Manufacturing Engineer - Automation Specialist

From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026

Controls Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $89k–$133k.

Median of the low and high ends of 24 live postings that list pay, out of 36 controls engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

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

How this role compares

Against 35 other live controls postings in Illinois.

Base pay

Not listed in this posting

Typical $89k–$133k, from 24 postings that list pay.

Experience asked

Not stated

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

• ✓ Automation 72%
• ✓ PLC 67%
• ✓ Robotics 44%
• Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 33%
• Root cause 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. 1

   Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at Yetter Farm Equipment

   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.