Principal Engineer - Automation & Controls

Why Grande?

With more than 80 years of crafting “The Finest Italian Cheeses That Money Can Buy”, Grande is a leader in the industry! Whether partnering with independent pizzerias from coast-to-coast to ensure they’re delivering the very best pizza to their customers or assisting our food manufacturing partners in delivering specialty whey ingredient solutions, our commitment to quality can’t be matched. While Grande’s reputation of excellence in the market is important, we believe our commitment to our workplace and community culture is of equal merit – our Associates come first at Grande. To complement our industry-leading benefits, Grande puts an emphasis on your career growth opportunities, while always promoting a positive work/life balance and supporting the communities in which we live and work. If you want to learn more about our company – what we do and how we go about it – or learn more about our beautiful, state-of-the-art corporate headquarters, visit www.grande.com. 

Did we convince you yet? If not check out our unique benefits

• Free onsite clinics.
• Free onsite fitness center.
• Free healthy snacks throughout facility.
• Health and wellness reimbursement program.
• Associate cheese purchasing program.
• Two-year mentorship program.
• Relaxation rooms (based on location).
• Coffee and gelato bar (based on location).
• State of the art corporate building: https://www.grande.com/careers/#office
• Hybrid work offering (3 days in office and 2 days remote).

Why Fond du Lac?

In Fond du Lac (FDL) you get the full four-season experience – warm in the summer with highs reaching into the 80s and plenty of sunshine for golf, biking, camping and live music under the open sky, and brisk air in the winter with average temps in the 20s and ample snow for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and winter festivals. The greater FDL area (population 43,000) is easy to get around and roughly an hour drive to almost all major metros in the state (Milwaukee, Madison and Fox Cities/Green Bay). We’ve been rated “Top 100” in job growth among small U.S. metro areas. Additionally, our cost of living is 4% below the national average and you’ll pay 21% less for housing, rent and property taxes compared to the rest of the country. From wonderful educational partners (public and private K12 schools and three local colleges/universities), a plethora of things to do/see, and a vibrant business and commerce community…learn more about how you can call Fond du Lac, HOME!

Job Summary

Grande is seeking a technically advanced candidate to fill our available role of Principal Engineer - Automation & Controls.  In this role you will apply complex engineering techniques to design, develop, install and maintain industrial instrumentation and controls systems for the manufacturing of Cheese and Whey products. To see success in this role, you will exercise accuracy in programming languages and have excellent time management skills as you assume responsibility to lead the automation and control portion for large-scale capital projects across the Enterprise.  Additionally, you will mentor other Associates (employees) and provide technical expertise for key projects throughout the organization. 

What you need to be considered for the role:

• Associate Degree in Electrical Controls or other related field required.

• Associate's degree and twelve (12) or more years of related experience with controls and instrumentation systems; or

• Bachelor's degree and ten (10) or more years of related engineering experience required.

• Must have experience working with manufacturing facility and design, preferably in food processing.
• Highly skilled in troubleshooting, diagnosing problems and recommending improvements.

• Strong planning and prioritization skills, innovation, multi-tasking, goal setting, analytical skills, adaptable, continuously looking to raise the bar for progress.

• Ability to understand, influence, drive, and negotiate with internal and external customers.

• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.

• Advanced PC skills including Windows, Microsoft Office Suite and Engineering and design software.

• Advanced knowledge in mathematical concepts such as fractions, ratios, value analysis, thermodynamics, to resolve engineering designs and problems.

• Must have experience and high proficiency with industrial automation control systems, in all of the following:

• • Motor Control and Power Distribution.
  • Industrial Electrical Enclosure design and construction
  • Rockwell Programmable Logic Controllers PLCs (Rockwell ControlLogix, CompactLogix, SLC500, PLC5)
  • Industrial Human Machine Interface systems (Rockwell, Ignition Software, Wonderware)
  • AC Variable Speed Drive Systems and Servo Drive Systems
  • Industrial Control Safety circuits, sensors and practices
  • Industrial Controls Networks, (Ethernet IP, ControlNet, DeviceNet, DH and RemoteIO)
  • Microsoft Operating Systems Desktop and Server Based
  • Industrial Historian Systems (Rockwell, Wonderware, Ignition)
  • Industrial Reporting Systems (Rockwell VantagePoint, Wonderware)
  • Distributed HMI systems

Preferred:

• Bachelors Degree in related Engineering field preferred.
• Project management certification and/or Professional Engineering license strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of USDA, FDA, OSHA and environmental regulations, codes, and standards.