Controls Engineer

About K1 Industries

For the first time in decades, power demand growth in the US has jumped 5x, driving multi-year lead times for critical power infrastructure. K1 builds and deploys modular power packages at scale, now.

This is a small, early-stage team. You will have influence on every major technical decision, and see your work running on real hardware within months, not years.

The Role

We are hiring a Controls Engineer to own the entire controls and electrical architecture for K1's turbine-generator systems. This is not a role where you contribute to one subsystem inside a large organization. You will design the controls strategy, select the hardware, write the code, specify and review panel builds, commission the system, and iterate based on test data. You will be the single point of ownership for everything between the engine and the grid: PLC logic, generator synchronization, protection systems, engine computer interfacing, instrumentation, and supervisory control.

What You'll Own

Controls Architecture and Programming

• Design and implement the full PLC control system for turbine-generator operation, from engine start sequencing through steady-state power generation and shutdown

• Write PLC programs (structured text, ladder logic, function block) for engine control, generator synchronization, load management, and protection logic

• Define the control system architecture: PLC platform selection, I/O allocation, network topology, HMI design

• Develop and maintain control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, and alarm management strategies

Electrical and Hardware Design

• Specify, design, and review control panel assemblies: PLC cabinets, avionics interface cabinets, junction boxes, and power distribution

• Produce and review electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and panel layout drawings

• Select instrumentation and control hardware: sensors, transmitters, actuators, relays, power supplies, communication interfaces

• Manage relationships with panel fabricators, ensuring builds meet specifications and are delivered on schedule

Commissioning and Testing

• Lead controls commissioning at K1's test facility outside Reno, NV: loop checks, functional testing, engine start/stop sequencing, and generator synchronization

• Develop test procedures, pre-start checklists, and safety interlock verification plans

• Collect and analyze engine and generator performance data during test campaigns

• Troubleshoot and resolve electrical, controls, and instrumentation issues in the field

Documentation and Continuous Improvement

• Produce and maintain controls specifications, interface documents, and as-built records

• Iterate on control strategies based on test data and operational experience

• Build internal tooling, scripts, and data pipelines as needed to support engineering workflows

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

• You have 8+ years of experience in industrial controls engineering, with deep hands-on PLC programming expertise (Siemens TIA Portal preferred, but not required)

• You have designed and commissioned controls systems for gas turbines, rotating equipment, or power generation facilities

• You are comfortable producing and reviewing electrical schematics and control panel design packages

• You have real field commissioning experience: you have been the person on-site making the system work, not just the person who drew the diagrams

• You understand generator synchronization, protection relaying, and power systems fundamentals

• You have strong knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, serial ARINC or MIL-STD interfaces)

• You work well with a small team and are comfortable owning an entire discipline rather than a narrow slice of one

Even Better If...

• You have aeroderivative gas turbine or aviation engine experience (GE LM series, Pratt & Whitney FT series, Rolls-Royce, CFM56)

• You have interfaced with FADEC or full-authority engine control units in a ground-based application

• You have software engineering experience beyond PLC programming: Python, data acquisition tooling, internal dashboards, test automation, or similar

• You are familiar with NFPA 85, API 616, IEEE 1547, or other relevant power generation and combustion turbine standards

• You have worked at a startup or in a small-team environment where you wore multiple hats