Instrument Technician Apprentice, Ponca City Refinery

Phillips 66 • Ponca City, OK

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Instrument Technician Apprentice at the Ponca City Refinery maintains the refinery’s control, monitoring, and safety instrumentation systems. The role requires responsibility, initiative, technical competence, and proactive attention to safety for oneself and coworkers. The position supports instrumentation used to operate a complex refinery.

The normal schedule is days, Monday through Friday, with some nights, weekends, call-outs, and overtime required to support the refinery’s 24-hour operation. Occasional travel may be required, estimated at one to two weeks per year. The tentative start date is January 2027. Relocation assistance is not available. The position has a starting hourly contract rate of $42.13; future pay increases are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The refinery is in Ponca City, Oklahoma, approximately 95 miles northwest of Tulsa. It processes light, medium, and heavy crude oil and produces transportation fuels and anode-grade petroleum coke. Phillips 66 describes its culture as grounded in safety, honor, and commitment, and emphasizes trust, different perspectives, collective good, and excellence.

Requirements

• Be legally authorized to work in the job-posting country.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Have a valid driver's license.
• Be willing and able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to climb up to 250 feet; lift up to 50 pounds; work overtime, including nights, weekends, and call-outs; work outside in harsh weather; work in enclosed spaces such as tanks and silos; work near large, hot, high-speed machines; work around chemicals, including acids and bases; work with petroleum products under high pressure and heat; wear fire-retardant clothing and personal protective equipment, including fall protection; maintain facial hair/be clean-shaven as needed for a respirator or face mask seal; and read technical procedures and materials in English.
• Complete the required online assessment within seven days of applying or before the posting expiration date, whichever comes first.
• Complete the application, including prescreening questions and eSignature, by the requisition closing date of 11/06/2026.
• Candidates for regular U.S. positions must meet the stated U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status criteria; temporary visa holders and candidates requiring current or future work-authorization sponsorship are not eligible.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s degree or higher in Instrumentation or Electronics.
• Hold or be willing to obtain an FCC license.
• Two or more years of direct instrument maintenance experience in a refinery, chemical plant, power plant, or other relevant industry.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office and SAP applications.
• Experience configuring and maintaining Honeywell TDC3000 or other Distributive Control Systems.
• Experience with Allen Bradley Programmable Logic Controllers and Rockwell software packages.
• Ability to read, understand, and work from Piping & Instrument Diagrams, Loop Diagrams, Wiring Diagrams, and Ladder or Logic Diagrams.

Responsibilities

• Repair, troubleshoot, and maintain refinery electronic and pneumatic instrumentation, including controllers, control valves, transmitters, analyzers, and vibration equipment.
• Maintain and configure Distributive Control Systems and maintain and program Programmable Logic Controllers.
• Perform preventative and predictive maintenance for instrument equipment.
• Inspect, test, and document safety systems to meet OSHA regulations.
• Assist with pre-startup safety reviews and new-project technical reviews.
• Communicate effectively with all organizational levels and present information and ideas in an articulate, organized manner.
• Work effectively in a team environment.
• Support refinery operations through occasional nights, weekends, call-outs, and overtime, as well as occasional travel estimated at one to two weeks per year.

Benefits

• Annual Variable Cash Incentive Program (VCIP) bonus.
• 8% 401(k) company match.
• Cash Balance Account pension.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits, with an annual company contribution to a Health Savings Account for employees enrolled in an HDHP.
• Total well-being programs and incentives, including an Employee Assistance Plan, well-being reimbursement, and backup family care services.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED