The Controls and Automation Engineering Technician serves as the operational core of a high-tech cannabis cultivation facility. This individual manages the complex network of sensors, controllers, and software that form the facility's central nervous system. The position ensures that every critical environmental parameter, from photon flux density to vapor pressure deficit, is precisely controlled and maintained. This is accomplished through the expert management of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), typically from Allen-Bradley, which actuate everything from fertigation pumps to HVAC systems. The technician translates the nuanced requirements of master growers into functional code and reliable hardware performance. Data from these systems is visualized through a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) interface, providing real-time operational oversight. Furthermore, this role is crucial for integrating process data into a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), which provides the critical batch records and data trails required for state compliance and operational analysis. The reliability of the entire PLC, SCADA, and MES architecture rests on the technical skill of this technician, directly impacting crop yield, quality, and consistency. This position is the bridge between agricultural science and industrial engineering, ensuring that cultivation strategies are executed with digital precision at scale.
The day begins with a comprehensive systems check from the central control room. The technician logs into the primary SCADA system to review the operational status of the entire facility. The first task is to analyze overnight data logs from the twelve flowering rooms. This involves verifying that temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels remained within the tight tolerances defined in the Allen-Bradley PLC logic for that specific genetic strain's late-flower stage. The SCADA dashboard shows a minor pressure drop alarm on a nutrient feed line that occurred at 3:15 AM but self-corrected. The technician flags this for a physical inspection later. Next, a review of the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) confirms that all automated fertigation events were successfully logged against the correct plant batches for compliance traceability.
Focus then shifts to proactive maintenance on the cultivation floor. The technician proceeds to Fertigation Skid B with a calibrated meter to perform a two-point calibration on the primary pH and EC sensors. Accurate sensor data is essential for the Allen-Bradley PLC to execute the precise nutrient recipes required for hydroponic cultivation. While there, the technician investigates the pressure drop alarm noted earlier, finding a minor leak at a valve fitting and generating a work order for the maintenance team. Subsequently, the technician meets with a cultivation manager who has requested a modification to the lighting schedule in Veg Room 4. This requires connecting a laptop to the room's local control panel, opening the PLC programming software, and adjusting the timer logic in the Allen-Bradley controller. The change is documented in a digital logbook, and the updated program is downloaded to the PLC.
Midday operations center on a new project: integrating a new bank of environmental sensors into the network. This involves physically installing the sensors in a newly commissioned drying room, running network cables back to a control cabinet, and terminating the I/O points on a PLC expansion module. The technician then updates the SCADA system to include graphical representations of the new sensors and configures the historical data logging for temperature and humidity. This data will be fed into the MES to correlate drying conditions with final product quality metrics, like terpene preservation.
The afternoon is dedicated to system improvement and data analysis. The Head of Cultivation wants to test a new steering strategy using daily water content data to trigger irrigation events. The technician collaborates with the cultivation team to develop the new control logic. This involves writing and testing a new function block in the Allen-Bradley PLC code that will initiate a fertigation cycle based on input from substrate moisture sensors instead of a fixed schedule. The logic is first tested in a development environment before being deployed to a single test zone. The operational cycle concludes with a review of network traffic on the control system's Ethernet backbone to ensure there are no communication bottlenecks between the various PLCs and the central SCADA server. All actions, from logic changes to sensor calibrations, are meticulously documented to maintain a state of audit readiness.
The Controls and Automation Engineering Technician has ownership over three distinct and critical operational domains:
The Controls and Automation Engineering Technician directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:
| Impact Area | Strategic Influence |
|---|---|
| Cash | Reduces operational cash burn by optimizing energy consumption through precise PLC control of HVAC and lighting systems, and minimizes water and nutrient waste via automated fertigation. |
| Profits | Directly increases revenue by maximizing crop yield and quality through stable, optimized environmental conditions. Prevents catastrophic crop loss by ensuring the reliability of the control systems. |
| Assets | Extends the operational life of high-value capital equipment (HVAC, pumps, lighting) by implementing soft starts, monitoring run-times, and preventing damaging operational cycles through intelligent PLC programming. |
| Growth | Enables rapid and consistent expansion by creating a standardized and scalable automation architecture (PLC code libraries, SCADA templates) that can be deployed to new facilities. |
| People | Reduces manual labor associated with environmental monitoring and irrigation, freeing cultivation staff to focus on high-skill tasks related to plant health and pest management. |
| Products | Guarantees product consistency by eliminating environmental variability, ensuring that cannabinoid and terpene profiles are repeatable from batch to batch, a key factor for medical and premium recreational brands. The MES provides the data to prove this. |
| Legal Exposure | Mitigates legal and regulatory risk by creating an immutable, timestamped data record of all critical cultivation parameters, providing a robust defense during audits or product inquiries. |
| Compliance | Provides the foundational data infrastructure for compliance. The MES relies on the PLC and SCADA systems to automatically capture all data necessary for seed-to-sale tracking and state reporting. |
| Regulatory | Ensures adherence to environmental regulations related to water usage and discharge by precisely controlling and logging all irrigation and runoff events. |
Reports To: This position typically reports to the Director of Cultivation or the Head of Engineering. The reporting structure depends on whether the organization prioritizes the horticultural application or the facility infrastructure aspect of the role.
Similar Roles: This role is functionally equivalent to an Automation Specialist, Process Controls Technician, or SCADA Technician in industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, or manufacturing. The core skill set involving PLC programming, particularly with Allen-Bradley, and SCADA development is directly transferable. The primary adaptation is learning the specific biological processes of cannabis cultivation and the unique regulatory requirements of the industry, which are managed through the MES.
Works Closely With: This role requires constant collaboration with the Head of Cultivation to define process requirements, Cultivation Technicians who are the end-users of the SCADA interface, the Facilities Manager to coordinate on electrical and mechanical systems, and the Compliance Manager to ensure all data logging from the MES meets regulatory standards.
Mastery of the following technology stack is essential for success:
Professionals from several highly regulated and automated industries are positioned for success in this role:
The role demands a unique combination of technical and soft skills:
The standards, technologies, and regulations from these entities shape the daily reality of this role:
| Acronym/Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Allen-Bradley | A leading brand of industrial automation hardware and software, owned by Rockwell Automation. It is the de facto standard for PLCs in North America. |
| HMI | Human-Machine Interface. A graphical user interface (often a touchscreen) that allows an operator to interact with a control system or machine. Part of a larger SCADA system. |
| I/O | Input/Output. The physical points on a PLC where sensors (inputs) and actuators like pumps or valves (outputs) are connected. |
| MES | Manufacturing Execution System. A software system that connects the plant floor control systems to the enterprise business systems. In cannabis, an MES tracks batches, manages recipes, and ensures compliance. |
| PID Loop | Proportional-Integral-Derivative Loop. A control loop mechanism that uses feedback to continuously adjust a system's output (e.g., a cooling valve) to match a desired setpoint (e.g., room temperature). |
| PLC | Programmable Logic Controller. A ruggedized industrial computer that is programmed to perform automation tasks by reading inputs from sensors and controlling outputs like motors and valves. |
| SCADA | Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. A software system for high-level process supervision. It gathers data in real-time from PLCs and other controllers and displays it on HMIs for operators. |
| VFD | Variable Frequency Drive. A device used to control the speed of an AC motor by varying the frequency and voltage supplied to it. Commonly used on pumps and fans for energy efficiency and precise control. |
| VPD | Vapor Pressure Deficit. The difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold when saturated. It is a critical metric for controlling plant transpiration. |
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