Associate Field Engineer

About the Role

Wunderlich-Malec's Richmond, VA engineering team is seeking a travel-ready, entry-level Field Engineer or Technician eager to build hands-on technical experience and grow quickly. This field-based role provides direct exposure to systems, customers, schedules, and real-time decision-making, accelerating the development of technical expertise and project execution skills. This position offers direct ownership of installation verification, control system testing, commissioning support, and start-up activities. The role supports projects across industries including Data Center, Semiconductor, Life Science, Food & Beverage, and other industrial facilities.

Note: This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization, including H-1B sponsorship, nor does the company participate in the STEM OPT training program for this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Installation & Wiring QA/QC Verification (Level 2 Commissioning): Verify that control panels, field devices, instruments, and related control system equipment are installed and wired in accordance with manufacturer requirements, approved shop drawings, project documentation, and applicable quality standards.
• Point-to-Point Testing (Level 3 Commissioning): Confirm field devices are installed, wired, addressed, and configured per approved system drawings. This includes verification of data to and from field devices, including signals via network integration.
• Functional Performance Testing (FPT) (Level 4 Commissioning): Verify that the control system and field devices operate as defined by project design documentation. This includes testing control sequences, alarm and alert configuration, alarm activation, trend displays, trend configuration, system graphics, and control system response during failure scenarios.
• System-Level Testing Support (Level 5 Commissioning): Support system-level testing to confirm the integrated operation of the control system and field devices. This includes verifying control sequences across related systems, using the facility’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to view equipment status and navigate screens, activating alarms, monitoring trends, and supporting failure-mode testing.
• Electrical and controls engineering support.
• Electrical and instrumentation verification.
• Coordination with clients and electrical subcontractors.
• PLC/SCADA/HMI support.
• Commissioning execution.
• Start-up assistance.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Electrical and controls engineering support
• Electrical and instrumentation verification
• Coordination with clients and electrical subcontractors
• PLC/SCADA/HMI support
• Commissioning execution
• Start-up assistance
• Safety specifications and standards
• Strong attention to detail and focus on quality control.
• Teamwork
• Manual dexterity
• Driving
• Lifting, climbing, mounting and dismounting equipment, pushing, and pulling
• Regular interaction and coordination with customers, subcontractors, vendors, and internal project teams.
• Daily use of a computer, standard office applications, and a mobile phone.

Physical Demands of Position

• Field/Client Site Environment (Primary)
• Ability to stand, move, and work on job sites for up to 8-12 hour shifts.
• Ability to climb stairs/ladders, work at heights, and occasionally lift up to 40 lbs.
• Frequent bending, reaching, and working in and around industrial equipment.
• Exposure to construction, industrial, and processing environments, including noise, temperature changes, and moving machinery.
• Ability to safely wear required PPE (safety glasses, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, and electrical safety gear).
• Comfortable performing electrical/instrumentation checkout and troubleshooting (e.g., voltage testing, control panel wiring).
• Office/Trailer Work (Occasional)
• Periods of sitting/standing at a computer, including in on-site construction trailers.
• Standard office/PC and cell phone use for documentation, communication, and project support.
• Ability to work safely and effectively in both indoor and outdoor environments, including exposure to extreme temperatures, weather conditions, humidity, dust, and other environmental conditions typical of construction, industrial, and processing facilities.

Qualifications

• Education: BS Electrical, Computer, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering preferred. An AA in Engineering Technology or equivalent field technician experience may be substituted.
• Experience: New Graduate or 0-2 years of field experience.
• Understanding of or exposure to field instrumentation, hardware panels, and low voltage controls design.
• Understanding of control systems, components, PLC programming, SCADA programming and their applications.
• Above all else, attention to all applicable safety specifications and standards is a requirement.
• Strong attention to detail and a consistent focus on quality control are required, especially during repetitive commissioning activities.
• Color perception, hearing, verbal and written communication are required.

Work/Residence Plan

• Up to 100% travel to project sites may be required, excluding approved vacation or paid time off.
• Work is typically performed Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend work required based on project needs.
• Assignments may last multiple months at various U.S.-based project sites.
• Weekend travel may be available up to two times per month, subject to project schedule requirements and approval.
• Project housing, airfare, meals, and incidentals are covered by the company in accordance with company policy.
• This position includes full company benefits, structured training, mentorship, and three weeks of paid time off.

Career Growth & Advancement

• This role is designed for ambitious, goal-oriented self-starters who want to accelerate their technical and leadership development through hands-on field experience.
• Field Engineers and Technicians who demonstrate strong technical capability, sound judgment, ownership, and leadership on-site can advance faster than peers following a traditional office-based engineering path.
• High performers may move into lead field roles ahead of the typical timeline.
• Paths include: Associate Field Engineer → Staff Field Engineer → Senior Field Engineer, QA/QC Manager, Controls Project Engineer, Commissioning Lead, Project Manager, Mentor or Technical Evaluator.

Training & Mentorship

• Build capability through hands-on training across progressively challenging commissioning assignments, Level 2 through Level 5.
• Mentorship from senior field engineers on every project.

Merit-Based Advancement

• Advancement is based on demonstrated proficiency, ownership, technical judgment, and field performance.
• Commissioning Levels 2 through 5 represent scopes of commissioning activity.

Salary Range

• $70,000 - $80,000 annually depending on qualifications.
• Includes a discretionary bonus and employee stock program.

Benefits

• Comprehensive employee-owner benefit package.
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D
• Long Term Disability
• Voluntary Short Term Disability
• Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Referral Bonus Program
• 401(k)/Profit Sharing
• 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Will Preparation Resources
• Worldwide Travel Assistance