Automation Design Engineer

Piper Companies is seeking an Automation Design Engineer to join a rapidly growing engineering and systems integration organization supporting mission-critical facilities and regulated industries for a permanent, onsite position based out of Charlotte, NC. The Automation Design Engineer will be responsible for designing and implementing control system solutions, supporting automation projects from concept through commissioning, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities of the Automation Design Engineer include:

· Develop control system designs, electrical drawings, and panel layouts using AutoCAD Electrical and ECAD platforms.

· Program, configure, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley PLC systems and related Rockwell Automation hardware.

· Support automation projects throughout the project lifecycle, including design reviews, documentation, testing, and startup activities.

· Travel to customer locations approximately 30% of the time to assist with commissioning, site support, and system validation efforts.

· Identify opportunities to improve engineering workflows, automate repetitive design tasks, and support continuous process improvement initiatives.

Qualifications for the Automation Design Engineer include:

· 2+ years of experience in industrial automation, controls engineering, or a related field.

· Hands-on experience programming Allen-Bradley PLCs and strong familiarity with Rockwell Automation components and hardware integration.

· Proficiency with AutoCAD Electrical, ECAD, or similar electrical design software.

· Experience creating electrical control drawings, wiring diagrams, and automation documentation.

· Previous exposure to GMP-regulated environments, GDP requirements, pharmaceutical manufacturing, life sciences facilities, BAS/HVAC systems, or Siemens Desigo platforms is highly preferred.

· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Automation, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Compensation for the Automation Design Engineer:

Salary Range: $95,000 - $115,000/year (USD) + annual bonus opportunity of approximately 14% - 26% (ESOP + year-end bonus)

Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with 3% match, tuition reimbursement, paid training opportunities, and PTO

This job opens for applications on 8/21/26. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

Keywords: automation engineer, controls engineer, PLC programming, Allen-Bradley, Rockwell Automation, AutoCAD Electrical, ECAD, industrial automation, process controls, control systems, electrical design, panel design, commissioning, startup support, GMP, GDP, pharmaceutical manufacturing, life sciences, BAS, HVAC controls, Desigo, industrial engineering, SCADA, HMI, electrical schematics, instrumentation, validation, manufacturing automation, data centers, systems integration, engineering design, technical troubleshooting, project engineering, controls design, startup and commissioning, automation systems, industrial controls.

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