DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities

ADNOC Abu Dhabi UAE; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 112,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

ADNOC Group is seeking a DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities in Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE. You will monitor and control refinery and utility processes from the central control room, ensuring stable operation, safety, and product quality across multiple units.

Strong experience with DCS, PLCs, and startup/shutdown procedures is essential. The role requires coordinating with field teams, laboratory staff, and maintenance, with emphasis on alarm handling, process trend analysis, and emergency

Qualifications

• Technical secondary education with a relevant technical diploma.
• Minimum 6 years of operational experience in oil and gas, refinery, petrochemical, or similar continuous-process facilities.
• Practical experience operating Distributed Control Systems in a central control room.

Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor DCS control panels for refinery, utility, power generation and related units.
• Maintain operating parameters (pressure, temperature, flow, level) within approved limits.
• Perform structured shift handovers with unit status, alarms, and actions.
• Monitor performance of gas/steam turbines, boilers, desalination systems and other plant equipment.
• Identify abnormal trends and diagnose issues using DCS displays and alarms.
• Make control adjustments to stabilize conditions and maintain safety and reliability.
• Coordinate with lab and adjust operating conditions to meet product quality specs.
• Communicate instructions to field personnel and verify actions.
• Manage startups/shutdowns per procedures and sequencing.
• Respond to emergencies and equipment trips per SOPs.
• Maintain logs of plant performance and events.
• Support field inspections and coordinate with operators on equipment status.

Skills

Distributed Control System

DCS operations

PLC systems

Control room operations

Refinery operations

Utility plant operations

Process monitoring

Alarm management

Process troubleshooting

Gas turbine operations

Steam turbine operations

Boiler operations

HP boiler systems

MP boiler systems

Desalination operations

Process parameter control

Plant startup procedures

Plant shutdown procedures

Emergency operations

Product quality control

Laboratory coordination

Operating log management

Shift handover

Process safety

Equipment monitoring

Field operator coordination

Power generation operations

Process trend analysis

Abnormal condition response

Continuous plant operations

Education

Technical Secondary education

Technical diploma

Job description

DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities Job Snapshot
Role: DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities
Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Oil and Energy
Function: Production-Operations
Experience: Minimum 6 years
Job Type: Full-time

DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates is an Oil and Energy operations opportunity focused on controlling and monitoring refinery, power, and utility plant processes through Distributed Control Systems. The role is responsible for maintaining stable operating conditions, responding to process deviations, coordinating product quality adjustments, and supporting safe startups, shutdowns, and emergency operations across critical industrial units.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates


• City: Abu Dhabi Emirate


• Industry: Oil and Energy


• Function: Production-Operations


• Salary: 10000-16000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.


• Gender: Any


• Candidate Nationality: Any


• Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The DCS Panel Operator - Refinery and Utilities serves as a central control point for continuous plant operations. By monitoring process variables, equipment conditions, alarms, and operating trends from the control room, the operator helps maintain production targets while protecting equipment integrity, product specifications, and plant safety. The position requires close coordination with field operators, laboratory personnel, maintenance teams, and shift supervision. Rapid interpretation of process information is particularly important during abnormal conditions, unit transitions, equipment trips, and utility disturbances where timely control actions can prevent production losses or escalation of operational risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate and continuously monitor DCS control panels for refinery, utility, power generation, and associated process units.


• Maintain operating parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow, level, and equipment loading within approved operating limits.


• Complete structured shift handovers with accurate details on unit status, outstanding alarms, equipment conditions, operational changes, and pending actions.


• Monitor the performance of gas turbines, steam turbines, high-pressure and medium-pressure boilers, desalination systems, and other assigned plant equipment.


• Identify abnormal process trends and diagnose operating problems using DCS displays, alarm information, historical trends, and field feedback.


• Make appropriate control adjustments to stabilize process conditions and maintain safe, reliable plant performance.


• Coordinate with laboratory teams and adjust operating conditions when required to keep products and process streams within specified quality requirements.


• Communicate operating instructions to field personnel and verify completion of required process adjustments or equipment checks.


• Manage unit startups and shutdowns in accordance with approved operating procedures and established sequencing requirements.


• Respond effectively to plant emergencies, equipment trips, process disturbances, and utility failures while following emergency operating procedures.


• Monitor alarms and take timely corrective action before operating conditions develop into equipment or production problems.


• Maintain accurate control room logs covering plant performance, process changes, equipment abnormalities, trips, and significant operational events.


• Support field inspections and coordinate with operators to verify equipment status and identify abnormal noise, vibration, leakage, temperature, or other operating concerns.


• Work with maintenance personnel during equipment isolation, testing, repair, restoration, and return-to-service activities.


• Participate in operational safety meetings, inspections, toolbox discussions, and other activities supporting safe plant operations.


• Follow approved operating procedures, process safety requirements, permit controls, and emergency response instructions throughout the shift.

Ideal Profile

• Technical Secondary education covering approximately 12 years of schooling together with a relevant technical diploma.


• Minimum 6 years of operational experience within oil and gas, refinery, petrochemical, or comparable continuous-process facilities.


• Candidates supporting general utility plant operations should have relevant experience in power generation, steam systems, or desalination facilities.


• Practical experience operating sophisticated Distributed Control Systems within a central control room environment.


• Good understanding of process plant equipment, operating parameters, alarm management, and control strategies.


• Working knowledge of PLC systems and their interaction with plant equipment and control processes.


• Experience managing plant startups, shutdowns, operational transitions, and abnormal process conditions.


• Ability to interpret laboratory results and make appropriate operating adjustments to maintain required product specifications.


• Strong awareness of process safety, equipment limitations, emergency procedures, and safe operating practices.


• Good English communication skills are required, while Arabic language capability is an advantage.

Skills Set

• Distributed Control System


• DCS operations


• PLC systems


• Control room operations


• Refinery operations


• Utility plant operations


• Process monitoring


• Alarm management


• Process troubleshooting


• Gas turbine operations


• Steam turbine operations


• Boiler operations


• HP boiler systems


• MP boiler systems


• Desalination operations


• Process parameter control


• Plant startup procedures


• Plant shutdown procedures


• Emergency operations


• Product quality control


• Laboratory coordination


• Operating log management


• Shift handover


• Process safety


• Equipment monitoring


• Field operator coordination


• Power generation operations


• Process trend analysis


• Abnormal condition response


• Continuous plant operations

Why Join Us

This position offers experienced control room operators the opportunity to work with sophisticated process control technology across major refinery and utility assets in Abu Dhabi's Oil and Energy sector. Exposure to power generation, steam systems, desalination facilities, process units, and integrated control systems provides a technically diverse operating environment.

The role also builds valuable expertise in DCS operations, process troubleshooting, emergency response, and complex plant transitions while supporting the dependable operation of assets that are essential to continuous energy production and industrial performance.

About the Company

ADNOC Group operates major energy, refining, processing, and industrial facilities across Abu Dhabi. Its operations depend on skilled control room and field personnel who monitor complex plant systems, maintain stable production conditions, protect process safety, and support reliable performance across critical oil, gas, refining, and utility assets.