Senior Controls Engineer - San Antonio, Texas

Work on the 1-million sq. ft. factory is now under way on the 400-acre site. It will be the company’s second largest plant, rivalled only by JCB’s world headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire, England, and create 1,500 new jobs over five years. The factory will make Loadall telescopic handlers and aerial access equipment, with production scheduled to start in 2026. The factory will also have the capacity to expand and build other products in the future.

Company Profile
80 years and countless innovations later, JCB is the world’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment. At 23 plants spanning four continents—and countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Brazil—JCB manufactures a range of more than 300 products, including telescopic handlers, backhoe loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, compact excavators, skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, Access aerial work platforms, rough terrain forklifts, and tractors.

JCB people are at the heart of our business, and as a family-owned business, we answer to our customers, not a group of shareholders. That freedom allows us to concentrate on developing the latest technologies and incorporating them into our equipment. We focus on what our customers need on the jobsite – a machine that holds up in the toughest environment and increases their productivity.

At JCB, we stand behind our products – and our name.

Position Purpose
The Senior Controls Engineer – Hydraulics & Electrical will be the technical authority for the integration of control systems that combine hydraulic, electrical, and electronic subsystems across the Aerial Work Platform (AWP) product range. This role is responsible for machine level functional control, system logic, safety behaviour, component selection, control architecture, diagnostics, simulation, and validation of both hydraulic and electrical systems.

The position will be based at JCB World Headquarters in Rocester, UK until Q1 2027, then will relocate permanently to the new JCB San Antonio, Texas facility to support the establishment of the North American engineering centre.
Position Type
Full Time, Exempt

Major Tasks, Responsibilities & Key Accountabilities
Controls Engineering Leadership
• Lead the development of integrated control strategies for hydraulic and electrical systems on boom and scissor AWP platforms.
• Define machine control architectures covering sensors, actuators, controllers, CAN networks, logic functions, and safety systems.
• Develop and validate control algorithms for proportional valves, motor drives, pumps, stabilising systems, load sensing, and operator interface electronics.
• Ensure seamless interaction between hydraulic circuits, electrical components, and embedded software.
Hydraulic & Electrical System Integration
• Develop models, schematics, block diagrams, and signal maps that link hydraulic behaviour with electronic control functionality.
• Work with other engineers to define valve logic, flow control, pressure management, dynamic response, and stability related control strategies.
• Work with software engineering to define sensor selection, network architectures, connector requirements, and communication protocols.
• Ensure machine systems meet safety, performance, efficiency, and regulatory objectives.

Technical Execution & Compliance
• Ensure all control systems comply with global AWP requirements under ANSI, CSA, CE, ISO, and relevant electrical and hydraulic safety standards.
• Conduct DFMEAs, safety analyses, network robustness assessments, and system functional safety reviews.
• Develop software specifications, control logic documentation, and validation plans.
• Support troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and refinement of machine level functional behaviour.

Prototyping, Build Support & Validation
• Support prototype machine builds to ensure proper installation, routing, commissioning, and functional bring up of controls related systems.
• Execute validation plans including functional testing, duty cycle testing, communication robustness, stability verification, hydraulic response, and fault reaction behaviour.
• Tune control parameters, calibrate sensors, and verify functional behaviour across full operating envelopes.

Cross Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with software, structure, vehicle integration, software, powertrain, and test engineering teams to ensure full system compatibility.
• Support NPIP programmes from concept through validation, ensuring control systems meet product performance and safety requirements.
• Collaborate with Current Product Engineering on field issues related to system performance, diagnostics, or control responsiveness.
• Work with Manufa