Senior Controls Engineer

NAES•Spring, TX

16d

About The Position

The Senior Controls Engineer is a corporate-level technical leader in a centralized support organization, delivering billable controls engineering services across NAES power generation facilities. The role is a highly experienced, deployable engineering resource supporting multiple sites according to operational needs, project demand, and outage schedules. It provides technical leadership and oversight for complex control system projects, mentors other engineers, and independently performs challenging work in field environments to ensure consistent, high-quality outcomes across the fleet. The engineer executes hands-on control system work, including troubleshooting, logic analysis, system modifications, commissioning support, upgrades, and lifecycle maintenance. Responsibilities also include planning and delivering outage work, coordinating with plant teams and external parties, managing project scope, risks, schedules, labor hours, and budgets, and contributing to improved and standardized engineering practices. The position reports to the IT/OT Director and has no direct reports. The role requires ground and air travel, with travel of up to 50–70%. Work is performed from an established home office or headquarters and at industrial sites. Site work may involve protective clothing and equipment, industrial hazards, high noise, and new construction. Physical mobility across stairways, ladders, grating, and uneven terrain is essential, as is the ability to see, hear, read, and react to warning signs, lights, and alarms. Normal hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; extended hours may be required. Employees participate in a Fitness for Duty Program, including a post-offer physical examination and drug screening and post-employment random drug screening. Safety requirements and facility rules must be followed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or equivalent; relevant work experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
10 years of controls engineering experience.
Experience troubleshooting control systems, analyzing logic, modifying systems, and commissioning in live plant environments.
Experience with control system architecture, including HMIs, historians, field instrumentation integration, and industrial networking.
Strong hands-on experience with one or more major control system platforms, including Siemens TXP/T3000, GE Mark, Emerson Ovation, Rockwell, or ABB, including configuration, troubleshooting, and modification.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, including diagnosing and resolving complex control system issues under time and operational constraints.
Clear verbal and written communication skills, especially when conveying technical information to plant personnel, engineers, and stakeholders.
Practical understanding of project execution, including planning, risk identification, and change management in operational environments.
Ability to operate effectively in field environments without direct supervision and exercise sound technical judgment and decision-making.
Ability to review technical scopes of work and translate requirements into executable engineering tasks.
Ability to coordinate with vendors, review technical proposals, and support scope execution.
Ability to travel by ground and air, including travel of up to 50–70%.
Physical mobility to traverse stairways, ladders, grating, and uneven terrain, and ability to see, hear, read, and react to warning signs, lights, and alarms.
Ability to participate in the Fitness for Duty Program, including physical examination and drug screening.
Ability and willingness to follow NAES safety rules, procedures, warnings, and posted safety signs.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience leading control system upgrades, migrations, or major maintenance efforts.
Proven ability to independently execute and direct work in high-risk or high-consequence operational environments.
Experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to other engineers.
Strong experience coordinating multi-party efforts involving site personnel, vendors, and corporate teams.
ISA Certified Automation Professional certification.
ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity certificates.
SANS GICSP certification.

Responsibilities

Lead complex control system efforts, including major upgrades, migrations, and troubleshooting of critical system issues.
Provide technical direction across multiple concurrent efforts.
Mentor Controls Engineers in troubleshooting, design approaches, and project execution; serve as an escalation point for complex or high-risk technical issues.
Perform hands-on control system engineering, including troubleshooting, system modifications, commissioning support, and lifecycle maintenance across multiple facilities.
Independently provide controls support in field environments, applying sound technical judgment in operationally critical situations.
Develop and execute pre-activity and outage plans for upgrades and maintenance, including scope definition, risk identification, and commissioning activities.
Mobilize to multiple facilities for outages, projects, and emergent support events based on operational demand.
Coordinate with site personnel, corporate engineering, customers, third-party automation vendors, OEMs, and other external parties to execute work and troubleshoot issues.
Lead technical discussions and meetings, track action items, and drive timely resolution of control system issues.
Support vendor engagement, including scope development, proposal review, and work coordination, while performing core technical work directly.
Ensure control system work meets technical requirements and customer expectations, and maintain accountability for successful execution.
Identify and manage scope changes as site and project conditions evolve while maintaining alignment with contractual requirements.
Identify technical risks that may affect system performance or project delivery and escalate them appropriately.
Capture lessons learned and contribute to standardization and improvement of control system engineering practices.
Track and report project progress, labor hours, schedule adherence, and technical deliverables.
Support execution within established budgets and identify cost-optimization opportunities while maintaining system reliability and performance.
Work with IT/OT and corporate engineers to align on technical standards and project execution.