Senior Controls Engineer at Wunderlich-Malec – Irvine | Jobyssey

Join a Top Engineering Firm That’s 100% Employee-Owned

Wunderlich-Malec Engineering (WM) is one of the largest and most well-established engineering firms in the U.S., with over 40 years of industry leadership. As a 100% employee-owned ESOP company, we’re proud to be ranked among the Top 5 Systems Integrators and an ENR Top 500 Firm.

We’re looking for a Senior Controls Engineer to join our Irvine, CA office. In this leadership role, you’ll design and implement innovative automation solutions across industries like Life Sciences, Food & Beverage, and Manufacturing.

What You’ll Do

As a Senior Controls Engineer, you’ll lead projects from concept to commissioning, working directly with clients and internal teams. Your responsibilities will include:

🔧 Automation & Controls Engineering

Design and implement control systems using PLC, HMI, SCADA, and DCS platforms (Ignition and PlantPAx experience is a plus)
Develop control system architecture, select components, and create detailed schematics
Program controllers (Ladder, SFC, Structured Text) and visualization systems (HMI/SCADA)
Build databases for historical data archiving and display
Utilize programming languages like VBA, .NET, SQL, and Python for advanced HMI/SCADA development

🌐 Industrial Networking

Design and implement fiber, wired, and wireless networks using industrial protocols (Ethernet/IP, Profinet, IT/OT)

📈 Project Leadership & Management

Lead engineering teams and mentor junior staff
Manage project execution plans, budgets, schedules, and reporting
Oversee daily operations of projects up to $1M and ensure profitability
Act as technical lead and occasionally serve as Project Manager

What You Bring

🎓 Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
7+ years of experience in controls engineering, including:
- Rslogix 500, Studio 5000 PLC programming
- Siemens Step 7 and TIA Portal programming
- Rockwell Automation platforms (FactoryTalk, PlantPAX)
- Inductive Automation Ignition
- S88 Batch/Recipes, OEE, MES, ERP systems
- Electrical schematics and control panel design
- AutoCAD proficiency

🤝 Leadership & Collaboration

Proven ability to lead teams and mentor engineers
Strong communication and client-facing skills
Professional references from a manager, peer, and subordinate

✈️ Travel

Up to 25% out-of-state travel; regular visits to client sites in Southern California

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

Hybrid mix of standard office environment and work-from-home leadership (at least 3 days of office work, discretionary 2 days of remote work, and on-site job walks as needed per week), up to 25% level of travel to client sites in the US; diverse industrial environments; flexible for out-of-region candidates but Southern California Region (specifically Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego) preferred.

Physical Demands of Position

Seeing, color perception, hearing, clear speech, dexterity in hands, driving, lifting, ability to mount/dismount equipment, pushing and pulling.

Why Join WM?

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employee-owners, including:

Ready to lead cutting-edge automation projects and grow with a company that invests in you?

*Job Descriptions are not exhaustive lists of all skills, responsibilities, or efforts associated with a job. They reflect principal job elements essential for performing the job and evaluating performance.

Wunderlich-Malec is proud to offer a comprehensive employee-owner benefit package. Full-time employees may be eligible for the following benefits: Medical • Dental • Vision • Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D • Long Term Disability • Voluntary Short Term Disability • Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts • Health Savings Account • Paid Time Off (PTO) • Paid Holidays • Tuition Reimbursement • Referral Bonus Program • 401(k)/Profit Sharing • 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) • Employee Assistance Program • Will Preparation Resources • Worldwide Travel Assistance.

The expected salary range is $110,000 to $155,000 base per year depending on qualifications plus a discretionary bonus and employee stock program.

#LI-Hybrid

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