Engineer, Controls

Engineers in the Manufacturing Technology & Engineering division work in a vibrant and dynamic environment. Our engineers travel extensively throughout North America, primarily on the East Coast of the U.S., to various manufacturing facilities. Engineers work on assigned projects in support of the engineering portfolios of all divisions. Corning, NY is the home base, although some projects will be completed locally.

Frequently, our engineers work within manufacturing facilities on process engineering, equipment design and installation, measurement systems, and software applications for manufacturing. In this role, you will serve as an electrical controls resource for manufacturing process improvement and capital expansion projects. You will manage the electrical and controls scope of assigned projects. Project focus will be the implementation of PLC-based automation in Corning's manufacturing plants and processes.

This role combines traditional PLC programming expertise with modern AI technologies to improve development speed, code quality, troubleshooting, and documentation.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

As a recent college graduate and entry-level engineer, you will:

• Be assigned to engineering project teams responsible for delivering robust, cost-effective automation and process machine systems to Corning’s manufacturing plants and processes.
• Work with project teams to solve difficult automation problems, resolve project-related issues, and develop a fundamental understanding of technical and process requirements critical to system success.
• Participate in the development of control architectures, control functional specifications, and system integration requirements that satisfy process and manufacturing needs.
• Actively participate in all phases of the project, including design, fabrication, offline integration and testing, installation, production startup support, training of plant personnel, and technology transfer.
• Report on project activities on a predetermined basis and ensure results meet customer requirements as well as applicable national and international equipment design standards.
• Design, program, and troubleshoot PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems for industrial automation applications.
• Use AI tools to assist in generating PLC code, logic sequences, function blocks, alarms, and documentation.
• Review, validate, and test AI-generated PLC code to ensure safety, reliability, and compliance with project requirements.
• Develop control strategies for automated equipment, machinery, and production processes.
• Create and maintain electrical/control documentation, including I/O lists, sequence of operations, and functional descriptions.
• Perform system integration with sensors, actuators, drives, robots, and third-party equipment.
• Conduct simulation, commissioning, startup, and on-site troubleshooting.
• Optimize existing PLC programs for performance, maintainability, and downtime reduction.
• Ensure all code adheres to company standards, safety regulations, and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, maintenance, and project teams to deliver automation solutions.
• Train team members on proper use of AI tools in PLC programming workflows.

Required Skills

These are skills that candidates must possess:

• Solid understanding of fundamental engineering and control systems principles.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to learn new technologies and processes quickly.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Exposure to PLCs (such as Rockwell or Siemens) and/or embedded platforms such as Arduino or Raspberry Pi.
• Exposure to control systems design, programming, and closed-loop control concepts.

Desired Skills

These are skills that would be nice for candidates to possess:

• Interest in working in a manufacturing environment; prior manufacturing exposure is a plus.
• Exposure to robotics.
• Experience with PID controls and control loop tuning.
• Ability to interpret and modify electrical schematics.
• Familiarity with industrial networking and basic network addressing.
• Familiarity with version control, code documentation, and testing practices.
• Experience using AI coding assistants, generative AI tools, or automation development tools.
• Experience with simulation tools, digital twins, or virtual commissioning.
• Demonstrated ability to work in fast-paced, innovative environments.

Education and Experience

Minimum required for consideration:

• BS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science, or a related engineering field.
• 0-2 years of electrical/controls experience.

Travel Requirements

• Must be available for significant travel, primarily domestic, to multiple locations to support business needs. International travel could be required as well.