PLC Technician

Hampton Lumber is a family-owned wood products company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. With over 1,700 employees, we operate ten sawmills in Western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. We also manage timberland and operate a wholesale and export division. With nearly 80 years in the sawmill business, we are proud to have cultivated the knowledge and experience needed to grow and prosper, even in challenging times.  We always look to the future and invest in our people, new technologies, and continuous improvement processes and techniques.

This position's primary function is to support the sawmill team with training and advanced troubleshooting support of process automation, instrumentation, motion control, and optimization systems. This person drives continuous improvement of existing equipment and systems in the mill by adapting and adopting proven techniques and technologies for new applications. This person works with Engineering on the execution of major modernization projects or installation of new equipment, supporting the commissioning process and receiving responsibility for the control systems during startup. 

 The Process Control Technician provides support including training, skills development, and troubleshooting support from Engineering, outside experts and vendors, and peers at other sawmills. 

Generous company-paid assistance for Medical and Dental insurance premiums; cost-effective co-pays & deductibles. Vision, Short Term Disability, Roth and pre-tax 401k, with a 2% company match and an additional 5% annual employer contribution, fully vested after three years. 

PTO is available for all eligible employees.

• The position will be responsible for on-going and regular maintenance (including preventative maintenance, calibration, etc.) of process control systems.
• This person will help in the operation of necessary diagnostic, calibration and alignment procedures.
• They will participate and help coordinate the installation of new automation or optimizer systems.  The person will also participate and/or assist with training. 
• It is assumed that the activities of the position will be coordinated with production schedules and requirements so as to minimize any loss of production or quality.  It is expected that in emergency (loss of production, etc.) during “off hours”, or even regular hours, the position will be available to assist (on-call) whenever reasonably possible.  The normal working hours for this position will be flexible to insure desired tasks are accomplished in a timely fashion. 
• The person filling this position is expected to be generally qualified and familiar with hardware and communications and programming of the PLCs and process control systems (where applicable) at the Warrention site, and/or make him/herself available for Company sponsored training in such.  This specifically includes (but not limited to): 
  • Allen Bradley PLC-5 systems and SLC-50x systems (Legacy PLCs)
  • Allen Bradley Logix systems (ControlLogix and CompactLogix PLCs)
  • Ethernet networks for process control 
  • Machine Vision Systems (Cognex)
  • Windows PCs, Servers, and Virtual Machines 
  • Variable Speed Drives (PowerFlex 700 and 750 series)
  • Full Voltage Control (hard wired vs intelligent full voltage control)
  • Soft Start Motor Control (SMC Flex)
  • Electrical and Hydraulic Position Control Systems (Logix and RMC) 
  • HMI Development (FT View and Inductive Automation Ignition!)
• It is expected that the person filling this position have at least some knowledge in industrial electronics and computer technology, or equivalent training and experience. 
• This person will be a regular member of the Maintenance Team and will actively participate in decision making activities for the general benefit of the operations. 
• Management may modify, add or reallocate job responsibilities to better accommodate the needs of the business. 

Skills & Abilities: 

• Excellent PC skills using Microsoft and Rockwell products. 
• Proven customer service skills and related verbal & written communication skills 
• Attention to detail with excellent problem solving skills, high degree of accuracy and efficiency 
• Knowledge of lumber industry preferred but not required  
• Maintain high personal and professional standards of focus, attention, and dedication to work 
• Continue education for professional improvement 
• Approach responsibilities of employment with enthusiasm while working with other teams and departments focusing on the Hampton Core Values 
• Superior organizational and communication skills plus the ability to initiate and handle multiple projects and deadlines and the ability to work with multiple internal customers and team members from varied levels and functional backgrounds. 
• Strong work ethic, sense of commitment, team-oriented, customer focused and willingness to embrace change while striving for continuous improvement. 
• Assertive and responsible, while exemplifying the highest level of ethics, honesty and integrity. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate opportunities and provide practical solutions given the business environment. 
• Self-starter with the ability to accept responsibility and develop their own agenda to support requirements of internal customers. 
• Looks for the opportunity and has the capacity to take on additional responsibility 

Education & Prior Training Required: 

• High School diploma or equivalent required 
• Documented Experience with Process Control Systems 
• Qualification as an electrical worker is highly desirable 

Our Warrenton plant has been in operation under Hampton Lumber ownership since 2010 however this site has had a sawmill on it since 1921. We currently employ 140 employees, some of which have worked on this site for over 30 years, and others that have just started their career. This creates an incredible team of skilled problem-solvers as we join forces to work together to continuously improve in all areas within the plant-site. The Warrenton employees live out the company’s deep commitment to people, community, and sustainability—the heart of Hampton’s company culture—by supporting organizations such as 4H, Girls Build, Robotics club, and the Clatsop Works Internship program.

Learn more at hamptonlumber.com, or follow us on Facebook: @HamptonLumber.  You can also learn about our company and our priorities by visiting our blog. 

Hampton Lumber is an equal opportunity employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law. 

Disability accommodation available: If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Office for the location that you are applying.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see these government posters: EEO is the Law and its accompanying temporary supplement.