Senior Controls and Automation Technician
Summary
Senior technician who designs, troubleshoots, and maintains PLC/HMI systems and industrial automation to keep factory equipment running safely and reliably.
ICON is looking for a Senior Controls and Automation Technician to develop, maintain, and troubleshoot the control systems that run Titan and Vulcan on active construction sites and in ICON's Austin facility. This is a hands-on technical role — you will write and refine PLC logic, commission automated systems, diagnose controls failures from the physical layer up, and build the documentation that helps operators and technicians work independently. Expect field travel, dynamic environments, and direct ownership of the controls infrastructure that keeps the fleet running.
Responsibilities
- Develop and refine PLC logic, HMI screens, alarms, interlocks, and automation sequences to improve safety, uptime, and usability.
- Create and maintain controls documentation: I/O lists, wiring and network diagrams, configuration baselines, commissioning checklists, and service/SOP procedures.
- Diagnose controls-related failures using logs, fault codes, instrumentation, and structured troubleshooting (power, I/O, comms, motion, safety).
- Integrate, test, and validate sensors, actuators, drives, VFDs/servos, pneumatics/hydraulics interfaces, and safety systems (E-stops, light curtains, safety relays, STO).
- Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and implement corrective actions; document findings and prevent recurrence.
- Follow configuration control and change management practices (ECO/ECN) for field updates and validated releases.
- Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and field teams to standardize architectures and implement reliability improvements.
- Support operator/technician training and develop clear diagnostic guides and troubleshooting playbooks.
- Commission, troubleshoot, and support automated industrial equipment in factory and field environments.
Minimum Qualifications
- 4+ years supporting, troubleshooting, or commissioning industrial automation or electromechanical systems in production, field service, construction, robotics, or similar environments.
- Demonstrated hands-on controls troubleshooting across electrical systems: 24VDC controls, sensors, relays/contactors, VFDs/servos, encoders, and basic instrumentation.
- Experience with at least one PLC platform (or equivalent controls environment): Beckhoff/TwinCAT, Rockwell Studio 5000, Siemens TIA Portal, Codesys, or similar.
- Working knowledge of common industrial communications/networking (e.g., EtherNet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP/RTU) and basic network troubleshooting.
- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and troubleshoot from drawings and update documentation with guidance.
- Willingness to work in dynamic, field-like environments and travel as needed for commissioning/support.
- Strong safety mindset and ability to follow structured troubleshooting and verification practices.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Motion control experience (servo tuning, homing strategies, basic performance optimization).
- Functional safety familiarity (risk assessment concepts, safety circuits, ISO 13849 / IEC 61508 awareness).
- Experience with power quality issues, grounding/noise mitigation, generators, and field power distribution.
- Experience supporting hydraulic systems from a controls perspective (instrumentation, interlocks, HPU integration).
- Scripting or automation skills (Python, Bash) and familiarity with data logging/diagnostics.
- Experience with large-format robotics, gantry/CNC-like systems, or complex multi-subsystem industrial machines.
- Experience creating commissioning checklists, test procedures, and training materials for technicians/operators.
Furthermore, as a federal government contractor, the Company maintains an affirmative action program which furthers its commitment and complies with recordkeeping and reporting requirements under certain federal civil rights laws and regulations, including Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (as amended).
Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit candidates through this application. ICON does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency submissions for candidates and will not pay fees to any third-party agency without a prior agreement with ICON.
As part of our compliance with these obligations, the Company invites you to voluntarily self-identify as set forth below. Provision of such information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your employment or subject you to any adverse treatment. Any and all information provided will be considered confidential, will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file, and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders and regulations, including those that require the information to be summarized and reported to the federal government for civil rights enforcement purposes.
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