Welcome!

Welcome! This is my personal site, feel free to poke around and see what’s here to share. I can’t promise that it’s any interesting to you, but it certainly is here and waiting for you to take a look (Just try not to break anything).

Curriculum Vitae

Principal Controls Engineer with experience across industrial automation, advanced manufacturing, and software development. Background spans discrete & batch manufacturing, robotics, safety systems, networking, and project management.

Skills

Automation, Instrumentation, & Controls

• Discrete & Batch Manufacturing, Welding, Web Handling, Material Handling
• PLC: IEC 61131-3, Rockwell, Beckhoff
• Motion: VFD, Stepper, Servo, Hydraulics, Pneumatics
• Robotics: Fanuc, Yaskawa, Epson
• HMI/SCADA: FactoryTalk, Ignition, ThinManager

Networking & Industrial Protocols

• EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, IO-Link
• IT/OT: Layer 2/3 networking, Purdue model, MQTT, REST, OPC-UA
• Cybersecurity: IT/OT convergence, secure equipment connectivity

Project Management

• Six Sigma Green Belt
• Scheduling: Jira, P6, MS Project
• Estimation & Budget Control
• Contracting & Vendor Coordination

Manufacturing Systems

• MES/ERP Integration
• ISA-88/PackML Standards
• OEE Monitoring & Data Acquisition
• Process Optimization & Root Cause Analysis

Software Development

• C/C++/C#, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript/web
• Git & Subversion version control
• Databases: PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB, InfluxDB

Safety & Hazard Mitigation

• Safety system design: Safety PLC, interlocks, guarding, Lockout/Tagout
• Risk Assessment & Hazard Analysis
• OSHA, NFPA 70/70E compliance

CAD / Design

• Schematics & Panel Design: AutoCAD Electrical
• Mechanical: OnShape, Fusion 360, Siemens NX
• PCB: KiCAD

Experience

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Greater Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Principal Controls Engineer

Dec 2025 – Present

Lead Controls Engineer

Feb 2023 – Dec 2025

Senior Controls Engineer

Jul 2022 – Feb 2023

Controls Engineer

Jan 2021 – Jun 2022

• Served as technical lead/SME, driving safety culture and providing technical guidance across the organization
• Led strategic planning for production controls engineering, aligning manufacturing objectives with industry standards (ISA-88/PackML)
• Developed control systems for novel HTS magnet manufacturing including laser welding, robotics, vacuum impregnation, cryogenics, and servo hydraulics
• Built comprehensive safety systems mitigating hazards including X-ray, cryogenics, and airborne lead
• Created custom PLC framework deployed across all factory systems, reducing development time and ensuring code consistency
• Implemented automated OEE monitoring, real-time performance reporting, and high-speed data acquisition with cloud replication for long-term retention and analysis
• Designed facility-wide network architecture (with IT/OT) enabling secure equipment connectivity while maintaining cybersecurity compliance
• Led controls engineering for special projects throughout the organization, including SPARC tokamak assembly, pre-assembly manufacturing, inspection, and custom equipment development
• Designed and documented electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and panel layouts using AutoCAD Electrical
• Developed and executed comprehensive testing and validation plans (FAT/SAT/etc.)
• Handled vendor selection, RFQ, procurement, delivery, and acceptance for electrical components and custom manufacturing equipment, negotiating quotes and managing lead times

USNR

Woodland, Washington, USA

Controls Engineer

Jun 2018 – Dec 2020

• Programmed and commissioned automation systems for high-volume sawmill equipment, including primary & secondary breakdown, residuals processing, and engineered wood products (EWP)
• Utilized Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs and Delta RMC motion controllers, communicating via Ethernet/IP across multi-layered networks
• Regularly worked on-site for installation and commissioning of new equipment, serving as the primary point of contact for customers
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams on R&D projects to improve and standardize product offerings

eBechtle, LLC.

Greater Atlanta Area, GA, USA · Sankt Leon-Rot, Baden-Württemberg, DE · Fort Worth, TX, USA

Project Engineer

Aug 2016 – Jun 2018

• Programmed and commissioned control systems for medical device manufacturing (contact lenses, IOLs) using TwinCAT 3, Zenon HMI, and Beckhoff hardware
• On-site installation, testing, and commissioning, often as sole company representative
• Provided technical training and ongoing customer support

Allison-Smith, LLC.

Greater Atlanta Area, Georgia, USA

Project Manager

May 2013 – Jul 2016

• Managed electrical projects and coordinated scheduling/resources for commercial datacenter projects ranging from $500K to $10M+
• Developed PLC software (Schneider Unity Pro/IEC 61131-3) for complex electrical switchgear control systems

Hewlett Packard

Houston, Texas, USA

Co-op Intern, iLO Embedded Server Management Group

May 2011 – May 2012

• Developed Windows applications (.NET/C#) to improve tech support efficiency and quality

Education

The University of Alabama

Bachelors – 2009–2014

• Major: Electrical Engineering (Computer Engineering Focus) & Mathematics
• Minor: Computer-based Honors (Randall Research Scholars)
• Activities: University Honors, Circle K International, Million Dollar Band

Hobbies & Interests

Music & music electronics, 3D printing, CNC machining, software development, data structures & algorithms, amateur radio (K5MME), improv comedy, photography

Publications

Design, Fabrication, and Assembly of the SPARC Toroidal Field Model Coil

• IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, vol. 34, no. 2, March 2024
• Authors: R. F. Vieira et al.
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2024.3356571

Building the Runway: A New Superconducting Magnet Test Facility Made for the SPARC Toroidal Field Model Coil

• IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, vol. 34, no. 2, March 2024
• Authors: T. Golfinopoulos et al.
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2024.3352395

The SPARC Toroidal Field Model Coil Program

• IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, vol. 34, no. 2, March 2024
• Authors: Z. S. Hartwig et al.
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2023.3332613

Development of a High Current Density, High Temperature Superconducting Cable for Pulsed Magnets

• Superconductor Science and Technology, vol. 37, no. 11, October 2024
• Authors: Charlie Sanabria et al.
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6668/ad7efc

RF Hand Gesture Sensor for Monitoring of Cigarette Smoking

• 2011 Fifth International Conference on Sensing Technology, Palmerston North, New Zealand
• Authors: E. Sazonov, K. Metcalfe, P. Lopez-Meyer, S. Tiffany
• DOI: 10.1109/ICSensT.2011.6137014