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Controls Engineer

Research Triangle Park, NC

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence and Transparency.

Vulcan Elements is hiring for a Controls Engineer position to support a major manufacturing expansion, with responsibility spanning controls system design, installation, commissioning, startup, operation, and handover. This role is ideal for an engineer who wants to own the full lifecycle of building management systems (BMS), industrial networks, SCADA platforms, and site‑wide controls infrastructure.

The Controls Engineer will lead the development and integration of BMS systems, controls networks, SCADA architecture, data acquisition, and coordination with automation and equipment controls teams. As the facility transitions from construction to full production, this role has the potential to evolve into a long‑term system owner or site controls authority, providing leadership in controls reliability, cybersecurity, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the design, specification, and installation of Building Management Systems (BMS), including HVAC controls, utility monitoring, alarms, and support facility‑wide automation.
  • Develop and manage site‑wide industrial networks, including Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, fiber networks, and controls network architecture.
  • Design and implement SCADA systems, historian databases, dashboards, alarming strategies, and data visualization tools.
  • Coordinate closely with the automation team to ensure seamless integration between BMS, SCADA, PLCs, and production equipment controls.
  • Oversee installation, commissioning, testing, and validation of controls hardware, instrumentation, sensors, and network infrastructure.
  • Develop controls documentation including network diagrams, control narratives, I/O lists, P&IDs, and system architecture drawings.
  • Conduct field inspections to verify installation quality, cybersecurity compliance, and adherence to engineering standards.
  • Support capital project planning, including scopes, schedules, budgets, and technical documentation for controls and automation systems.
  • Implement and maintain system monitoring, including performance dashboards, energy tracking, and predictive maintenance data streams.
  • Lead or participate in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance controls reliability, system uptime, and data accuracy.
  • Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, ISA/IEC standards, and company safety and cybersecurity policies.
  • Provide technical support during startup and early production, ensuring smooth transition of controls systems to operations and maintenance teams.

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business. 

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
  • 3+ years of experience in controls engineering, automation, or industrial systems integration.
  • Strong understanding of BMS systems, industrial controls, instrumentation, and SCADA platforms.
  • Experience with PLCs, HMIs, industrial networking, and controls communication protocols.
  • Proficiency with controls design tools (AutoCAD Electrical) and SCADA/HMI development environments.
  • Ability to read and interpret control narratives, network diagrams, P&IDs, and electrical schematics.
  • Strong communication, organization, and problem‑solving skills.
  • Ability to work in active industrial environments and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities. 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with SCADA platforms (Ignition, Wonderware, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, etc.).
  • Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks for industrial control systems (ISA/IEC 62443).
  • Exposure to capital project budgeting, procurement, and contractor management.
  • Knowledge of industrial instrumentation, sensors, and data acquisition systems.
  • Certifications such as OSHA 30, PMP, EIT/FE, Six Sigma, ISA CAP/CCST, or similar.
  • Experience with commissioning, reliability engineering, or long‑term controls system ownership.

 

 

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