Lead Automation Engineer - Wellsite Autonomous Operations
About The Position
The Lead Automation Engineer for Wellsite Autonomous Operations serves as the single enterprise authority for automation, controls, and related electrical standards supporting autonomous and semi‑autonomous wellsite operations. This role is accountable for ensuring automation architecture, control logic, and electrical design enable measurable value at scale, while remaining aligned with enterprise governance, process safety, cybersecurity, and operating model standards. The role has final decision authority for automation and control standards within delegated authority and escalates strategic, safety‑critical, or cross‑system changes as required. The position is a cornerstone of the Wellsite Automation Operations, converting field‑level automation innovation into repeatable, governed, enterprise advantage.
Requirements
- 10+ years of Automation, Controls, or Electrical Engineering experience in US onshore oil and gas operations.
- Demonstrated enterprise or multi‑asset influence.
- Recognized internally as a technical authority in automation and controls.
- Deep experience with PLC‑based control systems, RTUs, and wellsite automation architecture.
- Hands‑on experience supporting gas lift facilities, compression, ESPs, and pad-level automation.
- Strong understanding of restart sequencing, control system failure modes, and abnormal situation management.
- Working knowledge of NEC requirements, hazardous area classification, motor control centers, VFDs, and wellsite power distribution.
- Ability to evaluate electrical design impacts on automation reliability and safety.
- System‑level automation thinking from field devices through operator interface.
- Comfort exercising final technical authority within delegation of authority.
- Disciplined escalation of safety-critical, cyber-critical, or strategic issues.
- Trusted advisor with strong written and verbal communication skills.
Responsibilities
- Own the enterprise automation, controls, and electrical standards that underpin autonomous and semi-autonomous operations.
- Ensure automation strategies enable production uptime, restart reliability, and operational stability across all business units.
- Serve as the automation counterpart to Production Engineering, Facilities Engineering, and Operations leadership within the autonomy governance model.
- Partner with WAO leadership to define success criteria, KPIs, and OKRs for automation‑enabled autonomous operations.
- Establish clear, outcome‑based measures for automation reliability, restart success, and operational confidence.
- Lead or support root cause failure analyses (RCFAs) for material automation, controls, electrical, or restart‑related events.
- Ensure RCFA outcomes are translated into updated standards, control logic guardrails, and deployment criteria.
- Define, steward, and maintain automation and control standards, including: PLC / RTU control philosophies and operating modes Autonomous and supervised restart strategies for ESPs, compressors, and facilities Alarm management, permissives, interlocks, and fail-safe behavior
- Establish clear criteria for standard application, approved deviations, and required escalation for strategic or risk-based decisions.
- Ensure automation and electrical designs are consistent with process safety, equipment protection, NEC requirements, and cybersecurity standards.
- Deliver measurable uptime, reliability, and restart performance improvements through scaled deployment of standardized automation.
- Enable faster replication of successful automation strategies across business units.
- Reduce variability and rework by eliminating bespoke, non‑standard control logic.
- Capture positive and negative outcomes from automation and autonomy deployments.
- Convert lessons learned into updated standards, logic refinements, and deployment constraints.
- Ensure learning velocity outpaces deployment velocity to protect value and safety.
- Act as the trusted automation authority for Business Unit teams, Production Engineering Leads, Facilities Engineering, and Operations leadership.
- Influence outcomes without direct execution ownership.
- Provide clear, data‑based and technically rigorous recommendations to senior leadership.
Benefits
- access to health, vision, and dental insurance
- flexible working schedule
- paid time off policy
- discretionary annual bonus program
- long-term incentive program
- generous 401(k) matching program
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
