Senior Control Systems Engineer (Instrumentation & Controls)

HDR • Walnut Creek, CA

3d

About The Position

HDR is seeking a Senior Control Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership and project delivery for its Northern California Control Systems and Cybersecurity team. The team works across industrial automation, operational technology (OT), SCADA, instrumentation and controls (I&C), industrial networking, building automation systems, and OT cybersecurity. Projects serve clients such as hyperscale data centers, municipal water and wastewater utilities, renewable energy and battery storage facilities, agribusiness and food processing operations, industrial manufacturers, and other critical infrastructure throughout Northern California and the western United States.

The successful candidate will independently lead projects from initial client engagement and proposal development through detailed design, implementation support, commissioning, and closeout. The role coordinates multidisciplinary teams, provides technical direction, and mentors junior staff. It also offers a pathway to expanded technical leadership, project management, supervisory responsibilities, and participation in growing HDR’s Northern California Control Systems practice.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• At least 10 years of applicable experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
• Commitment to actively participating in HDR’s employee-owned culture.
• Ability and willingness to travel to client sites throughout Northern California and the western United States as required.
• This position is subject to a preemployment drug test.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Experience with an engineering consulting firm, systems integrator, industrial automation provider, technology vendor, or owner/operator organization.
• Experience serving as a project technical lead, discipline lead, project manager, supervisor, or mentor.
• Experience supporting projects from proposal development and planning through design, implementation, commissioning, and client acceptance.
• Experience with data centers, water and wastewater utilities, agribusiness, renewable energy, battery energy storage, industrial manufacturing, or other critical infrastructure clients.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering projects and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients, contractors, vendors, and project teams.
• Experience with SCADA, PLC, HMI, DCS, instrumentation, process control, and industrial automation systems.
• Experience developing construction documents such as P&IDs, network architecture diagrams, instrumentation schedules, control narratives, loop drawings, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and technical specifications.
• Experience in control panel design, instrumentation specification, calibration, testing, startup, and commissioning.
• Experience with PLC programming, HMI development, systems integration, troubleshooting, and operational support.
• Experience with automation platforms such as Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Emerson, GE, AVEVA/Wonderware, Ignition, FactoryTalk, iFIX, VTScada, DeltaV, Ovation, or similar technologies.
• Experience with building automation systems, building management systems, or critical facility infrastructure controls.
• Experience with industrial Ethernet networking, network architecture development, managed switches, industrial firewalls, remote communications, and network segmentation.
• Experience with OT cybersecurity assessments, vulnerability assessments, asset inventories, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Experience applying standards and frameworks such as ISA/IEC 62443, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST 800-82, DoD RMF, NERC CIP, or similar guidance.
• Experience in critical infrastructure sectors such as water, wastewater, power generation, renewable energy, data centers, manufacturing, chemical processing, transportation, or federal facilities.
• Professional certifications such as GICSP, CISSP, CISM, CCNA, CCNP, PMP, ISA CAP, or equivalent industry certifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of SCADA, industrial control, instrumentation, networking, automation, and OT solutions for municipal, industrial, commercial, and mission-critical facilities.
• Serve as technical lead, discipline lead, or Engineer of Record for studies, master plans, assessments, basis-of-design documents, technical reports, and construction document packages.
• Oversee development of P&IDs, network architectures, control narratives, instrumentation schedules, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, loop drawings, and technical specifications.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams through planning, design, implementation, startup, testing, commissioning, and operational readiness.
• Provide technical leadership for industrial networking, OT modernization, cybersecurity assessments, network segmentation, system architecture, and critical infrastructure resiliency initiatives.
• Support business development through client engagement, proposals, interviews, project scoping, technical presentations, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Mentor and develop Control Systems Engineers, EITs, Designers, and future technical leaders within the Northern California Controls practice.
• Participate in industry organizations and technical leadership initiatives, and contribute to innovative technology solutions involving advanced automation, analytics, artificial intelligence, industrial networking, and OT systems.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior