Controls Engineer Manager Jobs in Lowell, MI (NOW HIRING)

This Controls Engineer will be supporting a mid size material handling company just north of GR. You will own the controls portion of projects from cradle to grave, with a strong focus on PLC programming and development.

• Primarily PLC software focused programming and robotics programming
• Position is open due to significant influx of work - need to add another couple engineers to the team

Great work culture

• Family first environment with respect for work life balance
• Flexible in/out times
• Flexible schedule WFH as needed

Travel: 30-40% max

• All travel scheduled well head of time, with all expenses booked and paid for
• Typical travel 3-5 days at a time
  • 10 days would be max you'd ever be gone
• Primarily US travel, log time as soon as you hit the road
• Daily per diem

• Lead the controls portion of material handling projects from cradle to grave
• Develop and create PLC programs from scratch in Allen Bradley
• Read, edit, and redline AutoCAD Electrical schematics
• Program industrial robots, focusing on either palletizing (Fanuc, Kuka is what they use)
• Work within an ERP system to manage data, documentation, and workflow
• Travel to customer sites approximately 30–50% of the time to support integration and startup
• Communication and collaboration with customers
• Perform PLC and HMI troubleshooting, including diagnosing control system issues
• Document all controls-related work, including code changes, schematic updates, and configuration details
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts

• 5+ years of experience in controls engineering
• PLC programming from scratch (Allen Bradley)
• Read/edit electrical schematic prints
• Robotics programming (Fanuc or Kuka)
• Customer interface experience

Work Environment

HQ is modern, up-to-date headquarters facility featuring ample natural light, collaboration spaces, and a recently updated office environment north of GR. The shop floor is very clean and temperature-controlled, with large doors that can open to bring in fresh air while maintaining comfortable working conditions.

When not traveling, you can expect to split your time between the shop floor and your desk, with slightly more time spent on desk-based programming and design work.

You will be part of a larger engineering team led by a forward-thinking leader who is actively implementing positive changes and supporting high-level training opportunities.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Rockford, MI.

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Rockford,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 15, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.