Tesco Controls Software Engineer interview questions & guide 2026

The interview process at Tesco Controls is designed to evaluate your fundamental engineering knowledge, your understanding of control systems, and your behavioral alignment with the company's collaborative culture. The questions outlined below are drawn from real interview experiences to help you understand the typical patterns and topics you will encounter.

Control Systems & Automation Logic

This category evaluates your understanding of how software interacts with physical hardware and automated processes. Interviewers want to see how you design safe, reliable, and efficient automation logic.

• How do you design the control logic to run and stop a pump safely in an automated process?
• Explain the concept of feedback loops and how you would use them to maintain a specific water level in a tank.

Preparing for an interview at Tesco Controls requires a balanced approach. You must demonstrate both your technical competence in software and control systems and your ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment.

Role-Related Knowledge – You must understand the fundamentals of industrial automation, PLC logic, SCADA systems, and basic electrical circuits. Interviewers will look for your familiarity with how software controls physical equipment like pumps, valves, and sensors. Showing that you understand the safety-critical nature of municipal infrastructure is key.

Problem-Solving Ability – You will be evaluated on how you approach complex, ambiguous engineering challenges. Whether you are writing control logic or troubleshooting a network issue, the panel wants to see a structured, logical thought process. Be prepared to explain the "why" behind your technical decisions.

Culture Fit & Collaboration – Tesco Controls is known for its warm, welcoming, and open atmosphere. They highly value teamwork, humility, and a willingness to learn. You should demonstrate that you are easy to work with, open to feedback, and excited about contributing to a supportive work environment.

The interview process at Tesco Controls is comprehensive and designed to give both you and the hiring team a clear picture of mutual fit. It typically begins with an initial phone screen with a recruiter to discuss your background, career goals, and basic alignment with the role. This is followed by a semi-technical conversation with the hiring manager to dive deeper into your experience with control systems and software engineering.

The final stage is an onsite panel interview at one of their main offices, such as the Sacramento, CA headquarters. This onsite visit is highly immersive and often includes a presentation on the diverse projects Tesco Controls handles, a tour of their office and physical manufacturing shop, a panel interview with 3 to 4 team members, and a written test covering basic electrical and control systems knowledge. The atmosphere is consistently described by past candidates as warm, welcoming, and highly supportive, with food and refreshments often provided.

The timeline above represents the typical progression from your first contact to a final decision. While some direct candidate pipelines move rapidly through this process in 2 to 3 weeks, campus recruitment cycles can take longer, sometimes stretching over a couple of months. You should use this timeline to pace your technical review and ensure you are fully prepared for the written test during the onsite stage.

To excel in the Tesco Controls interview, you must understand the specific technical and practical areas where you will be evaluated. The engineering team looks for candidates who can seamlessly bridge the gap between software development and physical control systems.

Automation Logic and Process Control

This is the core of the Software Engineer role. Interviewers want to ensure you can write clean, safe, and efficient logic to control physical machinery. They will evaluate your understanding of state machines, interlocks, and process variables.

Be ready to go over:

• Latching and Interlock Logic – How to prevent conflicting commands (e.g., trying to run a pump when a suction valve is closed).
• PID Loops and Tuning – The fundamentals of proportional-integral-derivative controllers for maintaining system stability.
• State Machine Design – How to structure control software so that the system transitions predictably between different phases of operation (e.g., startup, normal run, shutdown, emergency stop).
• Advanced concepts – SCADA scripting (such as Python or VBA), database integration (SQL) for historical data logging, and redundant controller configurations.

Example scenarios:

• "Walk us through the step-by-step logic required to start a high-horsepower pump, including pre-start checks, ramp-up, and fault monitoring."
• "How would you design an automated system to alternate between two redundant pumps to ensure equal wear and tear over time?"

Electrical and Networking Fundamentals

Because your software will run on physical controllers housed in electrical panels, you must understand basic electrical concepts and how industrial devices communicate with each other.

Be ready to go over:

• Basic DC/AC Circuits – Ohm's law, voltage drop, and understanding how relays, contactors, and sensors are wired.
• Industrial Protocols – The basics of Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and serial communications.
• Reading Schematics – Your ability to look at a basic electrical drawing and understand how control signals flow.
• Advanced concepts – Network topology design (ring vs. star networks), managed switches, firewall configurations for industrial control systems (ICS), and telemetry systems (radio/cellular links).

Example scenarios:

• "Given a basic electrical schematic, identify the fuse, the relay coil, and the digital input point going to the PLC."
• "How would you troubleshoot a communication timeout error between a main PLC and a remote telemetry unit?"

Systems Thinking and Troubleshooting

Control systems operate in the real world where hardware fails, sensors drift, and networks drop. Interviewers want to see how you troubleshoot issues under pressure and design resilient systems.

Be ready to go over:

• Fault Handling – How your software detects and responds to physical device failures without shutting down the entire plant unnecessarily.
• Root Cause Analysis – Your systematic approach to diagnosing an issue when a system is not behaving as expected.
• Safety-Critical Design – Ensuring that the system always defaults to a safe state during a power loss or processor failure.

Example scenarios:

• "An operator reports that a flow meter is reading zero, but water is clearly moving through the pipe. How do you isolate the problem using your software and physical tools?"
• "Describe a time when you had to debug a system onsite under tight time constraints. How did you structure your approach?"

As a Software Engineer at Tesco Controls, your day-to-day responsibilities will extend far beyond sitting at a desk writing code. You will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of industrial control software, from initial design to final field commissioning.

You will spend a significant portion of your time designing and programming PLC logic and SCADA systems based on complex engineering specifications. This involves creating intuitive human-machine interfaces (HMIs) that allow plant operators to monitor and control processes easily. You will work closely with the hardware engineering team to ensure that the software you write aligns perfectly with the physical control panels being built in the manufacturing shop.

Collaboration is a core part of this role. You will participate in internal testing phases, often referred to as Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), where you will run your software on physical hardware in the Tesco Controls shop to prove its functionality before it ships. Once the hardware is installed at the customer's site, you may also assist with field commissioning, troubleshooting network communications, and fine-tuning control loops in real-world environments.

To be competitive for the Software Engineer position at Tesco Controls, you must demonstrate a solid foundation in engineering principles and a strong interest in industrial automation.

Must-Have Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Strong knowledge of basic electrical engineering concepts (voltage, current, resistance, relays, and basic circuits).
• Familiarity with PLC programming languages (such as Ladder Logic, Structured Text, or Function Block Diagram) or SCADA software platforms.
• Solid understanding of networking basics, including IP addressing, subnets, and standard communication protocols.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative panel and team setting.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Prior experience or internships in the water, wastewater, or municipal utility industries.
• Hands-on experience with specific automation hardware (e.g., Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Schneider Electric, Siemens) or SCADA platforms (e.g., Ignition, Wonderware/InTouch, VTScada).
• Experience with relational databases (SQL) and scripting languages (Python, PowerShell, or VBA) for advanced SCADA reporting and automation.
• Familiarity with reading and interpreting electrical control schematics and P&IDs (Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams).

Q: How difficult is the technical written test during the onsite interview? A: The test is generally considered average in difficulty. It focuses on fundamental electrical engineering knowledge, such as Ohm's law, identifying components on a basic schematic, and simple logic gates or control concepts. If you have an engineering background or have reviewed basic circuit design, you should feel comfortable.

Q: What is the company culture like at Tesco Controls? A: The culture is highly collaborative, supportive, and community-oriented. Candidates frequently highlight the warm, welcoming environment during the onsite interview, the open-door policy of management, and the strong emphasis on teamwork. It is a place where people are genuinely eager to help you succeed.

Q: Do I need prior experience in the water/wastewater industry to apply? A: While prior experience in water/wastewater or industrial automation is a tremendous advantage, it is not an absolute requirement. Tesco Controls values strong engineering fundamentals, a willingness to learn, and a solid problem-solving mindset. They are highly willing to train the right candidate who demonstrates curiosity and strong basic skills.

Q: How much travel is required for this Software Engineer role? A: Travel requirements can vary depending on the specific team and project phase. Some roles may involve occasional travel to municipal sites for field commissioning, testing, and client meetings, while others are more focused on in-house development and factory testing. It is best to clarify this with the hiring manager during your initial interview.

To ensure you stand out during your interview process at Tesco Controls, keep these practical, insider tips in mind:

• Show an interest in the physical hardware: During your shop tour, show genuine curiosity about how the control panels are assembled and wired. Ask questions about the components, the assembly process, and how the software team collaborates with the shop technicians.

• Emphasize a safety-first mindset: Because Tesco Controls designs systems for critical infrastructure, safety and reliability are paramount. When answering technical or situational questions, always highlight how your design choices or troubleshooting steps prioritize operator safety and system uptime.

• Prepare for the panel dynamics: The onsite panel interview typically involves 3 to 4 people. Practice addressing the entire room when answering questions, making eye contact with everyone, and maintaining an engaging, conversational tone. Treat the panel like a collaborative project meeting rather than an interrogation.

• Be ready to discuss control systems networks: Having a background in industrial networking will help you tremendously. Be prepared to explain how devices talk to each other and how you would troubleshoot a broken communication link.

The Software Engineer role at Tesco Controls offers a unique and highly rewarding career path for engineers who want to see their code make a tangible difference in the physical world. By developing the automation systems that manage critical public utilities, you will play a key role in supporting communities and protecting the environment. The interview process is thorough but fair, offering a warm and welcoming look into the company's collaborative culture and state-of-the-art facilities.

To maximize your chances of success, focus your preparation on core control system logic, basic electrical circuits, and industrial networking protocols. Prepare to showcase your collaborative spirit and structured problem-solving skills during the panel interview. With focused preparation on these key technical and behavioral areas, you can walk into your interviews with confidence.

The compensation data above reflects the industry-standard ranges for control systems and software engineering roles in municipal automation. Your specific offer will depend on your experience level, technical test performance, and location. For additional interview preparation resources, practice questions, and peer insights, you can explore further details on Dataford. Good luck with your preparation!