Senior Engineer – Warehouse Controls Engineer

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

     

JOB DESCRIPTION:

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people’s health. We’re always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology.

Our diagnostic solutions are used in hospitals, laboratories, and clinics around the globe. The crucial information derived from our tests, instruments and informatics systems are often the first step in patient care decision making for hundreds of health conditions from heart attacks to blood disorders to infectious diseases and cancers.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

• This is not a remote opportunity
• Traveling up to 5%

This position works out of our Abbott Distribution Center (North Chicago), IL location in the Core Diagnostics Division.

What You’ll Work On

The Warehouse PLC / Controls Engineer is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving automated control systems within a warehouse or distribution environment. This role focuses on maximizing system uptime through rapid issue resolution, preventive maintenance, and continuous improvement of PLC-controlled equipment such as conveyors, sortation systems, and automated material handling systems.

• Diagnose and resolve Programmable Logic Control (PLC), Human machine interface (HMI), and control system issues impacting warehouse operations.
• Provide real-time support to operations teams to minimize downtime.
• Analyze system faults, alarms, and logs to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Support troubleshooting of automation systems including conveyors, sorters, pick by light and robotics systems.

System Documentation

• Develop and maintain accurate as-built documentation for PLC programs, network architecture, and control systems.
• Update electrical schematics, I/O lists, and system configurations as modifications occur.
• Ensure documentation is organized, version-controlled, and easily accessible.

Troubleshooting Guides & Knowledge Sharing

• Create and continuously improve standardized troubleshooting guides and procedures.
• Develop training materials and provide guidance to operators and maintenance technicians.
• Capture lessons learned from recurring issues to build robust knowledge bases.

Continuous Improvement & Upgrades

• Identify opportunities for system improvements to enhance reliability, efficiency, and performance.
• Propose and implement equipment upgrades, control logic enhancements, and process optimizations.
• Collaborate with vendors and engineering teams on system modifications and new installations.

Preventive & Predictive Maintenance

• Develop and execute preventive maintenance strategies for PLCs, control panels, and automation systems.
• Monitor system health and implement predictive maintenance techniques to prevent failures.
• Ensure compliance with maintenance schedules to maximize uptime and equipment lifespan.