Controls Engineer Recruiters for Industrial Machinery (OEM machine builders)
Need someone now? Call 954-645-8032.
Hiring a controls engineer at a machine builder is not like hiring one for a plant. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Manufacturing only
- We reach people who aren't on job boards
- Replacement guarantee on standard searches
The hiring decision
What matters for this job
Hiring a controls engineer at a machine builder is not like hiring one for a plant. The machine leaves the building. Someone designs the panel, writes the code, builds the HMI, wires the cabinet, tests it on the floor and then flies to a customer site to commission it while the customer's production manager watches the clock. We recruit controls engineers for OEMs who build packaging machinery, material handling systems, pumps and process equipment, and we screen specifically for design discipline, panel standards and the temperament to be trusted at a customer's plant.
We ask whether the candidate has designed industrial control panels, selected components for short circuit current ratings, and worked in a UL 508A shop. NFPA 79 knowledge matters too.
The work is writing repeatable machine code, not patching a plant. We probe for structured, modular programs, state-based sequences, motion control, safety PLC and reusable libraries across a product family on modular PLC, integrated PLC engineering software or both.
Before an introduction
What we discuss with candidates
We talk with candidates about jobs they have done, why they are interested and whether the location and shift work for them. We tell you what they have shared and what still needs checking in your interviews.
Commissioning and field service
We ask for a story about a machine that failed its site acceptance test, what they did that night, and how they managed the customer relationship.
Travel tolerance
We discuss travel openly and early. Some engineers love the road and some are exhausted by it. We learn what rhythm a candidate can sustain and match it to what your commissioning schedule really demands.
Working with mechanical design
Machine builders succeed when controls and mechanical engineers talk before the build. We look for people who have influenced sensor placement, motion sizing and I/O layout early instead of inheriting finished iron.
Customer-facing documentation
We ask how the candidate handles as-built drawings, spare parts lists and training, and whether customers have ever called them back because the documentation was clear.
Ready to hire?
Direct search
Where we find people
Primary sources are controls groups at other machine builders: packaging machinery, conveyors and sortation, ag and construction equipment, pumps and compressors, and automation OEMs. These engineers already understand configure-to-order and engineer-to-order rhythms and the pressure of a ship date.
We also reach controls engineers at system integrators who want to build a product rather than a one-off project, and field service engineers who have commissioned equipment and want to move into design. Another valuable group is panel shop leads who know component selection and standards but want to program.
Another strong pool is controls engineers at equipment makers who have been through an ERP rollout and know how bills of materials for panels connect to purchasing, because that experience helps a configure-to-order business stay consistent.
Finally, we speak with controls leads at companies that sell to your customers' industries, since they know which panel and safety expectations are rising and who is quietly building the next generation of machine controls.
Common hiring mistakes
- Panel design and UL 508A. A candidate who has only programmed but never opened a drawing package will need a different seat.
- Customer-facing documentation. A machine is only finished when the manual, electrical drawings and I/O lists are usable by a customer technician years later.
- Commissioning and field service. Commissioning means debugging under pressure in someone else's building.
How we work
From your opening to your next hire
Tell us who you need
Tell us about the job, your plant and the experience you need, including the location, shift and pay.
We find and contact people
We look for people with relevant experience, including those not applying, and talk with them about the job and why they might move.
You meet strong candidates
You get a short list and a written summary of each person's experience, interest and practical requirements, with questions worth discussing.
We help you complete the hire
We help arrange interviews, share feedback and work through the offer and start, while you choose who to hire.
Ready to hire?
Industries we recruit for
- Food Manufacturing
- Beverage
- Meat, Poultry & Protein
- Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
- Packaging
- Plastics & Rubber
- Metals & Fabrication
- Automotive (OEM, Tier 1, Tier 2)
- EV & Battery Manufacturing
- Aerospace & Defense
- Medical Devices
- Pharmaceutical & Biotech Manufacturing
- Chemicals & Specialty Materials
- Electronics & Electrical Manufacturing
- Semiconductors
- Building Products & Construction Materials
- Industrial Machinery & Equipment
- Energy & Power Equipment
- Paper, Pulp & Forest Products
- Textiles & Nonwovens
Questions about Controls Engineer, Industrial Machinery (OEM machine builders) searches
How does your fee work?
We charge a percentage of the first-year base salary of the engineer you hire. The percentage is agreed in writing before work begins, and there is no upfront fee.
Do we pay if the search does not result in a hire?
No: You pay only if you hire someone we presented. No payment is due for unsuccessful searches.
Can the search be confidential?
Yes: We describe you by machine type and region until you approve disclosure, which protects your product plans and any incumbent. We ask whether the candidate has designed industrial control panels, selected components for short circuit current ratings, and worked in a UL 508A shop.
Will you find engineers who are not looking?
Yes: Good machine builder controls engineers are usually busy with a build or a site visit. We contact them directly and give them a reason to talk.
What about relocation to a smaller industrial town?
Many machine builders are in smaller towns near their foundries and suppliers. We discuss relocation, remote design days and the travel schedule up front so candidates can judge the whole picture.
Would an integrator engineer or a field service engineer work?
Often yes: An integrator engineer brings project speed and a field service engineer brings commissioning instincts. We evaluate whether they can handle repeatable design work, which is the main shift from custom projects.
Ready to hire?
Start your Controls Engineer, Industrial Machinery (OEM machine builders) search
Ready to hire?
Questions employers ask
When do you pay a recruiting fee?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We agree the fee basis and payment terms in writing before starting. Sending the form does not commit you to a search.
How long does it take to see a short list?
It depends on the job, location and people available. We discuss next steps after learning about your opening, rather than promising a date before we know the job.
How do you handle counteroffers?
We ask why candidates want to move and what could change their minds. We keep that conversation going through interviews and the offer.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not supply high-volume general labor or bill hourly for a standard permanent search. Retainers are not the default. Any different arrangement must be agreed in writing.
Read the contingency fee terms · Review Controls Engineer, Industrial Machinery (OEM machine builders)