisions are made by people.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.