Instrumentation & Controls Engineer

Job Title:            Instrumentation and Controls Engineer I

Location:            Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Reports to:         Rick Basdeo

Contract:            Full Time, Permanent

Date:                   ASAP

Overview

The Company is a fully integrated, sustainable energy services provider with operations in 10 cities across the United States and growing. In each community, the company operates highly efficient thermal energy plants that distribute steam, hot water and / or chilled water to customer buildings. Customers connected to these systems enjoy multiple benefits including reduced operating costs, lower emissions and unmatched reliability. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of an Infrastructure Investment Consortium which manages a portfolio of long-life, high quality infrastructure assets with high barriers to entry that generate stable and growing cash flows.

Job Summary

The Instrumentation Controls Engineer will be a critical member of the Company’s Engineering & Operations team, reporting directly to the Platform Director of Instrumentation and Controls.

The successful candidate will also be expected to be responsible for assisting in the repair, maintenance, and retrofit of all instrumentation and controls which includes designing and maintaining of systems for district energy plants producing hot water, chilled water and steam and its energy transfer stations.   Will be responsible for process control instrumentation maintenance and programming of the distributed control system and its peripherals. Will work extensively with JCI-Metasys, Allen-Bradley PLCs and other types of logic controllers.  Must be able to program, troubleshoot and maintain all instruments and logic controllers which utilizes programming languages: plain English structured text, sequential function chart, function block diagram and ladder logic.

The successful candidate will be a self-starter that enjoys working in a fast-paced environment, strong commitment to deadlines and team, is process oriented with a high sense of ownership in their work, possesses a high degree of intellectual curiosity, and has a superior controls and instrumentation foundation. 

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide instrumentation and control systems support to plant operations and maintenance teams.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve issues related to instrumentation, control systems, PLC/DCS logic, communications networks, and process equipment.
• Develop, modify, test, and document PLC and DCS control logic changes under established change management procedures.
• Assist in the design, implementation, commissioning, and optimization of process control strategies and control loops.
• Analyze process performance and support control loop tuning and PID optimization activities.
• Specify, select, and review instrumentation, control devices, and related equipment for process measurement and control applications.
• Review and interpret instrumentation, electrical, and control system documentation, including P&IDs, loop diagrams, wiring schematics, control narratives, and panel layouts.
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams, consultants, contractors, and vendors in the design and implementation of instrumentation and control projects.
• Support the integration of instrumentation, control systems, electrical systems, historians, SCADA, PLC, and DCS platforms.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, standards, operating procedures, and maintenance procedures.
• Perform inspection, calibration, testing, adjustment, and troubleshooting of electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electromechanical instrumentation.
• Verify the accuracy and reliability of measurement devices, including flow, pressure, temperature, level, analytical instruments, and control valves.
• Utilize test equipment such as multimeters, signal generators, process calibrators, power analyzers, and communication diagnostic tools to identify and resolve system issues.
• Support fiber optic and industrial communications networks used for process control and monitoring systems.
• Assist in planning and coordinating preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities for instrumentation and control assets.
• Work closely with operations and maintenance personnel to troubleshoot process upsets and improve system reliability and performance.
• Maintain current knowledge of instrumentation technologies, industrial control systems, and applicable industry standards.
• Generate reports and process performance metrics using plant historians and other data collection systems to support operational decision-making.
• Participate in system startups, shutdowns, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to operators and maintenance personnel on instrumentation and control system functionality.
• Ensure all work is performed in compliance with company safety policies, management of change (MOC) procedures, cybersecurity requirements, and applicable industry standards.

Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)

The Business has a consistent and dedicated focus on a proactive safety culture.  HSE is the responsibility of everyone in the organization. 

Your accountability for HSE also includes:

• Promote, ensure, and maintain a safe and healthy environment for your fellow workers and yourself so that everyone goes home injury-free,
• Work in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Industrial Regulations, Environmental Protection Act and Regulations and HSE policies, programs, and procedures,
• Responsible for identifying and reporting workplace HSE hazards and concerns to your supervisor immediately and providing solutions (if aware of any) to address these concerns as requested, and
• Immediate reporting of all work-related injuries/illness to your supervisor

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited institution.
• Working knowledge of industrial control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, and Distributed Control Systems (DCS).
• Familiarity with PLC and DCS programming, logic development, troubleshooting, testing, and implementation of control system modifications.
• Understanding of process control fundamentals, including PID control strategies, control loop tuning, and process optimization techniques.
• Knowledge of instrumentation technologies including flow, pressure, temperature, level, analytical measurement devices, control valves, and variable frequency drives (VFDs).
• Experience with industrial communication networks and protocols such as EtherNet/IP (CIP), Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP/IP, OPC UA, and serial communications.
• Ability to troubleshoot instrumentation, electrical systems, control systems, and industrial communications networks.
• Proficient in reading and interpreting P&IDs, Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, and equipment specifications.
• Proficient in reading and interpreting loop diagrams, electrical schematics, panel drawings, network architecture drawings, and one-line diagrams.
• Familiarity with industrial cybersecurity principles and change management practices associated with control systems.
• Ability to support instrumentation and control projects through design, construction, commissioning, startup, and ongoing operation.
• Understanding of preventative, predictive, and corrective maintenance practices for instrumentation and control systems.
• Experience using process historians, trending tools, and data analysis software to support troubleshooting and operational improvements.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work collaboratively with operations, maintenance, engineering, contractors, and plant leadership personnel.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills with attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create technical reports, procedures, and documentation.
• Self-motivated and proactive with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated commitment to safety, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and teamwork.
• Ability to respond to operational issues, emergencies, system outages, and startup activities outside normal business hours when required.
• Ability to work in industrial environments, including climbing ladders, working at heights, entering confined spaces, working in noisy or dusty areas, and performing work in outdoor environments subject to varying weather conditions.
• Must be available to support plant operations during weekends, holidays, severe weather events, and emergency response situations as business needs require.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry experience supporting industrial automation, process control, or instrumentation systems.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley, Emerson DeltaV or Metasys.
• Knowledge of fiber optic communications, ethernet networking, and industrial network infrastructure.
• Experience supporting process historian platforms, reporting tools, and operational data analytics.
• Familiarity with commissioning, startup support, and field troubleshooting of process control systems.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, complex, fast-paced environment, to adapt quickly and to manage changing priorities.