PLC Automation Lead Belle Plaine, IA


PLC MAINTENANCE AUTOMATION LEAD
LOCATION: BELLE PLAINE IA AREA
WAGE: $36-$40/HOUR
HOURS: 7:30AM-3:30PM COULD GO LONGER

Position Summary
The PLC Maintenance & Automation Lead is responsible for leading, maintaining, and improving industrial automation systems across manufacturing operations. This role ensures the reliability, safety, and performance of PLC-controlled equipment while supporting continuous improvement, food safety, and cooperative values. The position combines hands-on technical expertise with leadership, troubleshooting, and long-term automation strategy.

Key Responsibilities
Automation & PLC Systems
  • Lead the design, programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting of PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or equivalent).
  • Maintain and optimize automation for production lines, packaging, material handling, and utility systems.
  • Develop and manage PLC standards, documentation, and version control.
  • Support equipment upgrades, retrofits, and new system integrations.
  • Ensure system reliability, redundancy, and cybersecurity best practices.
Maintenance & Reliability
  • Provide advanced troubleshooting support for electrical, controls, and automation issues.
  • Partner with maintenance teams to reduce downtime and improve equipment performance.
  • Develop preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for automation systems.
  • Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action implementation.
Leadership & Collaboration
  • Serve as technical lead and mentor for maintenance technicians and automation staff.
  • Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Safety, and Production teams.
  • Support training initiatives to raise automation and controls competency across the plant.
  • Act as the primary automation contact for vendors, integrators, and contractors.
 
Compliance, Safety & Quality
  • Ensure automation systems comply with food safety, GMP, OSHA, and electrical codes.
  • Support validation and documentation for regulated manufacturing environments.
  • Promote safe work practices and lockout/tagout compliance.
  • Align automation improvements with sustainability and cooperative values.
Continuous Improvement & Strategy
  • Identify opportunities for automation efficiency, energy reduction, and waste minimization.
  • Support capital projects and long-term automation roadmap development.
  • Stay current on emerging automation technologies and best practices.
Required Qualifications
  • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Mechatronics, or related field (or equivalent experience).
  • 5+ years of industrial automation and PLC experience in a manufacturing environment.
  • Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming, troubleshooting, and HMI development.
  • Solid understanding of industrial networks, VFDs, sensors, and control panels.
  • Proven ability to lead technical projects and mentor others.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience in food, beverage, nutraceutical, or regulated manufacturing.
  • Experience with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix / Studio 5000.
  • Familiarity with SCADA systems and data integration.
  • CMMS experience and reliability-centered maintenance exposure.
Please email resume to nikki@careerpros.com
Sedona Staffing Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer
 
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(319) 826-1954

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