The systems that make a factory run itself are yours to set up and tune — programming PLCs, wiring sensors, and getting automated lines to do exactly what they should. Where machines learn their jobs.
Days tend to mix the panel and the floor: configuring controllers, wiring and calibrating sensors, testing logic, and commissioning lines until they run clean. You work with engineers and operators, often under pressure to get production moving. A small logic error can stop a whole line, and getting a system dialed in is genuinely satisfying.
The work can swing from quiet programming to urgent troubleshooting when a line's down and everyone's watching. The technology keeps changing, so you're always learning new controllers and protocols, and the environment can be loud, hot, or hazardous depending on the plant. Industries from food to auto shift the specifics a lot.
It tends to suit people who are logical, hands-on, and calm when production's stopped. If you want a clean desk or steady routine, the floor and the firefighting may not fit. But if you like making complex systems run exactly right, and the mix of code and hardware, it's practical, in-demand work.
Don't know if you want to stay in your job?
Get your career on record. Then decide.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Turn your career record
into a springboard for growth.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Engineering roles →The systems that make a factory run itself are yours to set up and tune — programming PLCs, wiring sensors, and getting automated lines to do exactly what they should. Where machines learn their jobs.
Median pay for an Automation Control Technician is about $71K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $48K to $110K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Repairing, Troubleshooting, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Equipment Maintenance.
Most people in this role hold a postsecondary certificate.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 1.1% through 2034, with roughly 14,680 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Robot Programmer, Automation Engineering Technician, and Test Technician (Test Tech).
Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.
More career advice
We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.
Browse career adviceStill figuring out what you want to become
when you grow up?
Don't know if you want to stay in your job?
Get your career on record. Then decide.