Controls Engineer

NAES•Hubbard, TX

16d•$126,250 - $160,700•Onsite

About The Position

The Controls Engineer provides technical leadership for the plant's control, instrumentation, and automation systems throughout commissioning and commercial operations. This role designs, configures, troubleshoots, maintains, and optimizes DCS, SCADA, EMS, PLC, and turbine control systems; manages control system projects and modifications; and supports major plant control platforms. Working closely with the IC&E Supervisor, Operations, Maintenance, OEMs, and contractors, the Controls Engineer develops automation solutions that improve system reliability, plant performance, and long-term asset integrity.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls, Computer Engineering, or a related field is required. Equivalent power generation, industrial automation, controls, or military experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
Extensive experience supporting control, instrumentation, and automation systems in power generation or heavy industrial facilities, including DCS, SCADA, EMS, PLC, and turbine control systems.
Proficiency with Honeywell, GE Mark VI, ABB, Allen-Bradley, or comparable DCS/PLC platforms, including configuration, programming, troubleshooting, and optimization.
Practical knowledge of gas turbines, reciprocating engines, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and balance-of-plant equipment; commissioning and startup experience preferred.
Proven success managing control system projects, software upgrades, system modifications, and automation initiatives using Management of Change (MOC) processes.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and optimize instrumentation, control systems, process automation, alarms, interlocks, sequencing, and historian interfaces.
Working knowledge of instrumentation and electrical systems, including transmitters, analyzers, control valves, protection systems, calibration, loop checks, and functional testing.
Experience using operational data systems and analytics tools (e.g., OSIsoft PI or similar) to monitor performance, analyze trends, and improve control system reliability.
Thorough understanding of safety, environmental, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements, including applicable NERC standards, with a commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. driver’s license and ensure it remains in good standing at all times.

Nice To Haves

commissioning and startup experience preferred

Responsibilities

Lead control system readiness, installation, configuration, and commissioning of DCS, SCADA, EMS, PLC, turbine control, communications, and automation systems to ensure safe startup and compliance with design requirements.
Direct calibration, loop checks, and functional testing of instrumentation, transmitters, analyzers, control valves, DCS/PLC logic, HMIs, alarms, interlocks, permissives, sequencing, and historian point mapping before startup.
Coordinate integration and testing of plant control systems with turbine controls, BESS, electrical systems, and balance-of-plant equipment.
Support FAT, SAT, system turnover, and startup while troubleshooting and resolving control system, instrumentation, and automation issues using Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
Ensure control system documentation, software backups, network architecture, alarm databases, control drawings, and CMMS/EAM data are complete for operational turnover.
Provide technical leadership for the design, configuration, troubleshooting, maintenance, and optimization of the plant's DCS, SCADA, EMS, PLC, turbine control, instrumentation, and automation systems to maximize reliability, availability, and operational performance.
Monitor control system performance, alarms, process data, and operational trends; facilitate Alarm Management reviews with Operations and other appropriate plant personnel; and implement automation solutions that improve plant performance and reliability.
Monitor control system performance, alarms, process data, and operational trends to implement automation solutions that improve plant performance and reliability.
Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations of control system failures, instrumentation issues, automation problems, and significant operating events, implementing effective corrective actions.
Provide technical support for Honeywell, GE Mark VI, ABB, Allen-Bradley, and other plant control platforms, coordinating with OEMs, contractors, and system integrators as needed.
Support planned outages, commissioning, and major maintenance by developing control system work scopes, testing procedures, and startup plans.
Develop and maintain control system standards, software backups, technical documentation, network architecture, control narratives, logic diagrams, and as-built drawings to ensure accurate plant configuration.
Partner with Operations, Maintenance, the IC&E Supervisor, and corporate engineering to optimize control strategies, improve system reliability, and support long-term asset performance.
Ensure control system activities comply with safety, environmental, cybersecurity, regulatory, and company requirements while promoting operational excellence and continuous improvement.
Perform other duties as assigned to support safe, reliable, and compliant plant operations.