Senior Controls Engineer – Industrial & Critical Power SCADA Solutions in Raleigh, North Carolina at SMT INC

About Rise Power Systems

Rise Power Systems designs and delivers industrial solutions and critical power products, including eHouse-integrated systems, metering, power distribution controls, and motor-driven applications utilizing VFDs. We are vertically integrated with SMT, Inc. (est. 1969), leveraging in-house manufacturing to accelerate development, strengthen quality control, and scale standardized product platforms.

As part of our growth, we are building UL-certified product lines aligned with:

• UL 1558 (Metal-Enclosed Low-Voltage Power Circuit Breaker Switchgear)

• ANSI/IEEE C37 series (switchgear and power distribution equipment)

• UL 845 (Motor Control Centers)

• UL 508 (Industrial Control Pannels)

• UL 62368-1 Information Technology (IT)

Our focus is delivering scalable, reliable, and maintainable power and automation solutions through disciplined engineering and product development.

Benefits:
Rise Power Systems offers a generous benefits package to include the following:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short Term Disability, Supplemental Insurance Options, Pet Insurance
• 401k with company match
• PTO and Paid Holidays

Position Summary

The Controls Engineer is a key member of the Rise Power Systems engineering team responsible for designing and supporting PLC and SCADA systems for industrial and critical power equipment. This is a hands-on role focused on control system architecture, integration, testing, and commissioning across the full product lifecycle.

The role emphasizes open, vendor-neutral automation architectures using IEC 61131-3 PLC platforms and modern SCADA systems, with a strong focus on maintainability, documentation, and field readiness.

Preferred Controls Architecture

• PLC: IEC 61131-3, CODESYS-based PLC / SoftPLC

• SCADA: Inductive Automation Ignition

• Interoperability: OPC UA (primary), MQTT where applicable

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement PLC and SCADA architectures for industrial and critical power applications.

• Develop core controls deliverables including sequences of operation, I/O lists, control narratives, and cause-and-effect logic.

• Implement and troubleshoot PLC logic including interlocks, permissives, alarms, and fail-safe behaviors.

• Integrate power equipment, metering, and third-party devices into control and SCADA systems (including VFDs/drives and motor control components as applicable).

• Support system validation, FAT/SAT execution, and commissioning activities.

• Implement and support industrial communications using standard protocols (e.g., Modbus TCP/RTU, Ethernet-based protocols, OPC UA).

• Maintain clear, controlled documentation aligned with company standards and change management practices.

• Collaborate with electrical, manufacturing, suppliers, and field teams to support successful delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Controls Engineering, or related technical discipline.

• 3+ years of experience delivering PLC/SCADA systems in industrial or power-related environments.

• Strong understanding of three-phase power systems, control power, wiring practices, and electrical safety.

• Proficiency with IEC 61131-3 PLC programming and structured troubleshooting.

• Experience supporting FAT, SAT, and field commissioning.

• Practical knowledge of industrial networking and common protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU minimum).

• Strong documentation skills and disciplined approach to configuration and change control.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with CODESYS-based PLC platforms and reusable control libraries.

• Hands-on experience with Ignition SCADA (tag modeling, alarming, historian).

• Familiarity with protective device integration (breakers, relays, trip units).

• Experience integrating VFDs/drives, MCC equipment, UPS/generators, metering, or environmental monitoring systems.

• OT cybersecurity awareness and secure remote access concepts.