Controls Engineer x 2
Greenville, WI
CONFIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY BRIEF
Controls Engineer
100% Employee-Owned | Elite OEM-Certified Integrator | Major Project(s) Hitting Q3/Q4
Custom Robotic Automation | Fox Cities region | 35-Year A3 Certified Integrator
Most integrators are a paycheck. This one is a stake.
Most controls engineers know how this goes: you build the system, debug the robots, do the FAT, and move on to the next one. The work is real. The pay is fine. And none of the upside — none of the equity, none of the ownership — makes it to you.
This company has been building complex custom automation for 35 years and holds one of the most exclusive OEM certifications in the robotics industry — awarded to only three integrators worldwide when it was first established. Since 2018, every employee has been a part-owner through a formal ESOP. A major project hits the floor in Q3/Q4 and they need a Controls Engineer who can carry real weight now.
THE ROLE AT A GLANCE
Title: Controls Engineer
Company: Confidential — 100% employee-owned custom robotic automation integrator, 35 years in business
Industry: Custom robotic automation — glass, non-wovens, consumer goods, food & beverage
Reporting To: Controls Engineering Manager
Structure: On-site | ~30% travel for FATs and installs
Target Start Date: July 15 – August 1, 2026
THE REAL OPPORTUNITY
No two projects are the same here — glass handling systems, non-woven packaging lines, multi-robot palletizing cells. Projects range from $400K to $3M+, all built from scratch. They have an in-house R&D lab, hold an A3 Certified Robot Integrator designation, and the projects arriving Q3/Q4 means you're contributing from week one.
Elite OEM certification — one of only three integrators worldwide named at this level when it was first established, held for nearly 30 years
100% ESOP: equity grows every year you're here. Ownership, not a promise of it
In-house R&D lab with 3D printing and prototyping — problems get solved before they reach the field
Mentorship opportunity in a growing team, with a major program providing immediate impact
The hidden gem: When this certification was first created globally, three integrators in the world received it. This company was one of them. They've held that standard for nearly three decades — still in the same Wisconsin facility, now 100% owned by the people doing the work. Elite technical heritage and genuine employee ownership in one place.
CULTURE & OWNERSHIP
Since 2018, every employee has held equity through a formal ESOP. The internal mantra is "we all win together." Controls, Mechanical, and Applications Engineering work together on every project. Team players get promoted. Lone wolves don't last.
Leadership is stable and invested in the team around them. Strong performers move fast — this is a company that wants to promote from within as it grows.
THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
Base Salary: $90,000 – $115,000
Stretch Base: Up to $130,000 (ideal experience)
Bonus: Discretionary — extended hours, weekend work, or extraordinary effort
ESOP: Build equity in the company every year you're here
Health (PPO, Family): ~$580/month out of pocket
Health (HSA, Family): ~$200/month out of pocket
Travel: ~30%
CAREER PATH
Controls Engineer (where you start) → Senior Controls Engineer (technical leadership) → Controls Engineering Manager (leadership track)
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
Robotics programming experience on major platforms (multi-brand preferred) with Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI — fluency on at least one robot family before day one
Systems integration background — you've unified third-party equipment into working solutions and you know what that actually takes
Communicators first — problems come up every day in custom automation. What separates good engineers from great ones is talking through the problem, not disappearing to fix it solo
All in — this is for someone who wants to build something real, own a piece of it, and stay long enough to see what they helped create
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Step 1: Conversation with the Controls Engineering Manager — technical depth, problem-solving approach, what you've built
Step 2: Meetings with the Mechanical and Applications Engineering Managers — cross-functional fit, collaboration style
Step 3: In-person visit — meet HR and the President, tour the facility and R&D lab
Close: Process typically runs 3–4 weeks. They want to move faster — and for the right person, they will
READY TO TALK OWNERSHIP?
If any of this landed, the next step is a 20-minute confidential call. No pressure, no pitch — just the information you need to decide if this makes sense.
Contact: Michael "Sully" Sullivan, VenTech Search Group
Email: Sully@ventechsearch.com | ventechsearch.com
July 9, 2026