Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer, Capital Projects

NextGenEnergyJobs; Alameda; Hybrid; CAD 154,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Sila is seeking a Staff Instrumentation & I&C Engineer to drive field instrumentation design for next-generation manufacturing facilities. You will lead cross-functional teams through design reviews, procurement, installation, and commissioning, ensuring safe, scalable process systems.

The role requires 5+ years on capital projects in process industries, expertise in instrumentation standards, and willingness to travel up to 25% to vendor and site locations, including Moses Lake, WA during

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical, Instrumentation, Chemical, Mechanical (Mechatronics) or related engineering field.
• 5+ years of capital project experience in process industries.
• Knowledge of measurement principles, signal protocols, loop design, and valve sizing.
• Experience specifying and installing instrumentation in harsh environments.

Responsibilities

• Select, size, and specify field instruments for high-temp processes and hazardous gas systems.
• Lead I&C design reviews through FEL and detailed engineering stages with partners and vendors.
• Author and maintain instrument indexes, I/O lists, datasheets, P&IDs, loop diagrams, and E&I drawings.
• Specify SIS hardware, SIL verification, and safety instrumented systems concepts.
• Provide hands-on leadership during build phases: installation oversight, calibration, FAT/SAT, startup.
• Collaborate with automation/process engineers to integrate instrumentation with PLCs, SCADA, and safety interlocks.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Technical leadership

Mentoring engineers

Travel readiness

Strong communication

Process industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Instrumentation/Chemical/Mechanical (with Mechatronics)

Tools

Valve sizing software

Job description

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company.

Responsibilities

• Select, size, and specify field instruments (flow, pressure, temperature, level, analytical, and control and shutoff valves) for high-temperature processes, solid material handling, and hazardous gas delivery systems.
• Lead I&C design reviews through the Front-End-Loading and detailed engineering phases in close collaboration with external partners, equipment vendors, and internal process and control teams.
• Author and maintain instrument indexes, I/O lists, data sheets, P&IDs, loop diagrams, connection details, control panel drawings, alarm & trip lists, and cause-and-effect matrices.
• Specify SIL-rated instrumentation for Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS).
• Provide hands-on technical leadership during build phases—overseeing instrument receiving, installation oversight, loop checks, calibration, FAT/SAT, and initial plant startup.
• Work directly with automation and process engineers to integrate field instrumentation into the PLC architectures, SCADA networks, and safety interlocks.

Requirements

• As a Staff Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Engineer within the Capital Projects team, you will drive the design, specification, procurement, installation, and commissioning of field instrumentation for our next-generation manufacturing facilities. You will work closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure our complex process systems are precisely monitored, safely operated, and built to scale.
• B.S. in Electrical, Instrumentation, Chemical, Mechanical (w/ Mechatronics concentration), or related Engineering degree with 5+ years of experience executing capital projects in related process industries.
• Technical knowledge of measurement principles, signal protocols, loop design, and valve sizing software.
• Direct experience specifying, procuring, and installing instrumentation for combustible dust, toxic/flammable gas, and/or high-temperature environments.
• Proven experience moving industrial greenfield capital projects from concept design through construction and site checkout.
• Proven track record of driving cross-functional technical decisions, aligning diverse stakeholders, and thriving in fast-paced, ambiguous settings.
• Willingness to travel to the vendor facilities and the manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, WA during construction, testing, and commissioning phases (up to 25%).
• Hands-on expertise specifying, installing, and troubleshooting instrumentation for bulk solids, powders, and granular materials (e.g., loss-in-weight feeders, load cells, acoustic/radar/radiometric solids level measurement, and pneumatic conveying monitoring) in industrial facilities.
• Comprehensive understanding of relevant industrial instrumentation standards, such as IEC, UL, and NFPA.
• Familiarity with Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), Safety Integrity Level (SIL) verification, and designing/specifying hardware for Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS).
• Proven track record in establishing instrumentation installation standards, design guidelines, and technical engineering best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to guide, mentor, and provide strong technical direction to engineers across multidisciplinary teams.