Controls Engineering Leader
General Motors LLCJob Description
The Role
The Controls Engineering People Leader is responsible for leading a team of controls/automation engineers and technicians supporting high‑volume manufacturing operations. You will own the strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of plant control systems (PLCs, HMIs, industrial networks, drives, safety circuits, data collection systems) to enable safe, reliable, and efficient production.
This is a hands‑on leadership role balancing day‑to‑day production support with long‑term upgrades, standardization, and technical talent development while reinforcing a strong safety culture.
What You’ll Do (Key Responsibilities)
People Leadership & Safety
Lead, coach, and develop a team of controls engineers and/or technicians, including performance management, mentoring, training, and succession planning.
Set clear priorities, manage workload, and remove roadblocks so the team can meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
Implement and maintain key safety processes and programs, including g‑Risk, Management of Change (MOC), and other plant safety requirements.
Promote a strong safety culture and ensure all controls work meets applicable safety, cybersecurity, and regulatory standards.
Controls Strategy, Standards & Governance
Own and maintain plant controls standards (PLCs, HMIs, safety controls, networks, robots/cobots, drives, field devices) and ensure alignment to GM/global specifications.
Ensure all changes to control systems follow MOC and are properly documented (backups, drawings, network layouts, bills of material, change logs).
Stay current on new controls technologies (PLC, HMI, networks, robotics/cobots, vision, diagnostics) and guide the adoption of best common systems and methods.
Operations Support & Continuous Improvement
Provide technical direction for troubleshooting controls, automation, and networking issues to support OEE, throughput, and scrap reduction targets.
Support and improve preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for controls and automation equipment.
Use structured problem solving and root cause analysis to reduce downtime and improve equipment reliability, error‑proofing, process capability, and data visibility.
Project & Vendor Management
Plan and execute controls‑related projects (new equipment, refurbishments, line moves, upgrades, obsolescence mitigation, and integration of emerging technologies such as AI/cobots and advanced diagnostics).
Provide direction to project teams across multiple organizations and levels; coordinate closely with product engineering, plant engineering, maintenance, and other manufacturing engineers.
Manage controls‑related vendors and contractors, including scope definition, proposal review, safety expectations, and ensuring safe, compliant execution.
Lead departmental initiatives related to controls hardware, software, licenses, and support contracts.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
Partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, and leadership to prioritize work, align on scope, and deliver robust solutions that support Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost.
Maintain effective working relationships with plant leadership, central engineering, OEMs, and other cross‑functional GM organizations.
Your Skills and Abilities (Required Qualifications)
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls/Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or related technical field; or equivalent relevant experience.
5+ years of controls/automation engineering experience in a manufacturing environment (stamping, assembly, machining, body shop, paint, or similar heavy industrial preferred).
Demonstrated people leadership experience (direct supervision, team lead, or project leadership of technical staff).
Strong hands‑on experience with PLC and HMI platforms (e.g., Allen‑Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, or equivalent).
Experience with industrial networks (e.g., EtherNet/IP, Profinet, DeviceNet, ControlNet, Profibus) and network troubleshooting.
Working knowledge of machine safety (safety PLCs, interlocks, light curtains, safety relays, risk assessment, safe stop, lockout/tagout concepts).
Proven track record applying structured problem solving and root cause analysis to reduce downtime and improve reliability.
Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills across operations, maintenance, engineering, and leadership.
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced, production‑critical environment.
Willingness to provide off‑shift and weekend support as needed for major downtime events, launches, and critical projects.
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)
Deep technical knowledge in controls or automation engineering disciplines in high‑volume manufacturing.
Experience in automotive or high‑volume metal/assembly manufacturing.
Experience with robotics/cobots (programming, integration, safety zoning, and commissioning).
Experience leading capital projects from concept through commissioning and handover.
Demonstrated success developing and mentoring engineers/technicians and building high‑performance technical teams.
Strong interpersonal skills and communication methods that build effective partnerships and alignment with business leaders and cross‑functional teams.
About GM
Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.
Why Join Us
We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.
Benefits Overview
From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.
Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)
General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.
All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.
We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.
Accommodations
General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.