Staff Conveyors Controls and Systems Engineer

Rivian Rivian · Auto · Normal, IL · Manufacturing

This role is for a Staff Conveyors Controls and Systems Engineer at Rivian, focusing on heavy PLC programming for production line automation. Responsibilities include troubleshooting technical issues, participating in equipment buy-offs, developing control standards, and maintaining/modifying PLC programs, HMI, and MES logic. The role requires expertise in common controls hardware, safety standards, electrical standards, and programming industrial equipment using IEC 61131-3 languages with Rockwell, Siemens, or Beckhoff PLCs. Experience with robots and fieldbus networks is preferred.

What you'd actually do

  1. Participate in various controls equipment buy-offs at vendor sites and at Rivian’s factory in Normal, IL for FAT, SAT, and safety.
  2. Participate in development of controls standards and specifications by feeding back lessons-learned and gaps from each project to ensure that future projects will run smoother.
  3. Continuously improve the production lines by reducing cycle time, reducing downtime, and improving quality.
  4. Maintain, modify, and properly version control equipment programs, configuration files, and documentation as changes are implemented.
  5. Troubleshoot, improve, and add features to PLCs using Ladder Logic and/or Structured Text with an emphasis on code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable.

Skills

Required

  • Controls Engineering
  • PLC programming (Ladder Logic, Structured Text)
  • HMI development
  • MES integration
  • Safety standards (ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA)
  • Electrical standards (NFPA79, National Electric Code, UL508A)
  • IEC 61131-3 languages
  • Rockwell, Siemens, or Beckhoff PLCs
  • FactoryTalk View, WinCC, Ignition, Wonderware, TwinCAT HMI
  • Troubleshooting industrial equipment

Nice to have

  • Robot programming (Fanuc, ABB, Kawasaki)
  • Fieldbus networks (Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, Profinet)
  • Database communication
  • EPLAN, AutoCAD Electrical

What the JD emphasized

  • Heavy PLC programming
  • 7+ years of Controls Engineering experience or equivalent work experience
  • BS/MS Electrical Engineering or equivalent work experience
  • Expertise with common controls hardware components used in high-volume manufacturing
  • Hands-on experience integrating and commissioning high volume manufacturing equipment
  • In-depth knowledge of Safety standards (ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA)
  • In-depth knowledge of Electrical Standards (NFPA79, National Electric Code, UL508A)
  • Advanced proficiency programming industrial equipment using various IEC 61131-3 languages
  • Experience writing standard and safety PLC projects from scratch for high-volume manufacturing equipment using Rockwell, Siemens, or Beckhoff PLCs
  • Experience creating HMI projects from scratch for high-volume manufacturing equipment using FactoryTalk View, WinCC, Ignition, Wonderware, TwinCAT HMI, or similar