Effective Framework for Recruiting Automation and Controls Engineers

Recruiting talented automation and controls engineers can be challenging. Given the specialized nature of these roles, your recruitment strategy must be targeted, intentional, and insightful. This guide provides a robust framework to attract and recruit the best candidates in this competitive field.

Where to Find Automation and Controls Engineers?

Posting in Industry Groups (LinkedIn & Facebook)

Don’t overlook the reach of professional and social groups when recruiting automation and controls engineers. Posting in targeted LinkedIn or Facebook groups—such as Automation & Control Engineers, Industrial Automation Professionals, or PLCs & SCADA Enthusiasts—can get your job listing in front of tens of thousands of highly relevant professionals, often with 5k to 50k+ members per group.

Timing matters: aim to post during peak engagement hours like Tuesday–Thursday mornings (8–11am) in the target time zone. Be clear and professional, and always include a visual (such as your branded job card) to stand out in the feed.

Engineering Forums

Engineers frequently engage in specialized forums and communities online. Sites like Control.com, PLCtalk.net, and other industrial automation forums occasionally allow targeted job postings, enabling you to connect directly with professionals who are genuinely interested and skilled in controls and automation.

Dedicated Niche Job Boards

General job boards like Indeed can generate a high volume of irrelevant applicants, creating unnecessary screening workloads. Instead, focus your efforts on niche job boards dedicated to automation and controls engineering, such as Automation JobSearch. These platforms offer quality over quantity, ensuring your job postings reach relevant professionals directly.

Quality vs. Quantity: The Importance of Targeting

Generalist job boards may attract numerous applicants, but many may not have relevant experience or eligibility. Instead, prioritize targeted exposure. A smaller pool of qualified candidates is far more valuable than hundreds of unsuitable applicants. Niche platforms and targeted postings help streamline your candidate pipeline significantly.

Attracting Passive Candidates

The best automation professionals are often passive candidates, currently employed but potentially open to new opportunities. The best way to engage their attention is by using inbound marketing tactics:

• Share authentic, compelling content about your organization’s culture, work environment, and team stories.


• Highlight employee experiences through “day-in-the-life” posts and case studies to appeal to passive candidates considering new opportunities.

Publishing content such as this on LinkedIn can help to bring awareness to your company and attract interest from passive candidates who may be looking for a change.

Work-Life Balance and Employee Well-Being

Controls engineering can be demanding and stressful, leading to high burnout rates. Clearly advertise and promote your organization’s commitment to work-life balance, wellness programs, flexible working arrangements, and supportive company culture in job postings.

Emphasizing these elements can set you apart and attract top-tier candidates who value sustainable careers.

Engaging with Specialized Recruiters

If opting for external recruitment support, select recruiters with proven expertise in controls and automation sectors. Generalist technical recruiters might lack the nuanced understanding needed to source high-caliber talent effectively.

Specialized recruiters will more accurately match candidate expertise to your requirements.

Effective Candidate Screening Techniques

Use structured questionnaires and forms to screen applicants effectively:

• Include yes/no questions to immediately filter out candidates ineligible for employment in your region.
• Screen for specific skill sets relevant to automation and control systems.
• Clearly outline skill and experience prerequisites to reduce applications from unsuitable candidates.

Clearly Define Required Skills

Articulate both technical (hard) and interpersonal (soft) skills essential for the role:

• Develop and utilize skill checklists for automation engineers, including proficiency in PLC programming, SCADA systems, AC drives, safety systems, and other critical technologies.
• Remain open to candidates with transferrable skills from related fields, enhancing your talent pool.

For a detailed breakdown on hard and soft skills within the field of control systems and industrial automation, check out our Skills Checklist.

Define Experience Domains Clearly

Clarify the domain experience required:

• Is the role primarily site-based (commissioning, testing, inspection) or detailed engineering (design, programming)?
• Does the role require OEM/vendor experience, EPC contractor familiarity, or direct end-user client experience?
• Clearly state this to attract the right candidate profile.

Be Specific About Candidate Background

Establish clear expectations around candidate experience:

• Define the ideal total years of experience and professional background required.
• Decide whether your organization can offer mentoring/training or needs someone immediately effective.
• Specify any age or career-stage preferences carefully and sensitively to attract appropriate candidates.

Compensation and Candidate Attraction

Compensation is crucial in attracting qualified automation and controls professionals:

• Research market salaries thoroughly and offer competitive pay and benefits.
• If budgets are limited, seek candidates demonstrating strong potential and the ability to learn quickly and grow into the role.

By implementing this structured framework, your recruitment efforts will become more focused, efficient, and successful in securing highly skilled automation and controls engineers for your team.

About Automation JobSearch

Automation JobSearch is more than a niche job board. It’s a portal built specifically for automation professionals, attracting both active job seekers and passive candidates through high-quality, industry-specific content.

Here’s how we help:

🎯 Access to a Targeted Candidate Funnel

Our site consistently attracts traffic from control engineers, systems integrators, OT professionals, and other specialists who engage with our news and industry insights.

By posting your job here, you’re not just casting a wide net you’re fishing in the right waters.

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⏱️ Save Time with Automated Job Indexing

Are you spending time manually listing jobs online? Many companies struggle to keep job boards updated or don’t have the time to promote every role they’re hiring for.

We automatically index your career page and publish your jobs directly to our job board, no manual posting required.

Candidates are directed straight to your original job posting or ATS — no interruptions, no redirects. All applicants apply through your original job page, just as they normally would.

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💰 Avoid High Recruitment Fees

Recruitment firms often charge 15–25% of a candidate’s first-year salary and still rely on keyword filters and volume-based tactics.

With Automation JobSearch, you get a more focused, cost-effective, and technically informed hiring process.

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💡 Built by Automation Professionals

We understand the terminology, tools, and technologies that matter in industrial automation. Our screening, content, and community engagement are tailored to this sector—something generic job boards simply can’t replicate.

🚀 Start Hiring Smarter Today

Frustrated by irrelevant applications and wasted time?

Promote your roles on Automation JobSearch today and connect directly with the automation professionals.