Electrical Controls Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

ROLE PURPOSE / POSITION SUMMARY

The Mechanical Electrical Controls Technician (MEC Technician) is accountable for maintaining, troubleshooting, and optimizing electrical control systems and automation equipment at a single food manufacturing site. This role ensures that all control systems operate reliably and safely to support production efficiency, product quality, and regulatory compliance (e.g., HACCP, GMP, FDA, USDA). The MEC Technician plays a critical role in supporting equipment uptime, implementing control system improvements, and collaborating with maintenance, engineering, and production teams to resolve technical issues. This position contributes to continuous improvement initiatives and supports a safety-first, food-safe manufacturing environment. In addition to controls work, this role is responsible for mechanical and electrical troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, and ensuring optimal performance of production and utility systems. The MEC Technician will diagnose issues across mechanical drives, gearboxes, pumps, and electrical circuits, while implementing proactive maintenance strategies to minimize downtime and extend equipment life.

Safety as the Highest Priority

Personal Safety

• Follow and promote all company-directed safety policies and procedures.
• Use required PPE, including arc-flash protection, hearing protection, and eye protection.
• Adhere strictly to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) when working on energized or potentially hazardous equipment.
• Work in accordance with NFPA 70E and internal electrical safety standards.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure control system work complies with HACCP, GMP, and SQF standards.
• Perform all work in compliance with FDA, USDA, and local regulatory agencies.
• Maintain clean work practices to prevent contamination in production environments.

Safety & Workplace Standards

• Perform all tasks safely following OSHA and company safety policies.
• Support and enforce machine guarding, LOTO, and proper sanitation procedures.
• Report unsafe conditions, hazards, and near misses promptly.
• Ensure compliance with food-safety rules during electrical and controls work.

Key Accountabilities

Automation & Controls Support

• Maintain and troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, servos, sensors, motor controls, and other I/O systems.
• Perform basic PLC and HMI edits to restore or improve operation.

Vision & Barcode Systems

• Tune and optimize machine vision and barcode systems during changeovers.
• Ensure reliable detection, verification, and scanning performance.

Proactive and Preventive Maintenance

• Perform scheduled preventive maintenance and corrective repairs on mechanical, electrical, and control systems to ensure reliable operation.
• Perform scheduled preventive maintenance and respond to equipment failures involving electrical and control systems. Support root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Electrical Wiring & Drawings

• Clean up, organize, and improve machine wiring for safety and reliability.
• Redline and update electrical schematics to maintain accurate documentation.
• Maintain organized backups of PLC, HMI, servo, and vision programs.

Equipment Installation

• Assist with installing new equipment under guidance from Engineering.
• Provide electrical and controls expertise during integration and commissioning.
• Ensure equipment meets safety, electrical, and food safety standards.

Documentation & Compliance:

• Maintain accurate records of control system changes, wiring diagrams, and programming updates.
• Ensure documentation supports audit readiness and regulatory compliance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with maintenance, engineering, and production teams to resolve technical issues and support new equipment installations or upgrades.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot and repair PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, sensors, and control wiring across production and utility systems.
• Additionally, when prioritized and directed by manager, diagnose and repair mechanical components such as bearings, gearboxes, conveyors, and pumps.
• Perform preventive maintenance on control systems and automation equipment. Include mechanical inspections, lubrication, and adjustments as part of preventive maintenance routines.
• Support installation and commissioning of new equipment and control panels.
• Modify and update control logic and programming to improve system performance.
• Maintain documentation including electrical schematics, program backups, and change logs.
• Respond to equipment alarms and downtime events related to control systems.
• Collaborate with engineering and maintenance teams on capital projects and system upgrades.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation protocols during electrical work.
• Support audit preparation and provide documentation for regulatory and customer inspections.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and recommend control system enhancements.
• Follow all company policies including general manufacturing and safety practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

QUALIFICATIONS / CAPABILITY PROFILE

Minimum Education

• Associate's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, Industrial Automation, or a related field.
• Technical certifications in PLC programming, industrial controls, or electrical systems are preferred.

Minimum Experience

• 3+ years of experience in controls or automation within a food manufacturing or industrial environment. Experience with mechanical systems maintenance and troubleshooting is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley and knowledge of additional controls platforms as required, such as Siemens and Omron.
• Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, and food safety requirements in a regulated production setting.
• Experience with troubleshooting and maintaining control systems in high-speed manufacturing.

Minimum Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

Knowledge:

• Strong proof of understanding of industrial control systems including PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, electronics, instrumentation and sensors. Working knowledge of mechanical systems such as pumps, gearboxes, and conveyors.
• Knowledge of electrical codes, safety standards, and food manufacturing regulations.
• Familiarity with automation system integration and process control strategies.
• Understanding of documentation requirements for regulated environments.

Skills:

• Proficient in troubleshooting and programming PLCs and HMIs.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Curiosity; a desire to learn
• A "lean-in" mentality: don't wait to be asked; rather, identify, recommend and implement improvement ideas
• Effective communication and collaboration within and across departments.
• Skilled in reading and interpreting electrical schematics and control diagrams.

Abilities:

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• Ability to follow and promote a safety-first and food-safe culture.
• Ability to respond swiftly and effectively to equipment failures and control system issues.
• Ability to support continuous improvement initiatives and implement technical solutions.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, crouch, stoop, reach, stretch, step, climb and/or sit frequently or through the duration of the shift
• Ability to reach with hands and arms, climb, or maintain balance
• Ability to use ladders and/or climb stairs
• Have appropriate eye, hand, and foot coordination to properly execute tasks
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds regularly; and occasionally lift and or move up to 100 pounds with or without assistance