Principal Controls Engineer - Electronics - Burlington, MA

Principal Controls Engineer

My client is a rapidly growing, venture-backed advanced manufacturing company commercializing innovative battery production technologies. Focused on transforming lithium-ion battery manufacturing, the organization is building next-generation production platforms designed to improve efficiency, scalability, and sustainability within the energy storage industry.

Job Description

Define and lead controls architecture for manufacturing equipment, pilot lines, and future production platforms.

Establish engineering standards, programming conventions, documentation requirements, and reusable automation architectures.

Lead PLC, HMI, SCADA, motion control, and industrial automation system development.

Design and optimize servo systems, multi-axis motion control, web handling, tension control, and line synchronization applications.

Architect and standardize SCADA platforms supporting R&D, process development, manufacturing, and production operations.

Develop advanced control strategies to improve equipment performance, reliability, uptime, and process capability.

Specify electrical systems including power distribution, transformers, protection devices, grounding, and controls hardware.

Evaluate and select drives, actuators, sensors, safety systems, and automation platforms.

Lead integration efforts with OEMs, system integrators, and external engineering partners.

Support equipment testing, commissioning, startup, validation, and production readiness activities.

Develop machine safety architectures and ensure compliance with applicable safety standards.

Define manufacturing data acquisition, connectivity, database integration, and controls-related data strategies.

Utilize Python and automation tools to improve engineering workflows, troubleshooting, and data analysis.

Drive resolution of complex automation and equipment performance issues.

Mentor engineers, lead technical reviews, and influence automation strategy across the organization.

MPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. MPI encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants.

The Successful Applicant

A successful Principal Controls Engineer should have:

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.

15+ years of industrial automation, controls engineering, or manufacturing equipment experience.

Proven technical leadership experience supporting complex automation systems throughout the full equipment lifecycle.

Expert-level PLC programming experience across multiple automation platforms; Siemens experience preferred.

Deep expertise in motion control, servo systems, coordinated multi-axis machinery, and web handling applications.

Significant SCADA and HMI architecture experience; Ignition experience strongly preferred.

Strong knowledge of industrial networking and communication protocols including Ethernet/IP, OPC-UA, Modbus, and Profibus.

Extensive experience with electrical controls architecture, instrumentation, control panels, and machine integration.

Strong understanding of machine safety standards including ISO 13849, NFPA 79, NFPA 70E, UL 508A, and CE requirements.

Experience integrating equipment with SQL databases, MES, ERP, historians, and manufacturing data systems.

Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages for automation and engineering applications.

Demonstrated success establishing engineering standards, automation platforms, and scalable controls architectures.

Experience scaling manufacturing technologies from R&D or pilot environments into commercial production preferred.

Battery, converting, advanced materials, semiconductor, chemical processing, or high-tech manufacturing experience highly desirable.

What's on Offer

Technical leadership without people management

Influence next-generation battery manufacturing

Lead automation architecture and standards

Highly visible role with executive exposure

Combine controls, data, and manufacturing innovation

Opportunity to shape commercial-scale production

Equity participation opportunity

Competitive compensation and benefits

If you are an experienced Controls Engineer looking for an excellent opportunity with a top organization, apply today for immediate consideration!