Technical Authority - Controls & Instrumentation

UK Health Security Agency; London Borough of Brent; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

UK Health Security Agency in Colindale seeks a Controls and Instrumentation professional to act as the technical authority for C&I systems and assets. The role ensures safe, reliable operation of critical national infrastructure within a large scientific facility, and is site-based.

You will provide oversight of maintenance activities, support capital projects, and develop engineering standards. Chartered Engineer status or progress toward it is expected, along with strong stakeholder engagement

Qualifications

• Experience providing technical authority for C&I assets and systems.
• Strong ability to lead maintenance oversight and life-cycle strategies.
• Stakeholder management and clear technical communication.
• Familiarity with ISA/IEC 62443 principles and HSE guidance.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with UKHSA engineering policies and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical oversight for maintenance: installation, calibration, repair, lifecycle replacement.
• Manage IACS assets and ensure alignment with security standards.
• Contribute to strategic planning, capital projects, and infrastructure developments.
• Develop and improve engineering standards, procedures and maintenance strategies.
• Analyse asset performance data to drive reliability and resilience.
• Act as SME for C&I systems and liaise with engineering, science and project teams.
• Communicate complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Education

Chartered Engineer status (IET/IMechE)

Tools

Industrial Automation Systems

Control Systems

Job description

Reporting directly to the Head of Site, the Controls and Instrumentation role serves as the technical authority for the site's Control and Instrumentation (C&I) systems and assets. The role is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and efficient operation of critical national infrastructure within a large and complex scientific research facility in Colindale. Due to the nature of the position, the role is site-based.,

• Ensure compliance with UKHSA engineering policies, statutory requirements, and industry best practice, maintaining the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of C&I assets.
• Provide technical oversight of maintenance activities, including installation, commissioning, calibration, fault diagnosis, repair, and lifecycle replacement of C&I systems.
• Manage and provide technical assurance for Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) assets, ensuring alignment with ISA/IEC 62443 principles and HSE guidance.
• Provide specialist engineering input to strategic planning, capital projects, and infrastructure developments to support current and future operational needs.
• Develop and continuously improve engineering standards, procedures, and maintenance strategies, ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational requirements.
• Analyse asset performance and maintenance data to drive continuous improvement, optimise reliability, and improve asset resilience and value.
• Act as the subject matter expert for Control and Instrumentation systems, providing technical advice and assurance to engineering, scientific, and project teams.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders, communicating complex technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

  The role requires excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage, influence and collaborate with individuals at all levels of the organisation, often balancing differing priorities and perspectives.The successful candidate will be a member of a recognised professional engineering institution, such as the IET or IMechE, and will either hold Chartered Engineer status or be actively working towards professional registration.

  We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

  UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.