
Due to continued growth, Salas O’Brien, a leader in industrial automation engineering and equipment, located in Chesterfield, Missouri has an immediate opening for a remote, experienced, creative and dynamic individual for the position of Automation Engineer. This is a full-time, permanent, direct-hire position.
The Desired Candidate will have the following Knowledge/Experience:
• Minimum three years of machine controls or packaging experience in heavy industrial/manufacturing industries.
• Proficiency in Allen-Bradley PLC programming software (RS Logix, Studio 5000), and Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7.
• Ability to develop a PLC program from scratch or customize a program based on customer specific templates. Must have flexibility in programming style to adapt to customer standards both Ladder logic and Functional Block Diagrams.
• Proficiency in FactoryTalk HMI development to meet customer standards, including customized face plates, Historians and Alarms & Event Management.
• Experience designing controls system networks using Ethernet, ProfiNet, ControlNet, and DeviceNet
• Experience designing, programming, and configuring Variable Frequency Drive systems, including Rockwell and non-Rockwell hardware.
• Minimum Two-Year Degree in an electrical technology field, Four-Year Degree in Electrical Engineering is preferred.
• Experience with supporting client remotely to troubleshoot and update programs after construction.
• Experience designing, programming, and configuring servo systems
• Experience in configuring and programming Fanuc robotic systems is a plus but is not required.
• Ability to review, prepare and update functional descriptions and process requirements.
• Knowledge of Safety Control Systems.
• Experience as a control engineering lead for large capital projects.
• Some travel is required, typically 25%-50%.
The Desired Candidate will have the following Core Characteristics:
Leadership
• As part of their job duties, a Controls Engineer at Salas O’Brien supports projects from conception to commissioning. The goal of this resource is to develop a site-presence for local clients and to build a team of local support which will foster client relationships.
• The candidate will have the ability to act as the single point contact for projects. They will manage engineering scope, cost and schedule to deliver efficient, high-quality projects in a timely fashion. They will proactively identify issues or risk items and work with customer and Salas O’Brien resources to resolve in a timely manner. They will have experience managing project teams including themselves and one or two other engineering resources. Typical project size will be $50K to $100K in engineering services.
• The candidate will communicate in person and in writing to keep customers, contractors, and Salas O’Brien project team well informed of pertinent information in a timely manner.
• The candidate will be able to work independently but be quick to ask questions and draw upon the best Salas O’Brien, customer, and industry resources to complete work accurately and efficiently.
• The candidate will actively expand knowledge and abilities to address challenges. They will dynamically pursue the proper training and other tools as necessary. They will set aggressive goals and makes every effort to succeed.
Collaboration
• The candidate will have a strong willingness and ability to communicate, cooperate, and work with co-workers, supervisors, and customers. They will have the ability to build and maintain healthy, long term, professional relationships with coworkers and customers. They will maintain
excellent composure, especially under pressure.
• The candidate will contribute to a positive, dynamic workplace that is energizing and enjoyable to work in. They place a high priority on helping others resolve issues that inevitably arise in the business environment.
• The candidate will propose new ideas when there is a need for better methods and alternatives. They will contribute to an environment where new ideas are discussed and developed collaboratively.
Focus on Quality and Continuous Improvement
• The candidate will consistently work in a safe manner at Salas O’Brien and customer sites.
• The candidate will maintain a high level of technical expertise in the “Knowledge / Experience” areas listed above.
• The candidate will have a thorough understanding of how to execute projects quickly and efficiently. They will identify barriers and request necessary resources to work efficiently.
• The candidate will develop high quality, accurate deliverables. They will own issues and drive them to resolution with internal and external customers.
• The candidate will have a strong desire to work and keep very well informed on project status. They will seek to understand at a higher level.
• The candidate will have an understanding of an engineering work process and history of developing solutions with a documented mathematical basis during the concept phase.
Salas O’Brien offers a generous benefit package including health, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), paid vacation, and holidays. Employee development is supported and encouraged. Our staff and their families are important to us, as are sound ethics, high standards and teamwork. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at salasobrien.com/markets/process-manufacturing/.
This role is eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:
For more information, visit our full benefits overview here
Equal Opportunity Employment Statement
Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.
Third-Party Agency Notice
Salas O’Brien does not accept unsolicited resumes from external recruiters or agencies. We only work with approved partners engaged directly by our Talent Acquisition team for specific searches. Unsolicited submissions will not be eligible for placement fees.

Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and technical services firm focused on advancing the human experience through the built environment.
Our team is engineered for impact™, helping clients achieve critical goals, advancing our team members through growth and opportunity, and operating at the center of important global issues, including sustainability and decarbonization.
We are a top firm as ranked by Engineering News-Record and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, and we have appeared for over a decade on the Inc. 5000 list of North America’s fastest-growing private companies.