Sean Quinlan

About Sean Quinlan

I am a Christian engineer and servant leader who believes engineering is a calling to serve others with integrity, excellence, and respect for people. My faith shapes how I lead teams, engage clients, and develop engineers prioritizing honesty, accountability, humility, and long-term relationships in everything I do.I currently work as a Project Engineer specializing in industrial automation and control systems, leading multi-discipline teams through the planning, design, execution, and commissioning of complex projects. I support clients across data centers, modular electrical rooms, food & beverage, and industrial manufacturing, serving as both a technical leader and a primary client-facing engineer.My role blends technical depth and people leadership. I coordinate controls, power, instrumentation, networking, and VDC disciplines while mentoring engineers and designers to ensure alignment, quality, and professional growth. I have hands-on experience with PLC/HMI systems, industrial networking, I/O architectures, IPC/BUS coupler panels, and high-volume control panel design, as well as FAT/EQT, commissioning, and plant startups.Before moving into controls engineering, I worked in manufacturing engineering and continuous improvement, where I developed a strong foundation in Lean principles, process optimization, robotics, and automation. This background enables me to design automation solutions that are not only technically sound, but practical, maintainable, and aligned with operational realities.I am especially passionate about developing people, mentoring young engineers, creating clear engineering standards, and building teams that reflect my faith through servant leadership, mutual respect, and continuous improvement. I believe strong engineering cultures are built by valuing people first and pursuing excellence together.Based in Sioux Center, Iowa, I am actively pursuing professional engineering licensure (E.I.T.) with a focus on controls and industrial automation, while continuing to grow as a technical and project leader.Outside of work, I enjoy strength training, hands-on home and tech projects, space launches, motorsports, cooking, learning about renewable energy systems, and spending time with my family and dog.

Experience

1. Project Engineer i

   Interstates

   Nov 2025 — Present · Sioux Center, IA, US

   Lead engineer responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing multiple concurrent industrial automation projects- Manage and mentor teams of controls, power, instrumentation, and network engineers to ensure technical alignment and project quality-Serve as the primary client-facing engineer, facilitating project reviews, gathering requirements, clarifying scope, and maintaining strong customer relationships-Coordinate across engineering disciplines (Controls, Power, Instrumentation, & VDC) to ensure integrated designs that meet project specifications, standards, and schedules-Oversee control system architecture development, including PLC/HMI design, industrial networking, IPC/BUS coupler panels, and I/O strategies-Provide technical review and approval of engineering deliverables, including schematics, panel layouts, network drawings, and field wiring packages-Monitor project budgets, schedules, and resource allocation; identify risk areas and implement corrective actions as needed-Support factory acceptance testing (FAT), equipment qualification testing (EQT), commissioning, and plant start-ups for data center and industrial clients-Drive engineering process improvements and standardization to increase team throughput and reduce design errors-Collaborate with procurement and supply chain teams to select components, mitigate lead-time risks, and ensure material readiness-Actively pursuing engineering licensure with a focus on Controls/Industrial Automation- Primarily focused on Modular electrical room design, data center control systems, and high-volume control panel design/manufacturing.

Education

• Dordt University

  Engineer's Degree, Mechanical Engineering

  2013 — 2017

Skills

• Solidworks
• Matlab
• Labview
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel
• Autocad
• Problem Solving
• Leadership
• Mathematics
• Communication
• Coaching
• Physics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Athletics
• Athletic Training
• College Football
• Customer Service
• Ptc Creo
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Public Speaking
• Research
• Project Management