Principal Automation & Controls Engineer

Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies.

Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built.

Purpose

The Principal Automation & Controls Engineer will lead the development of flexible robotic manufacturing & automation systems, core to the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS).

The ideal candidate has a track record of successfully architecting and deploying advanced automated systems in a quick changing, start-up environment. This role will take a hands-on execution approach and use their skills in leadership, hardware, and software to create bleeding-edge industrial automation systems, support production operations, and democratize factory data to support key business decisions. Divergent is pushing the boundaries of technology and we need a passionate and agile engineer to help us create the platform for sustainable manufacturing.

The Role

• Own and drive development of next generation PLC, HMI & SCADA software & controls architectures for the next generation of DAPS factories & factory modules.

• Own and develop automation software standards, frameworks, best practices, and platform selection.

• Collaborate with team members on both the development and deployment of these standards, raising the overall level of the team through your experience and technical leadership.

• Architect new advanced automation systems, ultimately leading to detailed design, development and commissioning of first article factory modules.

• Develop controls systems for new and experimental processes in an R&D environment.

• Understand and steer production operations requirements for factory modules leading to increased overall factory OPE through better development of modules and factory data.

• Work closely with cross-functional technical teams to ensure that program deliverables and milestones are defined, scheduled, and executed on time and budget.

• Support engineering teams in achieving resolution of any gridlock, rather than merely report status. Must have the leadership ability and intelligence to drive hands-on execution of a highly motivated and intelligent team under intense time constraints.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls

• 10 years of industrial automation controls experience in dynamic environments

• IEC 61131-3 Structured Text programming experience

• Industrial electrical and safety experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of NEC, NFPA 79, UL508A standards.

• Advanced experience working with the Beckhoff TwinCAT & hardware ecosystem.

• Advanced experience with industrial automation hardware, fieldbus interfaces and motion control.

• Advanced industrial networking experience

• Experience with industrial safety systems, risk assessments and safety over fieldbus protocols, i.e. FSoE & PROFIsafe

• Experience developing SCADA & other factory data management platforms, industrial databases, dashboards, etc.

• Experience with Industrial robot platforms, offline program, and virtual commissioning.

• Experience with industrial electrical schematic tools, such as EPlan or AutoCAD electrical.

• Experience with standard software engineering practices, object-oriented programming, SOLID, unit testing and development tools such as GIT.

• Technical leadership experience in defining standards, methods, processes, and training.

Work Environment

• Office and factory environment

• 100% onsite

• Minimal travel

• Work near moving mechanical parts

Compensation

At Divergent, our pay range is based on the level of the job. For this role, we will consider candidates at levels Staff - Principal as evaluated through our interview process.

• Staff Engineer / E06: $148,430 - $204,090

• Principal Engineer / E07: $171,450 - $235,740

Pay Range

$148,430—$235,740 USD

What We Offer:

• Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions.

• Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time.

• Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.

• Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance.

• Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint.

Equal Employment OpportunityDivergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic. Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.EEO Poster

In order to adjust to changes in our business, it may become necessary to add, remove or modify certain duties and responsibilities, or to reassign you to another job position. From time to time you may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected. E-Verify: Right to WorkOur company participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. This helps employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees.Eligibility to Work Poster (English) | Eligibility to Work Poster (Spanish) Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO)Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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