Entry Level Project Engineer Jobs in Portland, OR

Job Title: Entry-Level Controls Engineer

Job Description

This entry-level Controls Engineer role offers an excellent opportunity for a recent engineering graduate or early-career engineer to build hands-on experience in industrial automation, control panel design, PLC programming, and electrical systems. You will work alongside experienced engineers to design, program, and support automation systems that power shredding and recycling equipment. The position combines office-based engineering work, shop floor collaboration, and occasional field support, giving you exposure to the full lifecycle of industrial automation projects from design through startup and commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and development of electrical control systems for industrial shredding equipment.
• Create and update electrical schematics, control panel layouts, and wiring diagrams using AutoCAD Electrical or similar drafting tools.
• Support the development of bills of materials (BOMs), I/O lists, and complete electrical documentation packages.
• Review electrical drawings and assist in troubleshooting design issues to ensure accuracy and reliability.
• Support PLC and HMI development using Allen-Bradley and similar automation platforms under the guidance of experienced engineers.
• Assist with programming, testing, and debugging control systems, including basic ladder logic modifications and troubleshooting.
• Participate in factory acceptance testing (FAT) and system commissioning activities to validate system performance.
• Learn and support integration of drives, motors, sensors, instrumentation, and industrial communication networks into control systems.
• Work directly with the electrical panel shop to support control panel assembly, testing, and startup activities.
• Assist with troubleshooting electrical and control systems both in-house and at customer sites, using systematic problem-solving methods.
• Support equipment startup and commissioning efforts, ensuring systems operate safely and as designed.
• Travel occasionally to customer sites for installations, service support, and commissioning activities.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, and service teams to deliver successful projects on time and within scope.
• Participate in project meetings and provide technical support throughout project execution.
• Maintain organized project documentation, engineering records, and revision histories.
• Develop proficiency in creating electrical schematics and control panel designs within your first year.
• Contribute to PLC and HMI programming projects and support equipment testing and startup.
• Grow into a Controls Engineer capable of independently supporting projects from design through startup over time.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Chemical Engineering with controls experience, or a related engineering discipline.
• Basic understanding of PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, and industrial automation systems.
• Exposure to Allen-Bradley PLCs, preferably using Studio 5000, or similar automation platforms.
• Familiarity with HMI development tools such as FactoryTalk View or comparable software.
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical or other electrical drafting software for creating schematics and panel layouts.
• Ability to read, interpret, and create electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and control drawings.
• Understanding of control panels, I/O, relays, motor starters, and variable frequency drives (VFDs).
• Knowledge of sensors, instrumentation, motors, drives, and control systems and how they integrate into industrial equipment.
• Familiarity with industrial networking concepts such as Ethernet/IP and TCP/IP.
• Comfort working on equipment in manufacturing or heavy industrial environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to diagnose electrical and controls-related issues systematically.
• Ability to work directly with customers, technicians, and engineers in a professional manner.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for startup, service, and support work.
• Eagerness to learn and grow into a more independent Controls Engineer role with increasing responsibility.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Internship, co-op, academic projects, or professional experience involving controls, automation, instrumentation, or electrical systems.
• Exposure to industrial machinery, manufacturing equipment, recycling systems, or heavy industrial environments.
• Experience with VFDs, motor controls, sensors, and industrial instrumentation.
• Experience with Siemens PLCs or other major PLC platforms in addition to Allen-Bradley.
• Exposure to robotics, automation cells, or advanced control systems.
• EIT (Engineer-in-Training) certification is a plus but not required.
• Experience with PLC programming, PLC troubleshooting, and control system design.
• Familiarity with Rockwell Automation tools and Allen-Bradley PLC platforms.
• Experience with HMI programming and interface design for industrial systems.
• Demonstrated ability to design or support control systems for recycling or shredding equipment is advantageous.
• Interest in developing highly marketable controls engineering skills in a growing industrial sector.
• Motivation to work in a role with strong mentorship, hands-on learning, and clear growth potential from entry-level to independent Controls Engineer.

Work Environment

The role is based in a facility with a long history in industrial shredding and recycling equipment, originating from early innovations in mobile shredders. You will split your time between an office environment and the shop floor, allowing you to both design systems and physically interact with the equipment you support. On the floor, you will work around industrial machinery, control panels, motors, drives, and automation systems in a heavy industrial setting. The environment emphasizes hands-on experience, where you can go directly to the equipment to verify operation, support troubleshooting, and participate in startup activities. Occasional travel to customer sites is required for installations, commissioning, and service support. The culture values autonomy and trust; engineers are given significant responsibility and are not closely micromanaged, enabling you to take ownership of your work and develop quickly. The organization is well-established and financially stable, offering structured paid time off including two weeks of PTO, five sick days, and six holidays. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, leveraging modern industrial automation tools and technologies while benefiting from mentorship and a collaborative engineering culture.

This is a Permanent position based out of Wilsonville, OR.

The pay range for this position is $70000.00 - $80000.00/yr.

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.

pto holiday benefits 401K flexible schedule

This is a fully onsite position in Wilsonville,OR.

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

About Actalent

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