Controls Engineer

About K1 Industries

For the first time in decades, power demand growth in the US has jumped 5x, driving multi-year lead times for critical power infrastructure. K1 builds and deploys modular power packages at scale, now.

This is a small, early-stage team. You will have influence on every major technical decision, and see your work running on real hardware within months, not years.

• •Design and implement the full PLC control system for turbine-generator operation, from engine start sequencing through steady-state power generation and shutdown
• •Write PLC programs (structured text, ladder logic, function block) for engine control, generator synchronization, load management, and protection logic
• •Define the control system architecture: PLC platform selection, I/O allocation, network topology, HMI design
• •Develop and maintain control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, and alarm management strategies

• •Specify, design, and review control panel assemblies: PLC cabinets, avionics interface cabinets, junction boxes, and power distribution
• •Produce and review electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and panel layout drawings
• •Select instrumentation and control hardware: sensors, transmitters, actuators, relays, power supplies, communication interfaces
• •Manage relationships with panel fabricators, ensuring builds meet specifications and are delivered on schedule

• •Lead controls commissioning at K1's test facility outside Reno, NV: loop checks, functional testing, engine start/stop sequencing, and generator synchronization
• •Develop test procedures, pre-start checklists, and safety interlock verification plans
• •Collect and analyze engine and generator performance data during test campaigns
• •Troubleshoot and resolve electrical, controls, and instrumentation issues in the field

• •Produce and maintain controls specifications, interface documents, and as-built records
• •Iterate on control strategies based on test data and operational experience
• •Build internal tooling, scripts, and data pipelines as needed to support engineering workflows

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

• •You have 8+ years of experience in industrial controls engineering, with deep hands-on PLC programming expertise (Siemens TIA Portal preferred, but not required)
• •You have designed and commissioned controls systems for gas turbines, rotating equipment, or power generation facilities
• •You are comfortable producing and reviewing electrical schematics and control panel design packages
• •You have real field commissioning experience: you have been the person on-site making the system work, not just the person who drew the diagrams
• •You understand generator synchronization, protection relaying, and power systems fundamentals
• •You have strong knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, serial ARINC or MIL-STD interfaces)
• •You work well with a small team and are comfortable owning an entire discipline rather than a narrow slice of one

Even Better If...

• •You have aeroderivative gas turbine or aviation engine experience (GE LM series, Pratt & Whitney FT series, Rolls-Royce, CFM56)
• •You have interfaced with FADEC or full-authority engine control units in a ground-based application
• •You have software engineering experience beyond PLC programming: Python, data acquisition tooling, internal dashboards, test automation, or similar
• •You are familiar with NFPA 85, API 616, IEEE 1547, or other relevant power generation and combustion turbine standards
• •You have worked at a startup or in a small-team environment where you wore multiple hats