Principal Controls Engineer

Principal Controls Engineer (15+ Years)

Salary range: $150,000–$190,000

Industrial Automation

Dallas, TX

We are seeking a Principal Controls Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority, system architect, and risk owner across complex custom automation programs. This role requires deep hands‑on expertise across electrical, controls, robotics, safety, and system integration, combined with strong decision‑making authority and leadership presence. Salary range: $150,000–$190,000

The Principal Controls Engineer is accountable for greenfield system architecture, technical risk management, and final technical approval of delivered automation systems.

The Principal Controls Engineers set engineering direction, define best practices, lead complex defense‑industry automation projects, and ensure that all delivered systems meet the highest levels of performance, safety, reliability, and security.

What You’ll Do

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND ARCHITECTURE

• Define end‑to‑end automation architectures for greenfield and brownfield systems, including PLC structure, motion control, robotics, safety systems, SCADA strategy, and industrial networks.
• Establish control philosophies, system partitioning, and interface strategies before detailed design begins.
• Create, maintain, and enforce engineering standards, reusable libraries, and design methodologies across programs.
• Serve as the highest‑level technical escalation point for complex system behavior and integration challenges.
• Responsible for cross‑program technical consistency and long‑term architectural direction.

SYSTEM OWNERSHIP, RISK, AND GOVERNANCE

• Own system‑level technical risk from concept through commissioning and production handoff.
• Lead formal technical risk assessments during early design phases.
• Identify and mitigate single‑point failures, unsafe states, and integration risks across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software domains.
• Lead and approve FMEA, PFMEA, hazard analyses, and safety architecture decisions.
• Define fault handling, degraded operation, and recovery strategies for critical systems.
• Serve as final technical authority to approve or reject designs based on safety, reliability, or system risk.

ELECTRICAL ARCHITECTURE LEADERSHIP

• Demonstrate mastery of power distribution, grounding, bonding, and control power strategies.
• Review and approve control panel architectures, MCC integration, and power protection schemes.
• Evaluate electrical safety considerations including arc‑flash, short‑circuit risk, and fault protection.
• Ensure electrical designs support system reliability, maintainability, and efficient commissioning.

ADVANCED CONTROLS AND COMMISSIONING

• Architect highly complex PLC, safety, and motion applications for large‑scale turnkey systems.
• Lead or oversee multi‑machine and full‑facility commissioning efforts.
• Define commissioning strategies, startup sequencing, and system acceptance criteria.
• Serve as escalation authority during startup and authorize system readiness for customer acceptance.

MENTORSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Mentor senior and junior engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and technical coaching.
• Guide development of future technical leaders and controls subject‑matter experts.
• Act as technical liaison with customers, defense partners, and internal leadership.

REGULATORY AND CYBERSECURITY OVERSIGHT

• Ensure all systems comply with UL, NFPA, ISO 13849, and applicable customer safety requirements.
• Guide compliance with DoD cybersecurity requirements for industrial control systems.
• Define and validate secure network segmentation, access control, and system hardening strategies.

ORGANIZATIONAL AUTHORITY

• Empowered to halt, redirect, or re‑scope engineering work when technical risk, safety, or system integrity is compromised.

Who You Are (Requirements)

• 15+ years of experience in automation, with leadership on large‑scale custom systems.
• Deep, authoritative expertise in PLCs, motion control, robotics, industrial networks, and safety systems.
• Mastery of AutoCAD Electrical and full control system architecture.
• Experienced technical mentor with history of growing engineering talent.
• Ability to lead multiple complex automation projects simultaneously.
• Strong customer‑facing communication and leadership presence.
• Experience in defense, energetics, or government‑funded systems strongly preferred.

PRINCIPAL CONTROLS ENGINEER.

This role is the technical authority and risk owner.

• Primary expectations. Strong working knowledge of both PLC and SCADA systems and robotics and electrical hardware.
• Greenfield system architecture from concept through commissioning.
• Ownership of technical risk, safety strategy, and system decisions.
• Final authority on architecture, standards, and readiness for startup.
• Mandatory knowledge. ANSI B11.
• RIA 15.06.
• NFPA 79.
• UL508A.

This person must understand consequences, not just code.

What We Provide:

• Competitive base salary (commensurate with experience) and performance-based incentives.
• Generous employer contribution to the Employee portion of medical insurance (75+%).
• Dental, Vision, and Gap insurance offered.
• Employer-paid Life insurance and Short-Term Disability.
• 401(k) employer match and immediately vested.
• Generous paid time off policy.