
Controls Engineer
Materion · Buffalo, NY
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Base pay
- $79k–$119k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Metals
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at Materion (metals) in Buffalo, NY. A National of a country that is not prohibited from having access to U.S.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Root cause, PLC, Automation, MES
- Base pay
- $79k–$119k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 18 other live controls postings in New York.
- Base pay
- About 19% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $100k–$143k, from 10 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ PLC 84%
- ✓ Automation 84%
- AutoCAD 37%
- ✓ Root cause 32%
- ✓ MES 26%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 21%
✓ = 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 Materion
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.
This plant: Materion in Buffalo
1 other open role at this site.
- Process Engineer III · Process · Senior
Full description from MaterionAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
requirements
and translate them into control system functionality.
- ✓Monitor automation system performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements to enhance throughput and reduce downtime.
- ✓Provide real-time troubleshooting and support for production-critical controls issues.
Qualifications
& Capabilities
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation, or related field.
- ✓2–5 years of experience in industrial controls or automation.
- ✓Practical experience with PLCs, HMIs, and industrial networks (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or similar).
- ✓Understanding of industrial communication protocols (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, OPC, etc.).
- ✓Strong troubleshooting and communication skills; ability to work well with cross-functional teams.
- ✓Exposure to IT/OT networking is a plus.
HP
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
At Materion, everyone is included, respected and offered opportunity to grow. Join us!
Relocation not offered.
The Controls Engineer, under the direction of the Facilities Manager and supporting the Engineering Manager/Director, supports daily plant operations by ensuring reliable performance of automation and control systems. This role acts as a technical bridge between Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and IT, helping translate production needs into effective system solutions while maintaining safe, efficient, and stable controls infrastructure.
Operations Support (30%)
- •Partner with Operations to understand production
Engineering Collaboration (20%)
- •Work closely with Engineering on new equipment installations, upgrades, and process improvements.
- •Develop and review control system designs, PLC logic, HMI screens, and networking architecture for new projects.
- •Ensure all engineering changes are documented, validated, and compliant with internal standards.
Maintenance Integration (30%)
- •Support Maintenance teams through root cause analysis, advanced troubleshooting, diagnostic tools, and training.
- •Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for controls-related maintenance activities.
- •Coordinate with Maintenance on preventive and predictive strategies that involve instrumentation, sensors, and automated components.
Information Technology Coordination (20%)
- •Collaborate with IT to ensure secure and robust interfaces between industrial control systems and enterprise networks.
- •Manage data flow from plant-floor systems to MES, SCADA, historians, and other business systems.
- •System Ownership & Continuous Improvement
- •Maintain PLC, SCADA, HMI, and network documentation, backups, and version control.
- •Lead automation upgrades and migrations (e.g., PLC platform changes, HMI software updates, network modernization).
- •Champion standardization across all controls platforms within the facility.
Essential
Pay Range
$79,200.00 - $118,800.00
Actual base salary offered varies based on factors, including but not limited to, relevant skill, prior experience, education, base salary of internal peers, demonstrated performance, and geographic location.
The selection of the person to be hired for this position is contingent on the candidate having export compliance eligibility for access to U.S. controlled technology which comes under the licensing jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
The candidate selected will have to qualify as either a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., a Person Admitted into the U.S. as an Asylee or Refugee., a National of a country that is not prohibited from having access to U.S. controlled technology (via a letter of assurance), or a Person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on Materion’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with Materion’s business requirements.
Materion Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also the Company’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants.
Materion’s Veteran Employee Resource group supports veterans and promotes the benefits of hiring veterans in the workplace. We honor all those who have served and are a military friendly company. Veterans are encouraged to apply and military experience and skills are transferrable to Materion careers.
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