Instrumentation And Controls Engineer Jobs in California

Description
We are hiring a Junior Controls Engineer to join our small, hands-on controls and automation team. In this role you will work side-by-side with our Controls Engineer on both small and large automation projects across all three plants, as well as day-to-day maintenance work - troubleshooting production issues and making continuous improvements to our control systems. This is a growth-oriented role designed for an engineer with 2-5 years of experience who is ready to deepen their skills in a manufacturing environment.
Roles and Responsibilities
Your work will span new automation projects/initiatives and ongoing plant support across our three plants, which operate 24/7. Supporting controls engineer with design, build, and commissioning of control panels onsite. As well as supporting maintenance and operations teams in diagnosing and implementing solutions to production issues.
SCADA & Data (Ignition)
Develop and maintain Ignition Vision/Perspective screens, popups, templates, reports, transaction groups, etc. Troubleshoot production Ignition errors and faults
Configure and maintain Ignition alarming: setup, history, and event-driven email notifications
Manage Ignition user security roles and permissions, controlling operator access to pushbuttons and setpoints
Bring new equipment and instrumentation into SCADA
Support historian/reporting work, including SCADA production reporting and SQL-backed data logging
Support SCADA standards work: tag data-model cleanup, naming conventions, templates, and unified namespace (UNS) development
Maintenance & Troubleshooting
Diagnose and resolve equipment faults with instrumentation, control devices, and PLC/SCADA operation
Make wiring modifications to existing panels or work with electricians to make necessary changes both in production and during downtime
Apply structured root-cause analysis methods: divide-and-conquer, component isolation, backward/forward chaining, PLC and SCADA data logging, and signal/continuity tracing with electrical tools
Read electrical drawings and search PLC logic and SCADA to diagnose issues in electrical panels/MCCs and in the field
Process Optimization and Improvements
Collaborate with operations, quality, and engineering teams in identifying and implementing solutions to production issues and control gaps
Identify required electrical and programming changes
Coordinate hardware procurement and installation
Schedule programming changes with operations
Analyze production data and implement control improvements to enhance plant yield, efficiency, quality and equipment uptime
Tune PID loops, sequence controllers, and equipment interlock operation in a production environment
Integrate new control and instrumentation hardware such as valves, motor actuators, VFDs, flowmeters, level, temperature, and pressure transmitters
Configure and calibrate various devices including scales, flowmeters, level, and pressure transmitters, etc.
Support OT asset lifecycle work, helping migrate various obsolete control systems to newer Rockwell platforms
Write and maintain SOP documentation
Train maintenance and operations staff
Skills
controls engineering, scada, plc programming, automation, allen-bradley, programming, electrical, troubleshooting, siemens plc, schematic, rockwell
Top Skills Details
controls engineering,scada
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Required Qualifications (Must-Haves)
Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or a related field - or equivalent hands-on experience
2-5 years of hands-on experience in industrial automation and controls
Rockwell platform: highly desired experience with Studio 5000, RSLogix 500, FactoryTalk View ME (HMI), and PlantPAx process library v4 or above
Ignition SCADA Vision/Perspective
SQL Server, SSMS, T-SQL, and Jython scripting
Ability to read electrical drawings for industrial control panels
Familiarity with industrial networks (Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP/RTU, IO-Link)
Familiarity with process instrumentation: ability to configure and calibrate field instrumentation
Preferred Qualifications (Nice-to-Haves & Growth Areas)
Hands-on experience deploying at least one Ignition gateway from scratch into a production environment - installation, device/OPC connections, tag database, database/historian connection, alarming, and screen development.
Experience: food & beverage, grain handling, agricultural processing environments, or system integrator
Software: Siemens TIA Portal, AutoCAD LT or Electrical for control-panel drawings, IFM moneo or other IO-Link software
Experience Level
Intermediate Level
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Arbuckle, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $43.27 - $45.67/hr.
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)
Workplace Type
This is a hybrid position in Arbuckle,CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Aug 11, 2026.
About Aston Carter
Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall 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 applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.