Automation Engineer - East Coast

Shell · Sewaren Terminal, NJ

Level: Engineer
Team: Controls
Base pay: $124k–$186k
Travel: 40%
Degree: Required
Experience asked: 10+ years
Industry: Chemicals
Posted: Today

The role in 30 seconds

An engineer-level controls role at Shell (chemicals) in Sewaren Terminal, NJ. Controls, & Electrical (ACE) organization, the role supports safe, reliable, and efficient operation of assets by providing local, on-site troubleshooting, engineering support, technical assurance, threat mitigation, and project support.

They ask for: 10+ years · degree required
Tools it names: Root cause, PLC, Automation
Base pay: $124k–$186k
Day to day: about 40% travel · relocation help

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Controls Engineer roles in New Jersey: typical posted base $110k–$162k. This one lists $124k–$186k.

Median of the low and high ends of 4 live postings that list pay, out of 7 controls engineer openings in New Jersey, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

New Jersey plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 923 other live controls postings in the US.

Base pay: About 31% above similar roles
Experience asked: More than usual (10+ vs 5+)

Skills these teams ask for most

✓ Automation 72%
✓ PLC 68%
Robotics 41%
Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 26%
✓ Root cause 24%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 10+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Relocation help

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 Shell
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?
- The posting says about 40% travel. Between which sites?
- 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.

Full description from ShellAs posted on their careers site.Show

What’s the role

Shell is seeking an Automation Engineer to join its team at the Sewaren Terminal in New Jersey.

The Automation Engineer provides technical expertise in Process Automation, Control & Optimization (PACO), instrumentation, control systems, automation, and low-voltage and high-voltage electrical systems across the Americas Distribution & Midstream business.

As a member of the Americas Automation, Controls, & Electrical (ACE) organization, the role supports safe, reliable, and efficient operation of assets by providing local, on-site troubleshooting, engineering support, technical assurance, threat mitigation, and project support. The Automation Engineer serves as a key technical resource for all Instrumentation, Control, & Electrical (IC&E) related activities, with a specialization in process control systems and automation technologies while contributing to reliability improvements, causal investigations, assurance activities, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This role will be based in Sewaren, NJ and will have a focus on East Coast US assets. However, the role could be called upon to support opportunity, threat, or causal work anywhere in the Americas (US and Canada) region based on business priorities. This role is required to be on-site primarily at Sewaren Terminal in New Jersey at least 4 days a week; must be able to travel to other assets within the region at least 40%. Relocation assistance will be provided to successful candidates who are not currently based in the area.

requirements

and develop practical automation and control solutions to support operational and business objectives

✓Support optimization of control strategies and automation performance
✓Provide electrical support, including arc flash studies and maintenance of critical documentation (e.g. area classification and one-line diagrams)
✓Act as a technical resource for troubleshooting automation, instrumentation, controls, and electrical issues
✓Support diagnosis and resolution of:
✓Rack control system issues
✓Pump tuning and optimization
✓VFD performance issues
✓PLC and control logic issues
✓Instrumentation and communications failures
✓Electrical distribution and motor control issues
✓Provide technical support during operational upsets and significant equipment failures
✓Provide automation, controls, instrumentation, and electrical engineering support for capital and expense projects
✓Participate in design reviews, technical evaluations, commissioning, startup, FAT, and SAT activities
✓Support implementation of automation improvements and business opportunity projects
✓Provide electrical engineering support for project work
✓Participate in assurance reviews, risk assessments, and technical evaluations.
✓Support causal investigations, incident reviews, and root cause analysis activities
✓Lead or support mitigation of high-risk technical threats involving automation, controls, instrumentation, and electrical systems
✓Provide technical expertise to support risk management and continuous improvement initiatives
✓Work collaboratively with Operations, Maintenance, Asset Engineering, AITS, and Project Delivery teams
✓Provide technical guidance and coaching to technicians and operations personnel
✓Support implementation of ACE standards, preferred practices, and lessons learned
✓Contribute to regional initiatives involving automation, remote operations, controls modernization, and digitalization

Show full description ↓

New Jersey, United States of America

Job Family Group

Discipline Engineering

Worker Type

Regular

Posting Start Date

November 6, 2026

Business Unit

Trading and Supply

Accountabilities

•Safe, reliable, and compliant operation of automation, control, and instrumentation systems
•Effective troubleshooting and resolution of PACO and electrical system issues
•Delivery of technical support for threat mitigation, operational improvement, and business opportunity projects
•Consistent application of ACE standards, engineering practices, and process control principles
•Support for automation, digitalization, and reliability improvement initiatives across the Americas region
•Provide discipline support and subject matter expertise within the PACO and Electrical disciplines
•Support process control systems, PLCs, RTUs, SCADA, tank gauging, communications, instrumentation, and automation architectures
•Identify process

What you bring

•Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
•Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related discipline
•At least 10 years of experience in automation, controls, instrumentation, electrical engineering, or facility engineering roles
•Strong practical experience with any of the following:
•PLC systems (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix preferred)
•SCADA and RTU systems
•Industrial communication networks
•Instrumentation and control systems
•VFDs, motor controls, MCCs, and electrical distribution systems
•Tank gauging and measurement systems
•Experience troubleshooting automation and control systems in operational environments
•Working knowledge of applicable industry standards, process safety principles, and risk management practices
•Strong communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement skills

What we offer

For regular full-time or regular part-time employees of the Company (participating companies as listed in the Summary Plan Description), insurance coverage options include medical, dental, vision coverage, life Insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs. Employees also participate in