Embedded Controls Engineer
Thermo Fisher Scientific · Marietta, OH
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 2+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at Thermo Fisher Scientific (pharma & life sciences) in Marietta, OH. As R&D – Electrical Engineer , you will design, develop, and sustain control systems focusing on embedded microprocessor based system hardware and software supporting Thermo Fisher’s cold storage and ultra-low temperature (ULT) product portfolio.
- They ask for
- 2+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Root cause, FMEA, FDA / GMP
- 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 Ohio: typical posted base $100k–$148k.
Median of the low and high ends of 6 live postings that list pay, out of 26 controls engineer openings in Ohio, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Ohio plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 25 other live controls postings in Ohio.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (2+ vs 5+)
Typical $100k–$148k, from 6 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- PLC 77%
- Automation 77%
- Robotics 69%
- ✓ Team leadership 35%
- ✓ Root cause 31%
- ✓ Lean 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for FDA / GMP, 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 Thermo Fisher Scientific
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.
This plant: Thermo Fisher Scientific in Marietta
2 other open roles at this site.
- Sr QC Tech - First Shift · Quality · Technician
- Sr Manufacturing Engineering Technician · Manufacturing · Senior
Full description from Thermo Fisher ScientificAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Requirements, Compliance & Traceability
- ✓Participate in formal design reviews of electronic controls requirements, schematics, layouts, as well as FMEA, DFM, DFT, and other related analyses
- ✓Prepare and support the review and release of formal requirements, design, and qualification documentation.
- ✓Ensure systems are designed for compliance to meet regulatory and certification
requirements
(e.g., UL, IEC, FDA).
Education
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering
- ✓Master’s degree preferred
Experience
- ✓0-2 years of hands-on experience developing embedded control systems for electromechanical products.
- ✓Experience with electronic controls including analog and digital circuit design, prototyping, qualifying, and commercialization planning.
- ✓Experience with high-speed circuit design. (USB, Ethernet, LVDS) and analog / mixed signal
- ✓Experience in firmware and software development for electronic controls.
- ✓Experience analyzing empirical test data to guide design decisions
- ✓Familiarity with electronic analysis methodologies, associated instrumentation, and technical documentation
- ✓Familiarity with Lean / PPI methodologies and continuous improvement systems
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Fluctuating Temps hot/cold, Loud Noises (Equipment/Machinery), Office, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)
Job Description
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies, or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them.
Location / Division Specific Information
Division: Laboratory Equipment Division (LED)
Location: Marietta, OH
Work Arrangement: On-site
The Laboratory Equipment Division combines deep scientific expertise, a collaborative culture, and strong operational excellence to deliver the laboratory equipment and consumables our customers rely on—quickly, reliably, and safely. Our smart lab solutions help customers focus on what matters most: delivering answers and innovations that save and improve lives.
How will you make an impact?
As R&D – Electrical Engineer , you will design, develop, and sustain control systems focusing on embedded microprocessor based system hardware and software supporting Thermo Fisher’s cold storage and ultra-low temperature (ULT) product portfolio.
In this hands-on role, you will collaborate with other engineers and technicians to deliver high-performance, energy-efficient, and compliant cold storage solutions . You will partner closely with NPD design leadership and cross functional peers in Product Management, Product Engineering, Quality, and Regulatory to define hardware and electrical systems, develop embedded software, maintain traceability, and ensure products meet customer, performance, and regulatory expectations throughout the product lifecycle.
What will you do?
Embedded Controls Development
- •Design and develop embedded control PCBA and associated circuits for ULT freezers and cold storage platforms
- •Create schematics, design analysis, bill of materials, assembly drawings, and other required documentation.
- •Develop performance and qualification test methods, coordinate the implementation of experiments, and evaluate test results.
- •Develop controller firmware and HMI designs utilizing both embedded C and C++ / Qt framework
for ULT freezers and cold storage platforms.
- •Design electrical systems that meet customer requirements, time to market commitments and that are within the target cost of the projects .
- •Create modular, scalable, and reusable solutions across multiple product platforms.
Product Development & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- •Collaborate with refrigeration and mechanical engineering teams through all phases of the toll-gate NPD process .
- •Work with contract manufacturers to prepare circuit, software, and functional testing.
- •Support products manufactured across multiple global facilities.
- •Contribute to component, sub-system, and system-level technology roadmaps.
People and Culture
- •Engage in a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement .
- •Travel: Up to 10% domestic travel.
How will you get here?
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- •Experience in embedded microcontroller based PCBA design using PADS layout tool
- •Experience in in C/C++, python, and JavaScript
- •Supervise prototype construction and conduct performance testing to determine practical feasibility of concepts.
- •Familiarity with IEC 60601 design practices and other electrical safety standards.
- •Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis skills
- •Utilization of development tools such as Confluence, Jira, Git, and Microsoft Office
- •Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- •Excellent organizational skills in a fast-paced, multi-project environment
- •Commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence
