Control Systems Engineer (f/m/d)

Job description

About Focused Energy Focused Energy is a pioneering international deep-tech company with locations in Germany and the US, dedicated to commercializing laser-driven nuclear fusion. Our mission is to deliver clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy to the world. As we rapidly scale, we seek talented individuals who thrive on bringing clarity and structure to fast-growing environments. Join us as a Control Systems Engineer to help shape the future of clean energy. In this role, you will take the lead in designing and delivering critical control systems for our experimental and production facilities in Darmstadt, Germany. About the Role Reporting to the Controls Engineering Lead, you will be part of a collaborative local team of engineers in Darmstadt, Germany. This hybrid position includes occasional travel to our German site. Standard office hours apply, with minimal on-call responsibilities mostly limited to regular business hours. What You’ll Do Lead the design and development of PLC-based control subsystems supporting advanced laser fusion technologies Collaborate with scientists and engineers to gather requirements and iterate on control system solutions Own the integration of control systems for essential experimental support infrastructure, including vacuum, pneumatics, and cooling systems Develop control software for modern PLCs, such as Beckhoff TwinCAT, using Structured Text (IEC 61131-3) to ensure machine safety and process control Commission complex experimental equipment alongside scientists and engineers, performing field debugging and systematic fault-finding Specify and implement SCADA systems and HMIs, including alarm management, logging, data acquisition, and database integration Contribute to establishing team standards and solution architecture, and mentor junior engineers through design reviews and technical guidance Who You Are Hold a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Control/Automation, Mechatronics/Robotics, Physics, or a related field with a focus on PLC-based control, embedded, or real-time systems Bring 5+ years (senior level) of experience in plant control systems, factory automation, embedded software, or complex scientific experimental environments utilizing PLC-based elements Proficient in PLC programming in Structured Text (IEC 61131-3) with strong software engineering practices, including modularization, version c…