Controls Apprentice

Location: Muncie, Indiana, US

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What we offer: At Magna, you can expect an engaging and dynamic environment where you can help to develop industry-leading automotive technologies. We invest in our employees, providing them with the support and resources they need to succeed. As a member of our global team, you can expect exciting, varied responsibilities as well as a wide range of development prospects. Because we believe that your career path should be as unique as you are.

Group Summary: Transforming mobility. Making automotive technology that is smarter, cleaner, safer and lighter. That’s what we’re passionate about at Magna Powertrain, and we do it by creating world-class powertrain systems. We are a premier supplier for the global automotive industry with full capabilities in design, development, testing and manufacturing of complex powertrain systems. Our name stands for quality, environmental consciousness, and safety. Innovation is what drives us and we drive innovation. Dream big and create the future of mobility at Magna Powertrain.

Job Responsibilities:

Scope of Position

The Controls Technician is responsible for supporting, troubleshooting, repairing, and maintaining automated manufacturing equipment and control systems within the production environment.

This position supports production uptime by diagnosing and resolving electrical, controls, pneumatic, hydraulic, robotic, and automation-related issues while working closely with Maintenance and Production teams.

This role is primarily hands-on and maintenance-focused, with responsibilities centered around equipment reliability, downtime reduction, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of an approved apprenticeship program in Controls Systems, Instrumentation, Electrical Technology, Industrial Automation, Industrial Maintenance or a related technical field; or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.

Minimum of 3 years of experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably high-volume automotive manufacturing.

Strong understanding of industrial electrical systems and safety standards including NEC and NFPA 79.

Experience troubleshooting manufacturing equipment and controlled devices including PLCs, robotics, HMIs, drives, and CNC controls.

Hands-on experience with Allen-Bradley PLC platforms including ControlLogix 5000, CompactLogix, and Logix 500 systems.

Working knowledge of Siemens PLC systems (Step 7 and TIA Portal) preferred.

Experience with industrial robotics, preferably FANUC.

Familiarity with Atlas Copco nut runners, vision systems, barcode readers, Cognex, and Keyence systems preferred.

Strong knowledge of pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

Understanding of industrial communication networks including Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Profibus, and IO-Link.

Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, control drawings, and technical documentation.

Strong troubleshooting, communication, and teamwork skills.

Ability to work overtime, and respond to equipment breakdowns as required.

Key Responsibilities

Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment, robotic systems, HMIs, CNC controls, and associated automation devices.

Diagnose and resolve electrical, controls, pneumatic, hydraulic, and mechanical issues to minimize production downtime.

Support production equipment uptime through preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, and continuous improvement activities.

Assist in the installation, startup, testing, and troubleshooting of manufacturing equipment and control systems.

Support hardware and software modifications to automated systems under the direction of Engineering or Controls personnel.

Write and maintain basic documentation including troubleshooting notes, operator instructions, and maintenance records.

Assist with equipment acceptance testing, validation activities, and system commissioning as required.

Interface with Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams to resolve equipment and process-related issues.

Support maintenance technicians by providing technical assistance related to controls and automation systems.

Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, safety, cycle time, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Ensure all work is performed in accordance with plant safety policies, electrical standards, and lockout/tagout procedures.

Maintain spare parts inventories and communicate equipment concerns to leadership as necessary.

Follow all company safety, environmental, and quality procedures.

Perform other duties as assigned. Awareness, Unity, Empowerment: At Magna, we believe that a diverse workforce is critical to our success. That’s why we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We hire on the basis of experience and qualifications, and in consideration of job requirements, regardless of, in particular, color, ancestry, religion, gender, origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity. Magna takes the privacy of your personal information seriously. We discourage you from sending applications via email or traditional mail to comply with GDPR requirements and your local Data Privacy Law.

AI-Assisted Screening Disclosure As part of our commitment to a fair, consistent, and efficient recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the initial screening of applications submitted through our Workday system. These tools help identify qualifications and experience that align with the role requirements. Please note that AI is used solely to support our recruiters. Final decisions are always made by the hiring manager and the hiring team. Importantly, no applicant data is shared externally through these AI tools. All information remains securely within our systems and is handled in accordance wi