Controls Engineering Manager

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Golden Island®, BiFi®, and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

The Controls Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, performance, and development of all automation, controls, and SCADA systems within a highly automated food manufacturing facility. This role ensures maximum equipment uptime, system reliability, and continuous improvement of automation platforms to support world-class safety, quality, and operational efficiency.

This leader is a critical driver of OEE, downtime reduction, and digital plant capability, partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, and OpEx & CI.

Key Responsibilities

Automation & Controls Strategy

• Own the site-wide automation strategy aligned to production and reliability goals
• Standardize PLC, HMI, SCADA, and network architecture across the facility
• Drive long-term roadmap for:
  • System modernization
  • Obsolescence mitigation
  • Digital integration (data, MES, analytics)

Uptime & Technical Support

• Ensure 24/7 controls system support model is in place
• Escalation owner for major automation failures and chronic downtime issues
• Partner with Maintenance to reduce MTTR for controls-related failures
• Define and implement:
  • Troubleshooting standards
  • Root cause analysis for automation failures

Controls Engineering Team Leadership

• Lead team of:
  • Controls Engineers
  • SCADA Engineers
  • (Indirect) Automation Technicians
• Set performance expectations, development plans, and technical standards
• Build bench strength for a multi-shift automated environment

Reliability & TPM Integration

• Partner with Reliability Engineering to:
  • Eliminate repeat failure modes
  • Build predictive and preventative automation strategies
• Support TPM initiatives:
  • Focused improvement (FI)
  • Autonomous maintenance (AM) enablement via automation

Project Execution

• Lead automation scope for capital projects:
  • Line installations
  • System upgrades
  • Process improvements
• Ensure:
  • Design standards
  • Commissioning excellence
  • Seamless startup performance

Data & Digital Systems

• Own SCADA/MES data accuracy and availability
• Enable real-time visibility into:
  • Downtime
  • Performance
  • Process control parameters
• Partner with CI and data teams to convert data into actionable insights

Cross-Functional Integration

• Work closely with:
  • Operations → support throughput and line stability
  • Maintenance → ensure execution capability
  • Reliability → eliminate root causes
  • CI/OpEx → implement improvements
• Participate in daily/weekly performance reviews and loss elimination processes

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Line OEE improvement (automation-driven losses)
• MTTR reduction (controls-related issues)
• Automation-related downtime (% of total downtime)
• Project delivery (on-time, on-budget, startup performance)
• Controls system standardization compliance
• SCADA/data integrity and uptime

Technical Expertise

• Strong hands-on experience with:
  • PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, etc.)
  • HMI/SCADA systems
  • Industrial networks (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, etc.)
• Experience with:
  • Motion control, vision systems, robotics (preferred)
  • System integration and commissioning
• Understanding of:
  • CMMS systems
  • Reliability/TPM principles

Leadership Competencies

• Systems thinker (understands end-to-end process flows)
• Bias for action in high-pressure downtime situations
• Strong cross-functional influencer
• Ability to translate technical issues into business impact
• Builds and develops technical talent pipelines

Success Profile (What Good Looks Like)

Within 12 months, this leader:

• Establishes stable, standardized control systems across all lines
• Reduces automation-driven downtime by 25–40%
• Implements 24/7 automation support model
• Fully integrates controls into:
  • Reliability strategy
  • Daily performance management
• Builds a high-performing controls + automation team

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Plant Engineering Manager
• Direct Reports:
  • Sr. Controls Engineers
  • SCADA Engineer
• Indirect Influence:
  • Automation Technicians
  • Maintenance Supervisors
  • Reliability Engineers

Why This Role Matters

In a plant of this size and automation level:

The Controls Engineering Manager is the single biggest lever for uptime, throughput, and operational stability.

This role directly determines whether the facility operates at:

• Average performance (reactive, unstable), or
• Top-quartile performance (predictable, optimized, data-driven

Required Qualifications: 

• 8 + years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 3 + years in leadership/management role
• Experience in high-speed, highly automated environments (food manufacturing preferred)

Preffered Qualifications: 

• 12+ years in controls/automation engineering in manufacturing
• 5+ years in leadership/management role

The pay range for this role is $140k - $155k (Annual). Actual wage will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the Team Member will be required to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (i.e. beard/hairnet, ear plugs, frock, boots, etc.), stand for extended periods of time, and use hands/arms to push, pull, reach and occasionally lift above head.  The Team Member must occasionally lift, push, pull up to 25 pounds and 50 pounds infrequently. Team Members are requested to visually inspect equipment and/or product. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant setting with wet/slippery floors, varying degrees of temperatures with an average temperature of 40 degrees in the production area.  Team Members will be exposed to raw and/or cooked meat products and moving equipment and will be required to follow all Food Safety Quality requirements.

EEO Statement:

Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

Jack Link’s is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to generally describe the nature and level of work to be performed by team members in this position. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and skills required of team members performing this role.