How do you hire a controls engineer? Start by deciding which kind you need: a PLC and machine automation engineer, a SCADA or DCS process controls engineer, a building automation engineer, or an engineer who programs and commissions equipment for an OEM or integrator.
Then screen hard on the exact platform (Rockwell Studio 5000, Siemens TIA Portal, a specific DCS or BAS), test real troubleshooting ability in the interview, and be upfront about travel and commissioning time. Pay against the right benchmark, since BLS has no separate controls engineer category, and move quickly once you find someone who has brought equipment from dead to running.
Key takeaways
- “Controls engineer” covers at least four different jobs. Define the variant, platform and industry before you write the posting.
- Platform match (Rockwell vs. Siemens, DeltaV vs. Experion, Niagara vs. Metasys) is the single biggest screening factor, but core logic and troubleshooting skills transfer.
- BLS has no separate controls engineer category. Electrical engineers are the closest benchmark, with a May 2025 median of $120,630.
- State travel and commissioning expectations in the job post. Hiding them is the fastest way to lose a new hire after the first startup.
- Interview with a live fault-finding exercise, not just a resume walk-through. Ask what they wrote from scratch versus what they modified.
What does a controls engineer do, and which type do you need?
A controls engineer designs, programs and commissions the systems that run machines and processes automatically. For a full breakdown of daily tasks, PLCs, HMIs and SCADA, see our post on what a controls engineer does. For hiring, what matters is that the title covers very different jobs. O*NET lists “Control Systems Engineer,” “Process Controls Engineer” and “Automation Engineer” as reported titles under mechatronics engineers, while “Electrical Controls Engineer” shows up under electrical engineers. A great candidate for one variant can be a poor fit for another.
| Variant | What they do | Typical background |
|---|---|---|
| PLC / machine automation (plant side) | Program and maintain PLCs, HMIs, drives and safety systems on production lines; improve uptime; handle line changes and upgrades. Usually Rockwell Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk, or Siemens TIA Portal and WinCC. | BSEE, BSME, mechatronics or EET degree; sometimes a maintenance electrician or automation technician who moved up |
| SCADA / DCS process controls | Configure distributed control systems and SCADA for continuous processes in oil and gas, chemical, refining, pipelines, and water and wastewater. Work with instrumentation, P&IDs, control narratives, alarm management and safety instrumented systems. Common platforms include Emerson DeltaV, Honeywell Experion, Yokogawa CENTUM, ABB 800xA, and Ignition or AVEVA for SCADA. | Chemical or electrical engineering; instrumentation and controls (I&C) experience; plant operations exposure |
| Building automation (BAS) | Program and commission HVAC controls, lighting and energy management in commercial buildings, hospitals, campuses and data centers. Integrate devices over BACnet, Modbus and LON. Platforms include Tridium Niagara, Johnson Controls Metasys, Siemens Desigo and Honeywell. | HVAC or mechanical background, BAS technicians who moved into engineering, some EEs |
| OEM machine builder / system integrator | Design panels, write the machine or line program, run factory acceptance tests (FAT), then travel to customer sites for installation, site acceptance tests (SAT), startup and operator training. Often multiple PLC brands, robots and vision. | Electrical or mechatronics engineering; integrator or field service experience; comfort with heavy travel |
Travel and commissioning. This is where hires go wrong most often. A plant-side controls engineer may work at one site and take occasional on-call nights. An integrator or OEM engineer may spend weeks at a time at customer sites during installation and startup, often on long shifts and weekends when the customer wants production back. Process controls roles can include turnarounds and shutdowns with extended hours. Decide which pattern your role follows and put a realistic travel range and on-call expectation in the posting.
What skills and certifications should you require?
Keep the “required” column short. Every extra must-have shrinks an already small candidate pool. Put platform depth and troubleshooting ahead of credentials, since most strong controls engineers don’t hold a certification.
| Area | Required (typical) | Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor’s in electrical, mechanical, mechatronics, chemical or engineering technology, or equivalent hands-on experience | Co-op or internship with an integrator or plant engineering team |
| Platform | Hands-on programming in your primary platform (for example, Studio 5000 Logix Designer or TIA Portal) | A second PLC brand; DCS or BAS experience if relevant |
| Languages | Ladder logic plus function block or structured text (IEC 61131-3 languages) | Sequential function charts; Python or SQL for data work |
| HMI / SCADA | Builds and edits operator screens and alarms | Ignition, WinCC, FactoryTalk View SE, historians; alarm management practice |
| Networks | EtherNet/IP or PROFINET; Modbus | OPC UA, managed switches, VLANs; BACnet for building roles |
| Safety | Works to your safety procedures, including lockout/tagout; understands safety relays and interlocks | Safety PLCs; machine electrical design to NFPA 79; safety instrumented systems under ISA84 for process roles |
| Cybersecurity | Follows remote access and change control rules | Training in the ISA/IEC 62443 series or ISA’s 62443 cybersecurity certificates |
| Certification | None | ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP); PE in Control Systems if you stamp designs |
| Documentation | Reads schematics and P&IDs; comments code | AutoCAD Electrical or EPLAN; writes control narratives and FAT/SAT procedures |
Two notes on credentials. ISA’s CAP is a meaningful signal of senior experience: candidates with a four year technical degree need at least five years of work in automation before they qualify, according to ISA’s CAP requirements. The NCEES PE Control Systems exam matters mainly if your work requires a licensed engineer to seal drawings, which is more common in utility, water and some process work. Our guide to PE vs. EIT vs. no license explains when a license is worth requiring.
How much does it cost to hire a controls engineer?
BLS has no separate controls engineer category. Depending on the employer, controls engineers are reported as electrical engineers, electronics engineers or engineers, all other (the group that includes mechatronics engineers). Electrical engineers are the closest widely used benchmark. These are May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics figures, the latest BLS release.
| BLS benchmark (May 2025) | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical engineers (closest proxy) | $76,550 | $120,630 | $184,300 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer | $81,840 | $130,220 | $206,960 |
| Engineers, all other (includes mechatronics engineers) | Not shown | $122,930 | Not shown |
Industry matters. BLS reports May 2025 medians for electrical engineers of $105,780 in engineering services, $121,610 in navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing, and $122,430 in electric power generation, transmission and distribution. BLS also projects employment of electrical engineers to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, so competition for experienced people is unlikely to ease.
When you set your range, adjust the benchmark for what the role actually asks. Heavy travel, on-call rotations, DCS or safety system expertise, and scarce platform combinations all push offers up. Budget for per diem, travel time and overtime policy on integrator roles too, because candidates compare total pay, not just base salary.
For project spikes such as a line installation, a DCS migration or a startup crunch, a contract controls engineer can cover the gap without adding permanent headcount. See contract staffing vs. direct hire for how to decide.
Recruiter tip: Put the travel range and the startup schedule in the first conversation, not the offer stage. Controls engineers who have been burned by “light travel” that turned into months on the road will walk away late in the process, and that costs you more time than being upfront.
Where do you find controls engineers?
The best controls engineers are usually employed and busy commissioning something. Posting and waiting rarely works. Go where they already are:
- ISA sections. The International Society of Automation runs local geographic sections with meetings, tabletop vendor shows and student chapters. Sponsoring or attending puts you in front of working automation people.
- System integrators and OEMs. Integrator engineers see many plants and platforms. Some want to trade travel for a plant role with steadier hours, which makes them strong targets for end-user employers.
- Your own maintenance team. Electricians and automation technicians who already edit logic and troubleshoot your lines can grow into junior controls roles. ISA’s CCST program is one signal of technician depth.
- Engineering and engineering technology programs. Look for schools with PLC labs, mechatronics degrees, and co-op programs. Co-op students who have done an integrator rotation arrive far more productive.
- Adjacent industries. For process roles, look at refineries, chemical plants, pipelines and utilities. For BAS roles, look at mechanical contractors and HVAC controls service companies. For machine roles, look at packaging, automotive, and warehouse automation.
- Veterans. Military electronics, electrical and nuclear technicians often have strong troubleshooting discipline and are comfortable with procedures and documentation.
- Platform communities. Vendor user groups, Ignition and Rockwell or Siemens user forums, and automation trade shows are where engineers go to solve problems and compare notes.
How do you write the job description?
Lead with the variant, the platform, the industry and the travel. Controls engineers scan for those four things first. Here is a template you can adapt. For more on posting structure, see how to write a great job posting.
Controls Engineer, [PLC / Process / BAS / Integrator] ([City, State])
About the role: You will [program and support / design and commission] [machine lines / process units / building systems] at [our plant in X / customer sites across Y] in the [food and beverage / chemical / water / commercial building] industry. Travel: [0 to X percent], mostly during [installation and startup]. On-call: [rotation details].
What you will do: Write and modify [ladder / structured text / DCS configuration] in [Studio 5000 / TIA Portal / DeltaV / Niagara]; build and maintain [HMI / SCADA] screens and alarms; run I/O checkout, FAT and SAT; troubleshoot faults across logic, networks and field devices; document changes under our change control process.
Required: [X]+ years of hands-on controls experience; programming in [primary platform]; [EtherNet/IP / PROFINET / BACnet]; bachelor’s in [engineering field] or equivalent experience.
Preferred: [second platform]; [safety PLC / SIS]; [ISA/IEC 62443 training]; [ISA CAP / PE].
Pay and benefits: [$ range], [per diem and travel pay policy], [overtime policy], [training budget].
What interview questions should you ask?
Use a mix of technical and scenario questions, and have someone who knows your platform in the room. If you can, bring a laptop with a sample program or a small trainer panel and ask the candidate to find a fault. For general structure, see our list of questions to ask an interviewee and our behavioral interview questions.
- “Walk me through the last system you programmed from a blank project.” Listen for how they structured the code (routines, add-on instructions or function blocks, tag naming) and whether they actually started from scratch.
- “A conveyor stops intermittently and no fault shows on the HMI. How do you find it?” Good answers move logically from symptoms to online logic, I/O status, network diagnostics and field devices.
- “How do you tune a PID loop that oscillates?” For process roles, expect a discussion of process dynamics, bumpless transfer and when to leave a loop in manual.
- “What is the difference between a standard interlock and a safety function?” Look for an understanding of safety-rated hardware, validation and why safety logic is not just more ladder rungs.
- “Describe a startup that went badly. What did you do?” Commissioning pressure is part of the job. You want calm, clear communication with operators and project managers.
- “How do you make an online edit to a running system safely?” Listen for backups, change control, testing plans and talking to operations first.
- “How would you give a vendor remote access to a PLC?” Strong candidates talk about network segmentation, controlled remote access and approvals, not an always-on modem.
- For BAS roles: “How would you integrate a third-party chiller onto a BACnet network?” Look for device discovery, object mapping and trend and alarm setup. The BACnet Committee (ASHRAE SSPC 135) maintains the standard if you want background.
What red flags should you watch for?
- Can’t say which parts of a program they wrote versus inherited or modified.
- Lists every PLC brand on the resume but can’t describe a project in any of them in detail.
- No commissioning or startup experience for a role that is mostly commissioning.
- Treats safety circuits casually, or talks about bypassing interlocks to get running.
- Makes online edits without backups or change control, or dismisses documentation as optional.
- Avoids or gets vague about travel and on-call questions. That usually means the schedule will be a problem later.
- Blames operators or maintenance for every problem in their stories.
Recruiter tip: Don’t reject a strong engineer only because they know Siemens and you run Rockwell, or the reverse. Ask them to explain how they would structure the same machine on your platform. Engineers with solid fundamentals usually get productive on a new platform faster than a weak engineer on the “right” one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a controls engineer and an automation engineer?
The titles overlap heavily, and O*NET lists both as reported titles under mechatronics engineers. Some employers use “automation engineer” for broader roles that add robotics, MES or software. Define the work in the posting rather than relying on the title.
Do controls engineers need a PE license?
Most don’t. A PE matters when someone must seal drawings, which is more common in utility, water and some process work. NCEES offers a dedicated PE Control Systems exam for engineers who need one.
Should I hire a junior engineer and train them?
It works if you have a senior engineer with time to mentor and a stable system to learn on. A junior hire usually can’t lead a startup alone, so pair them with an experienced engineer or contractor for major projects.
Can a controls engineer work remotely?
Partly. Programming, design and documentation can often be done remotely, but I/O checkout, commissioning and hands-on troubleshooting require someone on site. Hybrid setups are common for design-heavy integrator roles.
Which certification matters most when hiring?
None is required for most roles. ISA’s CAP signals broad senior experience, and ISA/IEC 62443 training is increasingly useful where control systems connect to business networks. Proven platform work and commissioning history still count for more.
Hiring for a PLC, SCADA, DCS or building automation role? Our controls engineering recruiters work with manufacturers, integrators, utilities and building owners to find engineers who match your platform, industry and travel needs, on a contract or direct hire basis. Tell us about your open role.
