Power System Controls Engineer
Posted Aug 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Describe a time you had to modify a template HMI to fit a project-specific PLC program. What went wrong and how did you catch it.
What they are checking: attention to detail and whether they have real experience adapting standardized tools to custom jobs
Tell me about a project where you had to coordinate with purchasing, suppliers, contractors, and end users at the same time, and something almost fell through the cracks.
What they are checking: cross-functional coordination skill in a role that touches many disciplines
Tell me about a time you had to mentor or train a less experienced engineer on controls design or PLC programming. What did you focus on.
What they are checking: ability to transfer knowledge, since this senior role includes mentoring duties
Describe a design review you led or participated in where you caught a significant error before it went to manufacturing.
What they are checking: rigor and whether design review is a real habit or an afterthought
Tell me about a new automation technology you researched and pushed to bring into a project. What happened with it.
What they are checking: initiative and curiosity about new tools, since the posting explicitly wants someone who tracks emerging technology
What would you do
Say a customer's spec conflicts with NEC or NFPA requirements on a project you're designing. What do you do.
What they are checking: judgment on code compliance versus customer pressure, and whether they escalate correctly
You're on a startup commissioning site and the generator control system isn't behaving as designed. Walk me through how you troubleshoot it on site.
What they are checking: real-world troubleshooting method under time and travel pressure, not just theoretical knowledge
How do you handle a situation where you're juggling multiple project deadlines that suddenly shift and conflict with each other.
What they are checking: time management and prioritization under the deadline-driven, frequently changing schedule this job describes
About the work
Walk me through how you would design a control scheme for switchgear that parallels multiple generators to one or more utility sources.
What they are checking: whether the candidate actually understands paralleling and synchronization logic at a systems level, not just PLC syntax
Tell me about a PLC program you wrote or modified for generator paralleling switchgear. What platform was it on and what made it tricky.
What they are checking: hands-on depth with real paralleling control code versus generic PLC experience
What's your experience with communication protocols like Modbus or Canbus in a switchgear or microgrid control setup, and where have you seen them cause integration problems.
What they are checking: depth beyond buzzwords on protocols that actually get used in this equipment
How would you approach designing grounding schemes and one-line diagrams for a low or medium voltage system where you're not sure the customer's existing documentation is accurate.
What they are checking: whether they know how to verify field conditions rather than trust paperwork blindly
What experience do you have with UL891, UL1558, or UL508A standards, and how have they shaped a design you worked on.
What they are checking: specific regulatory knowledge relevant to switchgear certification, since it's called out as a plus
Practice this interview out loud.
Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Generac from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.
Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Generac.