Automation & Controls Engineer

Job Title

Automation & Controls Engineer

Agency

Texas A&M Engineering

Department

Materials Science & Engineering

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Why work for Texas A&M Engineering?

Who we are

Engineering has been part of Texas A&M University since its opening in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Today, the College of Engineering is the largest college on the College Station campus with more than 25,000 engineering students enrolled in 15 departments. Its mission is to serve Texas, the nation and the global community by providing engineering graduates who are well-founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.

As the research arm of Engineering, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) is a state agency within the Texas A&M University System with a mission to improve lives through basic and applied engineering research, workforce development and technology transition. Our collaborations with industry, academia and government provide cutting-edge solutions to global technical challenges.

We are deeply committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce that embraces our core values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Service, by offering competitive salaries, an array of benefits, an extensive support network, and above all, an enriching and highly collaborative working community that is deeply passionate about our vision for higher education, research, and public service.

Job Description

Purpose:

We are seeking an Automation & Controls Engineer to join our research group and lead the automation and integration of metallurgical processing equipment into a closed-loop, AI-orchestrated experimental platform. The successful candidate will connect arc melting, hot rolling, mechanical testing, and robotic sample transfer systems into a coordinated workflow driven by a Bayesian optimization engine — translating algorithmic experimental directives into machine actions and returning structured results to the decision-making system.

Responsibilities:

• Automate vacuum arc melting operations: electrode positioning, chamber sequencing, power profile control, and ingot extraction.
• Automate hot rolling workflows: pass schedule execution, temperature monitoring, thickness feedback, and inter-pass timing.
• Automate mechanical testing routines: specimen loading, test execution, and data capture on universal testing machines, hardness testers, and related equipment.
• Design and commission robotic sample transfer systems to move specimens between processing, characterization, and testing stations without manual intervention.
• Develop Python-based middleware that receives experimental directives from a Bayesian optimization orchestrator and translates them into coordinated PLC commands across multiple instruments.
• Implement real-time data acquisition from sensors (thermocouples, load cells, encoders, imaging systems) and structure outputs into machine-readable formats for the AI/ML pipeline.
• Design[EM1] safety interlocks, error recovery protocols, and fail-safe routines for unattended operation of high-temperature and high-force equipment.
• Diagnose and resolve issues across the full stack — electrical, mechanical,[EM2] and software.

What we need:

• Bachelor’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• six years of related experience.

What is helpful:

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field
• Experience with PLC programming (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or equivalent) and HMI development
• Hands-on experience interfacing with scientific, industrial, or manufacturing equipment
• Experience with robotic systems (UR, FANUC, or similar) and motion control
• Prior experience in a research laboratory, national lab, or metals processing environment
• Exposure to computer vision for automated inspection, sample identification, or quality control
• Experience with high-temperature or high-force equipment (furnaces, rolling mills, mechanical test frames)

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