Controls Engineering Manager at Jack Link's Protein Snacks — NeverHard

Job Description The Controls Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, performance, and development of all automation, controls, and SCADA systems within a highly automated food manufacturing facility. This role ensures maximum equipment uptime, system reliability, and continuous improvement of automation platforms to support world-class safety, quality, and operational efficiency. This leader is a critical driver of OEE, downtime reduction, and digital plant capability, partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, and OpEx & CI. Key Responsibilities Automation & Controls Strategy Own the site-wide automation strategy aligned to production and reliability goals Standardize PLC, HMI, SCADA, and network architecture across the facility Drive long-term roadmap for: System modernization Obsolescence mitigation Digital integration (data, MES, analytics) Uptime & Technical Support Ensure 24/7 controls system support model is in place Escalation owner for major automation failures and chronic downtime issues Partner with Maintenance to reduce MTTR for controls-related failures Define and implement: Troubleshooting standards Root cause analysis for automation failures Controls Engineering Team Leadership Lead team of: Controls Engineers SCADA Engineers (Indirect) Automation Technicians Set performance expectations, development plans, and technical standards Build bench strength for a multi-shift automated environment Reliability & TPM Integration Partner with Reliability Engineering to: Eliminate repeat failure modes Build predictive and preventative automation strategies Support TPM initiatives: Focused improvement (FI) Autonomous maintenance (AM) enablement via automation Project Execution Lead automation scope for capital projects: Line installations System upgrades Process improvements Ensure: Design standards Commissioning excellence Seamless startup performance Data & Digital Systems Own SCADA/MES data accuracy and availability Enable real-time visibility into: Downtime Performance Process control parameters Partner with CI and data teams to convert data into actionable insights Cross-Functional Integration Work closely with: Operations → support throughput and line stability Maintenance → ensure execution capability Reliability → eliminate root causes CI/OpEx → implement improvements Participate in daily/weekly performance reviews and loss elimination processes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Line OEE improvement (automation-driven losses) MTTR reduction (controls-related issues) Automation-related downtime (% of total downtime) Project delivery (on-time, on-budget, startup performance) Controls system standardization compliance SCADA/data integrity and uptime Technical Expertise Strong hands-on experience with: PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, etc.) HMI/SCADA systems Industrial networks (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, etc.) Experience with: Motion control, vision systems, robotics (preferred) System integration and commissioning Understanding of: CMMS systems Reliability/TPM principles Leadership Competencies Systems thinker (understands end-to-end process flows) Bias for action in high-pressure downtime situations Strong cross-functional influencer Ability to translate technical issues into business impact Builds and develops technical talent pipelines Success Profile (What Good Looks Like) Within 12 months, this leader: Establishes stable, standardized control systems across all lines Reduces automation-driven downtime by 25–40% Implements 24/7 automation support model Fully integrates controls into: Reliability strategy Daily performance management Builds a high-performing controls + automation team Reporting Structure Reports to: Plant Engineering Manager Direct Reports: Sr. Controls Engineers SCADA Engineer Indirect Influence: Automation Technicians Maintenance Supervisors Reliability Engineers Why This Role Matters In a plant of this size and automation level: The Controls Engineering Manager is the single biggest lever for uptime, throughput, and operational stability. This role directly determines whether the facility operates at: Average performance (reactive, unstable), or Top-quartile performance (predictable, optimized, data-driven