A mutually rewarding experience.

Work. Realize your ambitions. And realize there’s more to being in business than just making a profit. That’s the Mars philosophy. And the opportunity we offer every one of our Associates. An opportunity to take what you do and make it mean more for you, for those around you and for the planet.  What you get here is challenging, interesting work. You get the tools you need to do a great job and you get to have the best possible people on your side to help you do it. And at the same time as getting to find ways to do business better today than we did it yesterday and driving a great career, you also get to build a more enlightened business and drive sustainability.

Because it’s never just about a single person, a single project or a single brand. It’s about how you can grab everything that’s within your reach here and use it to pursue mutual, long-term gain. It’s about having ideas. And ideals. Being prepared to risk failure because the promise of success means we’ll all be a little better off. It’s that mix of integrity and ambition that makes Mars such a special place to work. And why working here is always about more than just a job.

About Mars, Incorporated 

Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.

We are seeking a PLC Controls Technician for our Mars Petcare site in Temple, TX.

Some relocation benefits will be offered for the ideal caniddate.

The PLC Controls Technician is responsible for the efficient, safe, and reliable operating condition of the site manufacturing control and electrical systems.  The PLC Controls Technician must be multi-skilled to manage, maintain, and troubleshoot site’s electrical power systems, instrumentation, motor controls, PLC, HMI, data systems, and factory control infrastructure (servers, PC’s, and networks).  Additionally, the PLC Controls Technician also directs the modification and installation of control systems and facilitates the transfer of knowledge of control systems and electrical projects.  The PLC Controls Technician is responsible to identify, prioritize, plan and execute day-to-day activities with little or no supervision.

What would be your key responsibilities? 

• Responsible for the maintenance and troubleshooting of electrical and control systems equipment down to the component level, including 480V electrical power distribution, instrumentation, motor controls, VFD’s, Servo’s, I/O devices/modules, PLC’s, HMI’s, and control networks. 
• Train and assist technicians to troubleshoot, repair, replace and commission all electrical control devices including: AC drives, DC drives, Servo Controllers, contactors, motors, breakers, solenoids power supplies and indicator lights.  All PLC/HMI hardware including: processors, discrete and analog I/O cards, power supplies, network adapters, I/O hardware, operator interfaces such as Panel-view, PC based interfaces, and message displays.
• Identify and recommend changes to improve plant performance utilizing existing or new control systems.  Make program modifications in PLC’s logic, HMI’s programs and servo controller logic to improve equipment performance. 
• Manage and support factory controls infrastructure including PCs, servers, control networks, and network switches, including implementing patches and other vendor updates. 
• Provide support during machine installations and upgrades including: interfacing auxiliary equipment, identifying and correcting errors in programming and wiring and ensuring vendors and contractors are meeting our needs and expectations. 
• Direct the work activities of outside contractors, maintenance technicians, and other associates in the installation of instrumentation, PLC based control systems, and PC based operator interfaces.
• Make improvements as required to electrical PM’s on various manufacturing and packaging equipment, electrical panels, and document activities using CMMS or SAP Plant Maintenance.
• Effectively communicate with peers, supervisors, and upper management on a daily basis, and be willing to provide support where needed and complete other duties as assigned by Team Leader.

What are we looking for? 

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• A two-year technical degree or equivalent is required for consideration.  A degree in process controls or similar technical fields is preferred, including courses in computer science.  Six years of control, electrical, or electronics experience including computer programming, systems analysis and design, electrical or electronics production system troubleshooting, and problem resolution will be considered in lieu of degree requirements.   Two years of this exposure must be in an industrial production environment similar to Mars manufacturing facilities.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley PLC platforms including ControlLogix, SLC-500, and PLC-5
• Experience with Wonderware InTouch and Rockwell FT-View HMI software applications.
• Experience with Rockwell communication software packages (RSLinx) and control networks (Ethernet/IP, ControlNet, and DeviceNet).
• Experience with Rockwell VFD's and Servo Drives.
• Knowledge of Microsoft operating systems, virtual machine environments, servers and network administration.

What can you expect from Mars? 

• The opportunity to learn, develop and take charge of your own career. 
• An industry competitive compensation and benefits package.
• The opportunity to work cross functionally, add value and impact a better world for generations to come. 

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Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.