Sr. Automation Engineer

NPA WorldWide is expanding its control system integration team and is seeking a Sr. Automation Engineer to support critical process and safety control systems across multiple industries. In this onsite role in Tomball, TX, you will translate customer specifications into PLC/DCS control strategies and HMI configuration, and help deliver projects from testing through commissioning and customer training.

Core responsibilities

• Interpret customer specifications, drawings, and documentation requirements, including applicable industrial standards such as NFPA, CSA, UL508, IEC, and NEMA; translate requirements into component bills of material, electrical and control system drawings, and control system strategies for panel integration.
• Support business development by reviewing customer RFQ specifications and providing input to the proposal team, including detailed project estimating.
• Review scope documentation to understand required control system functionality for PLC and DCS architecture design and program development.
• Develop logic and control strategies for critical process and safety control systems using PLC and DCS.
• Create HMI screens and configure Operator Workstations (OWS) and Engineering Workstations (EWS), including Historian Workstations setup and Report Development.
• Conduct and participate in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) for company-supplied control systems.
• Develop simulation logic to support functional and dynamic testing of PLC and HMI systems, validating integrated control system behavior against customer specifications.
• Train customers on the use and operation of supplied control system deliverables.
• Provide direction and interface engineering with internal teams and outside panel shops, electrical installation contractors, and third-party vendors as needed.
• Perform on-site start up and commissioning of company-supplied control systems at customer sites, requiring travel.
• Perform tuning and optimization of supplied control systems.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering with 10 years minimum of related control system experience.
• Strong knowledge of ISA, TUV, IEC, ATEX, API, and NFPA guidelines applicable to safety system designs in industrial energy markets.
• TUV and ISA 84 Certifications for SIS applications involving SIL Levels 1, 2, and 3, with strong familiarity with IEC-61508, IEC 61511, and IEC 61131.
• Proven experience participating in or conducting a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF), and performing PFD & PFH calculations to determine SIL-rated systems, including LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis) as highly beneficial.
• Proven experience programming and integrating Rockwell Automation Allen Bradley Logix PLCs.
• Proven experience programming and integrating Rockwell Automation AADvance and Trusted Safety System platforms.
• Proven experience programming and integrating Emerson Delta V (M & S Series) Process & Safety Platform (highly beneficial).
• Experience programming and integrating Invensys Triconex Tricon & Trident SIS systems.
• Proven experience programming and configuring Rockwell Automation Factory Talk SE & ME and PlantPAX (highly beneficial).
• Proven experience programming and configuring Wonderware System Platform (Archestra) and Intouch (Certification with System Platform-Archestra highly beneficial).
• Proven experience programming and configuration of Emerson Delta V (highly beneficial).
• Proven experience programming and configuration of Ignition HMI systems (highly beneficial).
• Experience executing control system retrofit projects is highly beneficial.
• Experience with client/server architectures including virtualization with VMWare is highly beneficial.
• Knowledge and proven experience with OSI PI and other historian packages.
• Experience with engineering design tools such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Visio.
• Proficient with Microsoft software applications (MS Word, MS Excel, Power-Point, Visio).
• Knowledge and proven experience with HMI and control system communication networks, including Ethernet switches, media converters, communication protocols, and media used in redundant and simplex architectures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously while cultivating a team environment with fellow automation engineers and designers.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills.
• Effective at communicating with management, customers, and vendors.
• Motivated, self-starter who will take ownership of tasks.

Benefits

• Growing company with strong compensation and continued career growth opportunities.

Location: Tomball, TX (onsite)

Experience: 10 years minimum

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering