Sr. Controls Engineer - Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)
Rivian · Normal, IL
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Controls
- Base pay
- $99k–$123k
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 13 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior controls role at Rivian (automotive) in Normal, IL. Troubleshoot, improve, and add features to PLCs using Ladder Logic and/or Structured Text with an emphasis on code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable.
- They ask for
- 5+ years
- Tools it names
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), PLC, Robotics, Automation, AutoCAD, SAP
- Base pay
- $99k–$123k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 9, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $95k–$126k. This one lists $99k–$123k.
Median of the low and high ends of 26 live postings that list pay, out of 38 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 37 other live controls postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- In line with similar roles
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $87k–$126k, from 25 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Automation 87%
- ✓ PLC 79%
- ✓ Robotics 50%
- Root cause 26%
- ✓ AutoCAD 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SAP, Python, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Rivian
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See 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.
Write to Peter → (free) - 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: Rivian in Normal
19 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in controls roles at Rivian.
- Sr. Process Engineer, Drive Unit (3rd Shift) · Process · Senior
- Staff Process Engineer, Drive Unit (3rd Shift) · Process · Senior
- Process Engineer, Drive Unit (3rd Shift) · Process
- Staff Controls Engineer - Body · Controls · Senior
- Early Career - Manufacturing Engineer II - Body (Tooling & Process) · Process
- Sr. Quality Engineer, Containment Lead · Quality · Manager
Full description from RivianAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
Participate in various controls equipment buy-offs at vendor sites and at Rivian’s factory in Normal, IL for FAT, SAT, and safety. Participate in development of controls standards and specifications by feeding back lessons-learned and gaps from each project. Architect the handshake between the AGVs and the FLP/SAP systems to automate replenishment triggers. Continuously improve production lines and fleet battery cycles by reducing cycle time, reducing downtime, and improving quality. Develop and maintain traffic control logic to prevent "deadlocks" and optimize system cycle time in alignment with Line Takt. Lead the ISO 3691-4 validation process, ensuring all safety fields, laser scanner zones, and emergency circuits meet performance levels (PLd/e) Design the communication protocols (PLC-to-PLC) between AGVs and lineside equipment like GFRs, lifts, and elevators. Act as the Level 2 escalation point for AGV Technicians when a system-wide logic error or network dropout occurs. Develop technical SOPs for the First Responders and define the "Recovery Method" for manual overrides in the Red Zone. Maintain, modify, and version control equipment programs and "Master Config" files for the fleet, ensuring hardware, PLC, HMI, Robot, and SCADA updates are deployed without disruption. Add or remove network devices from the equipment as needed, updating network switch configurations as needed. Troubleshoot, improve, and add features to PLCs using Ladder Logic and/or Structured Text with an emphasis on code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
About Rivian Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract. As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations. Role Summary The Controls Engineer is the production line expert for controls and automation systems at our facility in Normal, IL. This role combines heavy PLC programming with the strategic optimization of AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) systems to ensure the facility's "Method" (logic) and "Machine" (fleet) work in perfect synchronization. The team troubleshoots technical issues during production and designs upgrades for areas including Paint, Body, Battery, and General Assembly. This role reports directly to the Manager, AGV Maintenance and Repair.