PLC Automation Lead
Belle Plaine, IA
74880.00-83200.00
Permanent
PLC MAINTENANCE AUTOMATION LEAD
LOCATION: BELLE PLAINE IA AREA
WAGE: $36-$40/HOUR
HOURS: 7:30AM-3:30PM COULD GO LONGER
Position Summary
The PLC Maintenance & Automation Lead is responsible for leading, maintaining, and improving industrial automation systems across manufacturing operations. This role ensures the reliability, safety, and performance of PLC-controlled equipment while supporting continuous improvement, food safety, and cooperative values. The position combines hands-on technical expertise with leadership, troubleshooting, and long-term automation strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Automation & PLC Systems
- Lead the design, programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting of PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or equivalent).
- Maintain and optimize automation for production lines, packaging, material handling, and utility systems.
- Develop and manage PLC standards, documentation, and version control.
- Support equipment upgrades, retrofits, and new system integrations.
- Ensure system reliability, redundancy, and cybersecurity best practices.
Maintenance & Reliability
- Provide advanced troubleshooting support for electrical, controls, and automation issues.
- Partner with maintenance teams to reduce downtime and improve equipment performance.
- Develop preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for automation systems.
- Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action implementation.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Serve as technical lead and mentor for maintenance technicians and automation staff.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Safety, and Production teams.
- Support training initiatives to raise automation and controls competency across the plant.
- Act as the primary automation contact for vendors, integrators, and contractors.
Compliance, Safety & Quality
- Ensure automation systems comply with food safety, GMP, OSHA, and electrical codes.
- Support validation and documentation for regulated manufacturing environments.
- Promote safe work practices and lockout/tagout compliance.
- Align automation improvements with sustainability and cooperative values.
Continuous Improvement & Strategy
- Identify opportunities for automation efficiency, energy reduction, and waste minimization.
- Support capital projects and long-term automation roadmap development.
- Stay current on emerging automation technologies and best practices.
Required Qualifications
- Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- 5+ years of industrial automation and PLC experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming, troubleshooting, and HMI development.
- Solid understanding of industrial networks, VFDs, sensors, and control panels.
- Proven ability to lead technical projects and mentor others.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in food, beverage, nutraceutical, or regulated manufacturing.
- Experience with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix / Studio 5000.
- Familiarity with SCADA systems and data integration.
- CMMS experience and reliability-centered maintenance exposure.
Please email resume to nikki@careerpros.com
Sedona Staffing Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer