Controls Engineer I, Summer 2025 (Full-Time New Grad)

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

Position: Controls Engineer I

Department: Performance Group (PG)

Reporting Relationship: Controls Manager, PG

COMPANY BACKGROUND

KFI Engineers is a recognized industry leader in facility infrastructure design and performance. Since 1996, our culture of collaboration and unique capabilities have allowed us to make a difference in the way infrastructure and processing projects are delivered.

Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, with numerous regional offices throughout the United States, and a team of hundreds of professionals, we offer opportunities to continue your career with mentorship programs, career growth support, and continued education. With KFI, we find a way to provide creative solutions to unique projects while providing the same care we would expect if we were the client. For more information about KFI Engineers and our culture, please visit www.kfi-eng.com.

POSITION OVERVIEW & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Controls Engineer I plays a key role in the successful application of controls to a mechanical HVAC design. Reporting to the Controls Manager, this individual will review and understand how HVAC equipment operates at both the individual unit level and in concert with other equipment at the whole building level.

The successful candidate will learn the control document process, and then prepare the control documents portion of the overall mechanical design, which includes schematic drawings, point lists, sequences of operation, and specification sections. To provide high quality control documents, the Controls Engineer will learn how to implement entire control systems, from initial hardware design to final system tuning. What is learned shall immediately be applied while projects are being delivered. As required, the individual in this role will provide field assistance to support controls system project delivery. Field assistance may include communicating design intent and details, answering technical questions, and participating in any portion of the control system project as required, seeing it to completion. Regular collaboration is necessary within our controls and commissioning teams, and with others in the industry to keep current. The successful incumbent will be constantly challenged to rapidly learn and apply the skills described above. This position will likely work to assist in the delivery of other Performance Group projects.

Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Prepare control documents portion of the overall mechanical design: schematic drawings, point lists, sequences of operation, and specification sections.
• Learn and stay current on control strategies and code changes.
• Participate in training, internal and external.
• Obtain and maintain technical certifications as needed.
• Learn and stay current on control systems programming and implementation practices.
• Perform programming and graphics for small HVAC and/or lighting control projects.
• Participate with support in project startup and commissioning activities including, but not limited to point checks, functional testing, and client acceptance testing.
• Regular collaboration within our controls and commissioning team, and with others in the industry to keep current.
• Constantly challenge traditional practices to imagine better, practical, and sustainable solutions.
• With direction, create control hardware design and installation drawings, including simple HVAC equipment selection to provide bill of materials.
• Grow in the use of PLC and/or DDC control system programming software.
• Grow in the use of SCADA and/or DDC graphic screen development software.
• With support, perform construction administration efforts such as internal participation with other KFI groups.
• Project planning meetings, control submittal reviews, punch lists, field inspections, and other support as required. 
• Perform site visits to collect equipment information and assess system operations.
• Support other Commissioning and Recommissioning activities.
• Additional duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Additionally, the ability to foster new and maintain existing client relationships, gather client requirements, and ensure our services are effectively aligned with client needs and expectations is a m