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Engineer- Controls I USA (B Crew/PM Shift)

First Solar · Gaffney, SC

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Level
Engineer
Team
Controls
Base pay
$69k–$98k
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked
5+ years
Industry
Industrial
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

An engineer-level controls role at First Solar (industrial) in Gaffney, SC.

They ask for
5+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names
PLC, Robotics, Automation, AutoCAD
Base pay
$69k–$98k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Controls Engineer roles in South Carolina: typical posted base $97k–$125k. This one lists $69k–$98k.

Median of the low and high ends of 8 live postings that list pay, out of 21 controls engineer openings in South Carolina, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

South Carolina plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 20 other live controls postings in South Carolina.

Base pay
About 25% below similar roles

Typical $97k–$125k, from 7 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
Typical (5+ years)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ PLC 76%
  • ✓ Automation 76%
  • Root cause 38%
  • Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 38%
  • ✓ Robotics 33%
  • Team leadership 33%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 5+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at First Solar

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: First Solar in Gaffney

7 other open roles at this site.

All 8 roles at First Solar →
Full description from First SolarAs posted on their careers site.Show

Education/Experience

  • ✓Associates/Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field; or equivalent years of work experience.
  • ✓Minimum 1 – 5 years of manufacturing equipment controls engineering experience.

Required Skills/Competencies

  • ✓Understands controls engineering techniques and practices which would be required for global facilities including North America, Asian, and European countries.
  • ✓Abilities to trouble-shoot electrical/electronic control systems.
  • ✓Understands global manufacturing processes and safety requirements.
  • ✓Proficient use of Auto Desk AutoCad drafting software to create electrical schematic and panel layouts.
  • ✓Understands programming of Rockwell Automation Logix platform PLC’s, including ladder and function block diagram.
  • ✓Understands programming Rockwell Automation Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) including PanelView Plus, PanelView Plus CE, and FactoryTalk View ME/SE.
  • ✓Understands designing, programming, and commissioning at least two control network including ControlNet, DeviceNet, Profibus and/or Ethernet.
  • ✓Understands robotic systems including programming, safety requirements, and design/implementation practices.
  • ✓Understands computer hardware/applications and the Microsoft Office family.
  • ✓Understands corporate Ethernet architectures and systems at a basic level.
  • ✓Understands corporate server architecture at a basic level.
  • ✓Communication skills both oral and written.
  • ✓Problem solving skills.

Essential

Responsibilities

Primary

Responsibilities

  • ◆Supports manufacturing facilities, including remote support of world-wide manufacturing facilities.
  • ◆Designs, programs, and coordinates small-scale control systems and projects.
  • ◆Assists with coordination of new equipment installation and implementation.
  • ◆Maintains and updates manufacturing process tool electrical drawings, ensuring the tracking of equipment changes is documented and drawings are kept current.
  • ◆Troubleshoots and problem-solves equipment controls related issues.
  • ◆Interfaces with multiple departments within the organization to ensure corporate controls policies/standards are understood and being adhered to.
  • ◆Assists senior engineers on large projects.
  • ◆Maintains effective communications levels and fosters team building.
  • ◆Ensures adherence to all safety procedures and good housekeeping standards.

requirements

and existing systems. Produces detailed designs and documents all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate.

  • ✓Designs, codes, tests, corrects, and documents moderately complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications, using agreed standards and tools. Conducts reviews of supplied specifications, with others as appropriate.
  • ✓Assists with the collection of safety assurance evidence, undertaking all work in accordance with agreed safety, technical and quality standards, using appropriate methods and tools. Documents the results of hazard and risk analysis activities.
  • ✓Investigates and recommends components and subsystems that meet sustainability criteria.
  • ✓Reviews

requirements

and specifications and defines test conditions. Designs test cases and test scripts under own direction, mapping back to pre-determined criteria, recording and reporting outcomes. Analyses and reports test activities and results. Identifies and reports issues and risks associated with own work.

  • ✓Performs, analyses and documents evaluations according to a plan, excluding expert reviews.
  • ✓Defines the integration build and produces a build definition for generation of the software. Accepts software modules from software developers, and produces software builds for loading onto the target hardware from software sour
Show full description ↓

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic Job Functions

The following is an entry level corporate controls position where a successful candidate will be required to support manufacturing operations, assist with equipment implementation/startup, development of electrical controls systems/designs, PLC/HMI programing, data collection and optimization of manufacturing processes control systems. This position directly supports a manufacturing site, the successful candidate will be assigned to AM shift is 6:00AM - 6:10PM. This results in a rotating 36/48-hour work week schedule, which includes working every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Key Competencies

  • •Takes responsibility for understanding client requirements, collecting data, delivering analysis and problem resolution. Identifies, evaluates and recommends options, implementing if required. Collaborates with, and facilitates stakeholder groups, as part of formal or informal consultancy agreements. Seeks to fully address client needs, enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of client personnel, by ensuring that proposed solutions are properly understood and appropriately exploited.
  • •Contributes to research goals and builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for the evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation of research. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field. Reports on work carried out and may contribute significant sections of material of publication quality. Contributes to research plans and identifies appropriate opportunities for publication and dissemination of research findings.
  • •Maintains awareness of opportunities provided by new technology to address challenges or to enable new ways of working. Within own sphere of influence, works to further organizational goals, by the use of emerging technologies and products. Contributes to briefings and presentations about their relevance and potential value to the organization.
  • •Specifies user/system interfaces and translates logical designs into physical designs taking account of target environment, performance

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