Automation and Controls Engineer I
NES Fircroft · Spring, TX
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 19 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at NES Fircroft (industrial) in Spring, TX. Support alarm rationalization, prioritization, testing, documentation, and nuisance-alarm reduction.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- PLC, Automation, SAP
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 76 other live controls postings in Texas.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (7+ vs 4+)
Typical $90k–$132k, from 9 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ PLC 84%
- ✓ Automation 77%
- Robotics 38%
- EHS / safety 27%
- Root cause 22%
- Python 22%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SAP, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at NES Fircroft
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: NES Fircroft in Spring
1 other open role at this site.
- Process Engineer · Process
Full description from NES FircroftAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Working knowledge with AVEVA System Platform and WW InTouch applications, communications, historian interfaces, and operator graphics. - Monitor control-system and OT network health and recommend reliability improvements. - Support alarm rationalization, prioritization, testing, documentation, and nuisance-alarm reduction. - Troubleshoot control systems and field instrumentation, including level, pressure, flow, vibration, and fire and gas devices. - Follow programming, cybersecurity, Process Control, and Management of Change (MOC) requirements. - Plan and document maintenance activities in SAP or other CMMS tools. - Work with operations, engineering, IT/OT, vendors, and field teams to safely resolve issues and complete projects. REQUIRED
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND COMPETENCIES: - 2-year degree in Instrumentation, Automation, Electronics, or a related discipline with a GPA of 2.5 or higher (or foreign equivalent), or equivalent technical experience with a strong safety record. - 7+ years of automation, controls, instrumentation, or related industrial experience, including 5+ years in oil and gas. - Advanced PLC programming and troubleshooting using ladder logic, function block, and structured text. - Advanced knowledge of HMI systems, industrial communications, and process instrumentation. - Working knowledge of OT networks, including Ethernet/IP, TCP/IP, VLANs, managed switches, fiber optics, serial communications, and troubleshooting tools. - Working knowledge of Windows-based OT systems and virtualization, including hosts, networking, storage, backups, and high availability. - Ability to troubleshoot issues across PLC, HMI, server, network, communications, and field-device layers. - Knowledge of alarm management and applicable API, NEC, NFPA, IEEE, and ISA standards. - Ability to read P&IDs, Cause and Effects, control narratives, network drawings, wiring diagrams, and loop drawings. - Strong communication, documentation, teamwork, and independent work skills. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office and maintenance management systems. - Ability to work extended shifts and on-call rotations and travel offshore by helicopter or marine vessel. - Ability to meet offshore medical, safety-training, fit-testing, and physical requirements, including work at heights and from aerial lifts.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: - Bachelor's degree in Automation, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (or foreign equivalent). - 9+ years of oil and gas experience, including 5+ years supporting upstream or offshore automation systems. - Hands-on support of offshore PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, control panels, OT networks, and servers. - Allen-Bradley ControlLogix or CompactLogix and Rockwell Ethernet/IP and DLR networks. - AVEVA System Platform architecture, deployment, communications, historian integration, and troubleshooting. - VMware or Hyper-V virtualization and Windows administration in OT environments. - Managed switches, VLANs, fiber links, redundant networks, firewalls, and remote access solutions. - OT cybersecurity practices, including segmentation, access control, patching, backups, hardening, and recovery. - Alarm management experience, including ISA-18.2 principles. - Experience with Rosemount or similar process instrumentation. - Ability to red-line control, instrumentation, and network drawings. - Strong teamwork, communication, and knowledge-sharing skills.
With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.
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Description:POSITION SUMMARY: Experienced Automation and Controls Engineer supporting industrial control systems and OT networks. Provides troubleshooting, and lifecycle support for PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, networks, virtualized servers, and Windows systems. Uses engineering documents to validate control logic, loops, devices, and alarms. Works closely with operations, engineering, IT/OT, vendors, and field personnel to resolve complex issues. PRIMARY PURPOSE: Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot automation, control, and OT network systems supporting offshore oil and gas operations. ROLES AND
