The right controls engineer must have technical expertise, industry knowledge, and strong communication skills—choose wisely to avoid costly system failures.
Think about it—your control system isn’t just another piece of equipment. It’s the brain and nervous system that controls everything you do. When it goes down…well, nothing else much matters.
Many folks start by doing a Google search for a “controls engineer near me” and calling it a day. This is a big mistake. Sure, having someone local helps with response time, but proximity means nothing if they don’t know what they’re doing.
Technical Qualifications That Matter
A manufacturing plant over in Grand Rapids learned this lesson the expensive way. Hired a hotshot with a resume full of big-name schools but zero experience in their industry. Six months later? A gorgeous system that crashed every time production hit full capacity. It took another eight months and costs of 60% over budget to fix what someone with relevant experience would have gotten right the first time.
Industry-Specific Knowledge Is Non-Negotiable
Here’s the deal—control systems for a pharmaceutical clean room have practically nothing in common with those for an automotive assembly line. They have different standards, regulations, and failure points.
Your engineer needs to know YOUR world before day one. Ask them:
- What regulatory hurdles have you navigated in our industry?
- Can you show me similar projects you’ve completed and what specific challenges you overcame.
- What makes our sector different from others you’ve worked in?
- Do you have case studies I can verify?
Communication Skills: The Overlooked Essential
Your control systems touch everything—production, maintenance, quality control, you name it. Your engineer needs to speak multiple languages: tech-speak with programmers, plain English with operators, and business English with management.
The real superstars don’t drone on about coding languages and hardware specs. They discuss how their solutions cut downtime by 23% or boost throughput during peak hours. They ask about your business goals before discussing PLCs and HMIs.
Warning Signs to Watch For
Run—don’t walk—away from engineers who:
- Show up with cookie-cutter solutions before understanding your setup
- Use technical jargon as a shield when you ask simple questions
- Roll their eyes when machine operators offer input (those operators know more than most engineers ever will about how things work)
- Can’t explain how they’ll test and validate their work
- Get squirrely when you ask for references from similar projects
How the Criteria for the Right Controls Engineer Are Changing in 2025
The game is changing fast. Recent industry surveys show that 78% of plants now demand cybersecurity credentials—up from barely a third just two years ago. That’s not evolution; that’s revolution.
The most sought-after engineers today aren’t just tech gurus—they’re business problem solvers who happen to speak fluent control systems. The old wall between IT and OT is crumbling. Companies pay top dollar (30–40% premiums in some regions) for engineers who can connect the dots between technical improvements and bottom-line results.
Companies that see these changes coming? They’ll have their pick of both talent and competitive advantage.
The Hidden Cost of the Wrong Choice
The actual price of hiring the wrong engineer isn’t on the initial invoice. It’s the 3 am phone calls when systems crash during your biggest production run. It’s explaining to your biggest customer why their order will be late—again. It’s the security breach nobody saw coming because your systems weren’t adequately protected.
A poor hire costs more than dollars, risking trust, reputation, and stability. Bringing on a controls engineer is an investment in your firm’s future. Don’t select the first name you come across. Ask the right questions, screen their expertise, and decide wisely. The correct engineer isn’t a cost—they’re your edge.
Featured Image Source: https://pacificblueengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/standard-quality-control-collage-concept.jpg
