Controls Engineer- Virtual PLCs

Job Title: Controls Engineer - Virtual PLCs

Job Description

This role focuses on designing, implementing, and validating virtual PLC (vPLC) and virtual commissioning environments that enable early development, debugging, and verification of robotic and automation systems for manufacturing plants. You will create high-fidelity digital representations of control systems and robotic cells to reduce deployment risk, shorten launch timelines, and improve safety and quality for advanced manufacturing solutions. You will work closely with cross-functional teams in engineering design, robotics intelligence, advanced robotics development, and advanced systems development to ensure robust, production-ready control architectures and workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design and integrate virtual PLC architectures that accurately mirror production systems, including safety PLCs, HMIs, industrial Ethernet networks, and robot controllers, to enable offline development, debugging, and testing of control logic and safety functions.
• Develop and maintain virtual commissioning environments by coupling vPLCs with robot simulation, emulation, and digital twin models (such as Process Simulate or equivalent) to validate sequences, I/O, and safety behavior before equipment is built or installed.
• Model and test robotic workcells virtually for manufacturing applications such as assembly, material handling, fastening, and inspection, including PLC and robot interfaces, conveyors, vision systems, and safety devices such as light curtains, scanners, and emergency stops.
• Implement and verify safety-related control functions in the virtual environment, including interlocks, safety zones, safe speed and position monitoring, and emergency stop behavior, to support risk assessments and safety validation prior to on-site trials.
• Develop and validate PLC and HMI logic on vPLC platforms, such as Siemens software and virtual controllers or Rockwell emulation, covering I/O mapping, sequence logic, error handling, fault injection, diagnostics, and regression testing, and then support deployment to physical controllers.
• Integrate sensing and vision models, including 2D and 3D vision, proximity sensors, force/torque sensors, and barcode readers, into virtual workcells for guidance, error proofing, and process verification, while leveraging established control and vision standards where applicable.
• Reuse virtual models to support lab and plant activities, including system bring-up, debugging, change management, and "what if" studies as hardware and processes evolve throughout the project lifecycle.
• Collaborate with robotics, perception, and planning teams to integrate motion planning, perception, and advanced control algorithms into virtual environments, ensuring they are robust, validated, and ready for production deployment.
• Drive standardization and reuse by creating vPLC templates, simulation libraries, signal mapping conventions, and clear documentation such as logic guides, test cases, and checklists aligned to global controls and robot simulation standards.
• Provide technical support and training to internal customers, including plant personnel, manufacturing engineering, and maintenance teams, on vPLC and virtual commissioning workflows so they can use virtual models for troubleshooting, training, and validating changes before implementation in the plant.
• Contribute to technology roadmaps and evaluations for virtual PLC technologies, safe software controllers, and digital twin solutions, helping define future controls architectures and execution standards for virtual engineering.
• Apply strong PLC programming, automation, and Codesys experience where relevant to improve virtual commissioning workflows and enhance overall system reliability and performance.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in industrial controls and/or robotics engineering, including direct involvement in commissioning automated equipment or robotic systems.
• 1-2 or more years of hands-on experience with virtual PLCs, software-based controllers, or virtual commissioning tools such as Siemens virtual PLC/S7-1500V, Rockwell or Siemens PLC emulation, or comparable platforms.
• Strong experience in PLC and HMI programming and industrial networks, preferably with Rockwell technologies such as ControlLogix, GuardLogix, and FactoryTalk, and/or Siemens platforms.
• Experience setting up simulated PLC and HMI connections for controls testing in virtual environments.
• Experience programming and integrating industrial robots or collaborative robots with PLCs, including I/O interfacing, fault handling, and basic motion and safety interactions, ideally with some use of virtual robot controllers or offline programming tools.
• Demonstrated experience with safety-related control systems, including s