Senior Process Control Engineer
Smurfit Westrock · Stevenson, AL
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Controls
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Packaging
- Posted
- 3 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior controls role at Smurfit Westrock (packaging) in Stevenson, AL.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- PLC
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in Alabama: typical posted base $89k–$119k.
Median of the low and high ends of 3 live postings that list pay, out of 24 controls engineer openings in Alabama, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Alabama plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 23 other live controls postings in Alabama.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Automation 75%
- ✓ PLC 71%
- Robotics 46%
- Root cause 33%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 33%
- New product launch 25%
✓ = 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 Smurfit Westrock
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 does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- 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: Smurfit Westrock in Stevenson
2 other open roles at this site.
- Senior Mechanical Reliability Engineer · Reliability · Senior
- Mechanical Maintenance Superintendent · Reliability · Supervisor
Full description from Smurfit WestrockAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Career opportunity
This position will report to Process Controls Manager and will maintain the control system infrastructure, design or assist with the design of process control logic and may coordinate system implementation. Performs analysis of hardware and software used in production process.
How you will impact smurfit westrock
- •Responsible in providing design, implementation, and support for existing and new Process Control systems. This includes Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s), as well as custom control applications used to meet manufacturing needs and production goals.
- •Responsible for system backups, network troubleshooting, and computer hardware maintenance.
- •Required to communicate and work with various operational, environmental, maintenance and engineering levels in a team environment yet be self-motivated and accomplish individual goals.
- •Ability to communicate in both oral and written form. Must have the skills necessary to perform project scope definitions and manage a wide variety of technical projects. Must be willing to be on-call to support production needs.
- •Develop and execute migration plans for legacy controls platforms.
- •Ability to evaluate processes and equipment operation; plan and manage process improvement projects.
- •Ability to read and understand P&ID’s loop sheets, and electrical drawings.
- •Interact with operations departments and provide system and process troubleshooting down to the field device level.
- •Work with operators and managers in optimizing processes by monitoring control loop performance and tuning and automating control systems.
- •Provide on-call support on a rotating basis with other group members by being available to come to the mill at any time to troubleshoot, repair and assist with control system, process and field device problems.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
To succeed
- •B.S. Degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering is preferred, other engineering or computer science degree acceptable with adequate DCS/PLC and HMI application experience. Other technical degrees and /or certificates may be acceptable, depending on skills, knowledge, and experience.
- •Minimum of two years of industrial experience (with degree), or 10 years plus of industrial experience in PLC and HMI applications would be required if non-degreed.
- •Knowledge of motor controls, field instrumentation and control devices
- •Capability in the use of computers in the Windows operating system
- •Must have initiative and excellent work ethics to progress into operations management positions.
- •Must have well developed written communication skills.
- •Excellent planning, organizational, time management and prioritization skills.
Plus
- +Experience with Bailey DCS.
- +Experience with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, MicroLogix, PLC5
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