Senior Staff Controls Engineer

Sr Staff Controls Engineer

We are seeking a proven controls / automation engineer to shape our growing and evolving controls architecture here at Redwood.  The right individual will bring a novel, modern, and innovative blend of state-of-the-art software and traditional industrial controls to our industrial process plants.  This role will be hands on and lead new ways to bring a high level of automation to scale our battery recycling, sorting, refining, and materials manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities include:

• Help lead the strategy for design, implementation, operation, and optimization of Redwood’s automated process control systems.
• Design control system architectures that are safe, resilient, and scalable (across machines/sensors, PLCs, and SCADA/HMI).
• These architectures should efficiently blend robust industrial technologies (PLC/DCS) with more advanced automation techniques (predictive control, inferential measurement control, etc).
• Build frameworks and reference implementations for highly resilient communications (industrial protocols, network topology, messaging/queuing).
• Identify opportunities to improve and lead efforts to modernize PLC change management (version control, automated regression tests, etc).
• Work across engineer teams (controls, software, electrical) to design and prove out robust technical architectures (benchtop, proof of concepts, custom machine design).
• Coordinate with other controls engineers to execute and deliver on new technical design patterns for process and machine controls (greenfield plants and optimization of recently built factories).

Desired qualifications:

• Strong hands-on experience and understanding of latest trends across industrial automation (PLC/DCS and advanced process controls).
• Strong experience controlling physical processes using both embedded systems (e.g. real time industrial PCs or DSPs) and traditional industrial automation.
• Strong familiarity with modern software workflows, and an excitement to bring their core advantages (e.g. regression testing + version control) to an industrial setting.
• Strong understanding of computer science fundamentals in the context of industrial hardware.
• Strong understanding of control theory and experience applying it practically to process control systems.
• Understanding of mechanical, electrical, and thermodynamics first principles and fundamentals.
• Eagerness to lead technical strategy and design of control system architectures.
• Minimum 8 years of factory automation experience.
• Working knowledge of industrial automation protocols and safety systems.
• A passion for sustainability and making the world a better place! 
• Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science or a related field.
• Hands-on attitude, with a willingness to contribute at all levels.

The position is full-time in the Reno, Nevada area or San Francisco.  Compensation is competitive and will be commensurate with experience.