Control Systems Engineer-Factory

American Crystal Sugar Co•Hillsboro, ND

About The Position

The Control Systems Engineer identifies, recommends, and implements instrumentation and control changes to increase factory throughput and sugar recovery while reducing processing costs. The role optimizes existing factory automation and contributes to assessing, analyzing, recommending, developing, and installing future factory automation capital projects. The position designs instrumentation and control systems, including electrical designs for batch and continuous process controls, and specifications for process instrumentation, VFDs, and control valves. It develops control systems documentation such as P&IDs, loop wiring diagrams, specifications, manuals, PLC programs, and HMI configurations. The engineer works with OPC communication between factory and business systems and industrial device networks, and researches ways to improve automation and computer-control system utilization. The engineer collaborates with factory, process, and maintenance engineering personnel and the Electrical & Instrumentation Supervisor on capital improvements, system maintenance, process efficiency, equipment selection, installation, and debugging. The role provides technical expertise and support for PLC and process control systems, oversees control-system optimization, evaluates projects and equipment for life-cycle benefits and return on investment, and provides controls and instrumentation training to factory employees. The position assists with factory startups and projects involving contractors and factory personnel. It is responsible for working within budget and schedule, with timely completion of capital projects important to factory startup. The engineer is expected to promote the Company Values of Safety, Integrity, Quality, Teamwork, and Accountability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, control engineering, or computer science.
Knowledge of instrumentation and electronic controls, typically gained through the stated degree completion.
Strong project management skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to prioritize and organize work, manage one's schedule, and make necessary decisions or sacrifices to facilitate factory startup on time.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge and prior industrial experience with Delta V.
Knowledge and prior industrial experience with industrial networking and device networks.
Knowledge and prior industrial experience with AutoCAD and other computer drafting and design software.
Knowledge and prior industrial experience with computer programming, process modeling, and control systems programming.

Responsibilities

Lead and promote a positive work culture through the Company Values of Safety, Integrity, Quality, Teamwork, and Accountability.
Design instrumentation and control systems, including electrical designs for batch and continuous process controls and specifications for process instrumentation, VFDs, and control valves.
Develop control systems documentation, including P&IDs, loop wiring diagrams, specifications, manuals, PLC programs, and HMI configurations.
Work with OPC communication between factory and business systems and with industrial device networks.
Research and recommend ways to enhance the use of automation and computer-control systems.
Consult with the Factory Engineer and/or Process Engineer on capital process improvements and make recommendations and program changes.
Consult with the Maintenance Engineer and Electrical & Instrumentation Supervisor on control-system maintenance and with Process Engineers to achieve optimum processing efficiency.
Provide technical expertise in control-system maintenance and support PLC and process-control systems.
Oversee optimization of existing control systems and ensure they are tuned and operating at optimum levels.
Participate in needs assessment, analysis, recommendations, development, and installation of future factory automation capital projects.
Work with factory maintenance and other engineers to analyze needs, recommend equipment specifications and selection, install equipment, recommend process improvements, and debug processes.
Evaluate projects and equipment for life-cycle benefits and return on investment.
Provide general control systems and instrumentation training to factory employees so they can operate electrical, instrumentation, and control equipment.
Assist with factory startups and participate in projects involving multiple contractors and factory labor.
Work within budget and schedule and complete capital jobs on schedule to support factory startup.
Prioritize and organize work and make necessary decisions to facilitate on-time factory startups within reasonable control of events.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical insurance eligibility starting on day one
Health savings account
401(k) retirement savings plan with Company match and contribution
Paid dental insurance
Paid basic life insurance
Paid short- and long-term disability
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Flexible spending accounts
Paid time off
Paid sick leave
Paid parental leave
Paid volunteer opportunities
Paid holidays
Discretionary bonuses
Tuition reimbursement
Service awards
24/7 employee assistance program with access to eight confidential visits with a licensed counselor at no cost