Senior DCS Engineer

Astute People; Warrington; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Salary exchange pension scheme with 6%

Contractual sick pay

34 days annual leave + service-based

Life assurance 3x salary

Job summary

Astute is recruiting a Senior DCS Engineer to support a fleet of Biomass and Energy from Waste power stations across the UK. You will provide senior DCS/PLC expertise, lifecycle planning, change management, and cybersecurity compliance across the engineering team.

Travel to operating sites across the UK is required, with occasional international travel. The role emphasizes stakeholder coordination, documentation, and continuous improvement within the power generation sector.

Qualifications

• Senior level DCS expertise across plant lifecycle is required.
• Strong hands-on experience with DCS and PLC systems and troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity standards for control systems is essential.

Responsibilities

• Carry out system health checks and support troubleshooting for outages.
• Coordinate upgrades, patching, backups, and change management.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation and asset inventories.
• Act as technical point of contact for OEMs and service providers.
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure timely issue resolution.

Skills

DCS control systems

PLC control systems

Cybersecurity standards

Lifecycle planning

SLA management

Education

HNC/HND or Degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Siemens

ABB

Honeywell

Emerson

Yokogawa

Schneider

Rockwell/Allen-Bradley

Job description

Astute's Power Team are recruiting for a Senior DCS Engineer to support a fleet of Biomass and Energy from Waste Power Stations across the United Kingdom.

Working within the centralised Engineering Team, you'll be responsible for providing senior-level DCS expertise across the full lifecycle of the energy plants, supporting operational matters, lifecycle planning, change management, supplier and SLA management, as well as cybersecurity and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Carry out system health checks, support troubleshooting and root cause analysis, and assist with planned outages and maintenance.
• Support system lifecycle and planning, coordinate upgrades, patching and backup activities, and contribute to Change Management.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation and asset inventories while supporting relevant cybersecurity and compliance requirements.
• Act as a technical point of contact for OEMs and service providers, coordinating support activities and vendor interventions.
• Monitor supplier performance against SLAs and service contracts, ensuring technical issues are followed up and resolved in a timely manner.

Professional qualifications

• HNC/HND or Degree in Electrical Engineering, Control & Instrumentation, Automation, or a related engineering discipline
• Strong hands-on experience with DCS and PLC control systems
• Relevant DCS/PLC manufacturer training or certifications - e.g. Siemens, ABB, Honeywell, Emerson, Yokogawa, Schneider, Rockwell/Allen-Bradley
• Strong understanding of industrial control systems, instrumentation and automation
• Understanding of control system cybersecurity and relevant standards
• Proven experience in the Power Generation industry

Personal skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to simplify and clearly communicate complex electrical issues.
• Proactive and solutions-focused, taking ownership of technical challenges and delivering practical outcomes.
• Collaborative team player who works effectively with colleagues, suppliers and wider stakeholders.
• Adaptable and committed to continuously developing knowledge and learning new technologies.
• Highly organised with a structured approach to technical documentation and processes.
• Comfortable working independently across multiple sites and managing competing priorities.
• Willing to travel to operating sites across the UK, with occasional international travel required.

Salary and benefits of the Senior DCS Engineer role

• Competitive salary
• Health Care Cash Plan
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Salary Exchange Pension Scheme with a 6% employer contribution
• Contractual sick pay
• 34 days annual leave, including statutory Bank Holidays, plus 1 additional day for every 5 years of service
• Life Assurance of 3x annual salary
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Salary sacrifice EV/Hybrid vehicle scheme (following successful completion of probation)
• Annual bonus opportunity, subject to business performance

INDPOW #LI-WG1

We do not discriminate on the grounds of age, race, gender, disability, creed or sexual orientation and comply with all relevant UK legislation.

We encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK.

Astute is also committed to the government's Disability Confident Employer initiative.