Control Engineer 1
M.C. Dean, Inc · Harrisonburg, VA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at M.C. Dean, Inc (industrial) in Harrisonburg, VA. Program, configure, and troubleshoot PLCs, RTUs, and/or HMI systems.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- PLC, Automation, Tooling
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Virginia: typical posted base $97k–$135k.
Median of the low and high ends of 5 live postings that list pay, out of 9 controls engineer openings in Virginia, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Virginia plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 8 other live controls postings in Virginia.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $97k–$135k, from 5 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 7+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Automation 56%
- ✓ PLC 56%
- Robotics 33%
- Root cause 33%
- Team leadership 33%
- ✓ Tooling 33%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
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
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at M.C. Dean, Inc
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 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
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
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
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.
Full description from M.C. Dean, IncAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Requirements
analysis
- ✓Subsystem designs (CAD / Panels / Layouts / Wiring / SCADA Screens / Hardware / Communications)
- ✓Comment resolution
- ✓Program, configure, and troubleshoot PLCs, RTUs, and/or HMI systems
Testing / Troubleshooting / Deployment / Commissioning
- ✓Assist senior engineers in creating and updating testing and commissioning procedures
- ✓Preparation of test reports
- ✓Originates test procedures
- ✓Commissioning of deployed systems
- ✓Development of test fixtures and simulation devices
- ✓Perform Factory and Field Testing
Education / Experience
- ✓Master's degree or Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, automation engineering, or a related field 0+ years of experience
- ✓Attend regular in-person meetings with customers outside of assigned office.
- ✓Possess driver’s license and vehicle for transportation to customer sites. This position may require ongoing or intermittent use of a company vehicle. Selected candidates must possess an acceptable driving record in accordance to our policy
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Overview
About M.C. Dean
M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation’s most mission-critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 7,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.
Why Join Us?
Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values—agility, expertise, and trust—we foster a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.
Control Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, installing, and maintaining equipment used to monitor and control systems, machinery, and processes. Control Engineers work in various applications including industrial controls, cybersecurity, building automation, water / wastewater, power controls and protection, energy management, and transportation systems. They're technical experts in areas such as advanced process control, instrumentation, distributed control systems, PLCs, and SCADA systems. Control engineers use these skills to design and implement solutions to solve our customer's most complex needs.
Design / Engineering
- •Originates design documents for small projects and in support of large programs
- •Assists Senior Engineers in preparation of designs, including:
Maintenance
- •Perform troubleshooting on service calls to existing and legacy system operators
- •Perform hardware / software upgrades and replacements on existing systems
Abilities
- •Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.
- •Sitting for extended periods of time.
- •Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.
- •Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.
- •Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- •Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- •Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- •Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- •Identify and understand the speech of another person.
Pay Range
USD $68,000.00 - USD $85,000.00 /Yr.