Senior Controls Engineer
TruNorth Automation · White Bear Lake, MN
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Controls
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A senior controls role at TruNorth Automation (industrial) in White Bear Lake, MN.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- PLC, Robotics, Automation, MES
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Minnesota: typical posted base $89k–$130k.
Median of the low and high ends of 17 live postings that list pay, out of 25 controls engineer openings in Minnesota, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Minnesota plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 24 other live controls postings in Minnesota.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (7+ vs 8+)
Typical $89k–$130k, from 17 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ PLC 76%
- ✓ Automation 64%
- ✓ Robotics 32%
- ✓ MES 24%
✓ = 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 TruNorth Automation
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?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- 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 TruNorth AutomationAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer engineering and at least 7 years of controls engineering experience in custom automation
- ✓Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- ✓Proficiency in the design of electrical control systems, including power distribution, PLC configuration, and machine safety
- ✓High proficiency in Allen-Bradley PLC’s and HMI’s, other platforms a plus
- ✓Excellent electrical and mechanical troubleshooting skills
- ✓Experience with robot programming (Epson, Adept, Fanuc)
- ✓Experience with vision programming (Cognex VisionPro & In-Sight, Keyence)
- ✓Experience working within MES and SCADA systems
- ✓Experience creating electrical and pneumatic schematics
- ✓Competent in MS Office: excel, word, power point
- ✓Able to travel by air or car (estimated 10%)
- ✓US citizen or authorization to work permanently for any Employer in the United States
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Show full description ↓Show less ↑
TruNorth Automation is looking for a self-driven, energetic individual capable of leading the electrical controls design, programming, and debug of high-end custom automation equipment. You will be a key contributor & subject-matter expert within both your technical project teams, as well as our fast-growing controls engineering group.