Controls Engineer Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Controls Engineer resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Controls engineers are responsible for designing and implementing control systems that monitor and regulate industrial processes. They’re typically part of a large engineering team that works together to ensure that a facility is running smoothly and efficiently.
If you enjoy problem solving and working on challenging projects with a high level of complexity, then you might be ready for a career as a controls engineer. And if you have an eye for detail and are comfortable working with spreadsheets and databases, then you might be well suited for this type of job too.
Because the field of controls engineering is so broad, there are many different types of jobs available—from designing systems for oil refineries to designing systems for power plants. So when it comes time to write your resume, you’ll need to do some research to understand exactly what kind of role you want to pursue.
Follow these tips and resume example to write a fantastic controls engineer resume that will get you noticed by employers.
How to Write a Controls Engineer Resume
Here’s how to write a controls engineer resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will see. And they’re the best way to showcase your experience and skills.
So it’s crucial that you use them to your advantage. And the best way to do that is by using specific, descriptive language. For example, rather than saying you “managed projects,” you could say you “managed $10M+ construction project for new corporate headquarters, including scheduling, budgeting, and on-site coordination with contractors.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did and the outcome of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a job as a controls engineer, your resume will likely be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This program looks for specific terms related to the job, like “piping” or “programming” to determine whether your skills are a match for the opening. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right keywords, the ATS might discard your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common controls engineer keywords to add them into your resume:
- Control Systems Design
- SCADA
- Engineering
- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
- Process Control
- Control Engineering
- Instrumentation
- Engineering Management
- Process Engineering
- Automation
- Project Engineering
- Distributed Control System (DCS)
- PLC Programming
- Project Planning
- Supervisory Control
- Commissioning
- Instrumentation & Control
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- HMI Programming
- Siemens NX
- AutoCAD
- Mechanical Engineering
- Microsoft Access
- Teamcenter
- Electrical Engineering
- MATLAB
- Python (Programming Language)
- Simulink
- 5S
- Root Cause Analysis
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a controls engineer, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems in order to design, develop, and implement controls systems. Some of the most commonly used programs include PLC programming software, HMI programming software, and SCADA systems. Additionally, controls engineers need to be familiar with industrial networking protocols, such as Ethernet/IP and Modbus.