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What is an electrical controls engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Fred Garber Ph.D.
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An Electrical Controls Engineer designs, develops, and supervises all electrical control systems, equipment, and machinery. They may be responsible for the installation and technical support of hardware and software.

An electrical controls engineer must have essential skills including troubleshooting, communication skills, problem-solving, teamwork and collaboration, and basic computer knowledge. They also require a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related discipline. Two years' worth of proven work experience in the field is also essential. They usually work under immediate supervision, and they report to a supervisor or manager.

The average hourly salary for an electrical controls engineer is $37.11, which amounts to an annual salary of $77,190. Furthermore, the career is in demand and is expected to grow another 2% in the following years, resulting in various jobs being created across the United States. Feel free to browse our job openings and find the perfect fit for you.

What general advice would you give to an electrical controls engineer?

Fred Garber Ph.D.Fred Garber Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, Electrical Engineering, Wright State University

I think the primary question, in the minds of those who are yet to graduate or are still searching, is in regard to the strength of the technical job market, especially the local job market. But you are in a position to definitively answer that question.

In you article, I would ask that you address the following:
Number of employers looking to fill and number of job offerings in the region (by engineering and computer science major) compared to last year and to the previous five years.

Any noticeable differences in job descriptions Zippia is receiving relative to work environment, benefits, starting salaries, etc.

Many of our soon-to-graduate students would be very interested in these quantitative and qualitative comparisons. Additionally, vast numbers of potential students would benefit from such information to guide their career choices.
ScoreElectrical Controls EngineerUS Average
Salary
6.5

Avg. Salary $82,681

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.18%

Asian 14.30%

Black or African American 4.93%

Hispanic or Latino 11.55%

Unknown 4.73%

White 64.30%

Gender

female 6.36%

male 93.64%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Electrical controls engineer career paths

Key steps to become an electrical controls engineer

  1. Explore electrical controls engineer education requirements

    Most common electrical controls engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.6 %

    Associate

    15.8 %

    Master's

    10.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific electrical controls engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    HMI11.62%
    PLC11.47%
    Allen-Bradley6.41%
    UL5.26%
    Hmi Programming3.82%
  3. Complete relevant electrical controls engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New electrical controls engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an electrical controls engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real electrical controls engineer resumes.
  4. Research electrical controls engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Upgrade, troubleshoot and manage control systems for multiple businesses at the site location.
    • Achieve low cost solution for professional tier radio with rug full color display and USB accessory interface.
    • Introduce UL and NFPA codes and standards into electrical control panel designs.
    • Design electrical controls and safety circuits for packaging machines, applying NEC codes, UL and CSA certification.
  5. Prepare your electrical controls engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your electrical controls engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an electrical controls engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable electrical controls engineer resume templates

    Build a professional electrical controls engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your electrical controls engineer resume.
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
    Electrical Controls Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for electrical controls engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an electrical controls engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first electrical controls engineer job

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Average electrical controls engineer salary

The average electrical controls engineer salary in the United States is $82,681 per year or $40 per hour. Electrical controls engineer salaries range between $62,000 and $108,000 per year.

Average electrical controls engineer salary
$82,681 Yearly
$39.75 hourly

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Electrical controls engineer reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

To Install And Maintain Mostly In Building And Industrial Installation.

Cons

Repair, And Any Over Head Installation


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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