Senior Controls Engineer

Position Summary

The Senior Controls Engineer is a recognized technical expert who owns major controls subsystems or processes end-to-end. This role drives reliability, safety, integration, and continuous improvement across the assigned area, defines how controls work is performed within the subsystem, and mentors other engineers through technical leadership and influence rather than formal authority. The position supports the design, deployment, and lifecycle of linear accelerator and related industrial control systems. This is a full-time, onsite position at Nusano's facility in Valencia, CA.

Responsibilities

• Own the design, architecture, integration, commissioning, and lifecycle of major controls subsystems, such as accelerator controls, vacuum controls, RF system controls, target station controls, or distributed I/O architecture.
• Lead system-level assembly, testing, qualification, troubleshooting, and commissioning of complex controls infrastructure.
• Define and improve controls standards, programming practices, electrical design conventions, version-control practices, and documentation requirements for assigned subsystems.
• Lead advanced troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of analog and digital circuits, PLCs, distributed control systems, industrial networks, instrumentation, and high-voltage equipment.
• Drive cross-functional design reviews and resolve technical tradeoffs with mechanical engineering, physics, operations, safety, software, and other stakeholders.
• Identify systemic reliability, safety, integration, and maintainability issues and implement improvements across the controls subsystem.
• Lead the integration of PLC, HMI/SCADA, instrumentation, and EPICS or similar experimental control system frameworks.
• Own technical decisions affecting subsystem methods, priorities, scope, resources, and timelines, escalating only issues with significant cross-functional or budget implications.
• Lead vendor relationships for critical controls components, including technical specifications, qualification, acceptance, and issue resolution.
• Mentor Associate and mid-level engineers, develop their technical judgment, and serve as a trusted controls resource within and beyond the immediate team.
• Communicate complex technical decisions clearly to both controls and non-controls audiences and build alignment when stakeholder perspectives differ.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field; a master's degree is a plus.
• Demonstrated capability as a recognized subject matter expert who owns major controls subsystems or significant technical workstreams end-to-end.
• Deep proficiency with distributed control systems, IEC 61131-3 programming, industrial networks, instrumentation, HMI/SCADA, and electrical schematic capture.
• Advanced hands-on experience with system-level controls design, testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis.
• Experience defining or improving controls standards, programming practices, design conventions, and engineering workflows.
• Expertise interpreting and developing electrical schematics, one-line diagrams, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs.
• Strong knowledge of controls and electrical safety standards, including UL 508A, NFPA 79, ISA, IEC, or comparable standards.
• Demonstrated ability to influence decisions across teams, resolve technical disagreements constructively, and mentor less-experienced engineers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical decisions to non-controls audiences.

Preferred Experience

• Beckhoff controls, EPICS, or large-scale distributed control systems.
• Accelerator controls, high-vacuum applications, high-speed electronics, RF controls, or high-voltage systems.
• Leading commissioning and integration in R&D, industrial, or safety-controlled environments.
• Leading qualification and acceptance of critical controls components with external vendors.

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

• Work will be conducted in office, laboratory, engineering, R&D, and production environments.
• Must be comfortable working within radiation environments.
• Must be comfortable working in environments that may involve high voltage, strong magnetic fields, chemicals, cryogenic substances, and radiological sources, following required training, safety procedures, and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods and frequently use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and other tools requiring manual dexterity.
• Ability to travel approximately 10% of the time for commissioning, vendor visits, training, or other project needs.