Process Control Engineer

Radical Dot is hiring a Process Control Engineer (m/w/o) to support the development and scale-up of our cutting-edge technology for converting mixed plastic waste into high-value chemical building blocks. Moving beyond traditional methods like pyrolysis and gasification, we are pioneering a sustainable and cost-efficient solution for the chemical industry.

As an early-stage start-up, we are looking for a hands-on and adaptable team member who thrives in a dynamic environment. You will play a critical role across modeling, process design, and detail engineering for our demonstration plant (100-200 kg/day input plastic), contributing directly to the success of our mission to address the global plastics crisis.

Tasks

• Lead the design and implementation of robust and safe control systems for our current pilot unit and the upcoming 24/7 demonstration plant (~100–200 kg/day plastic waste input), with responsibilities including:

• Designing a flexible and learning-oriented instrumentation system (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow, weight sensors, gas analyzers) to ensure high-quality process monitoring and data generation.

• Developing and integrating safety control loops to meet relevant safety standards and guarantee safe operation under all conditions.

• Leading the preparation of instrumentation and control drawings, specifications, and overseeing related procurement activities.

• Designing and implementing a fully remote-controlled system to operate and monitor all plant instruments and controls.

• Managing the data acquisition and process control software ecosystem, ensuring a robust foundation for plant optimization and automation.

• Overseeing setup, calibration, and testing of all critical instrumentation components, including gas sensors, mass flow controllers, temperature and pressure sensors.

• Actively contribute to the engineering design of the demonstration plant, collaborating on:

• Development of mass and energy balances, equipment specifications, and process simulations.

• Equipment sizing and selection, including instrumentation integration.

• Creation and review of P&IDs, safety diagrams, and system layouts.

• Participation in HAZOP studies and safety risk assessments.

• Collaborate closely with the broader Science & Engineering teams in a cross-functional, “one-team” culture, ensuring tight integration between process design, operations, and automation.

Requirements

• Minimum 2 years of experience in control systems, instrumentation, automation, or electrical engineering within the chemical, petrochemical, or related industries.

• Hands-on experience with lab-scale or industrial process setups; prior involvement in pilot or demonstration-scale plants is highly desirable.

• Strong working knowledge of:

• PLC programming (e.g., Siemens S7, TIA Portal)

• Process control systems (e.g., PCS 7, ABB, Emerson DeltaV)

• HMI/SCADA platforms, process visualization tools

• Industrial communication protocols (e.g., Profibus, Profinet, OPC UA)

• Instrumentation and sensor technologies (flow, pressure, gas analysis, etc.)

• Additional experience with microcontrollers, pump control, measurement and control technologies, and CAD tools is a plus.

• Demonstrated ability to anticipate technical issues and apply creative, hands-on problem-solving in fast-paced environments.

• Comfortable working in a small, agile team with a proactive and flexible mindset.

• Familiarity with gas-phase instrumentation, safety-rated systems (e.g., SIL, functional safety), and reactor instrumentation in chemical process environments.

• Fluency in English is preferred; alternatively, fluency in German is required.

Benefits

• Adhésion à un club de sport
• Indemnisation des frais de voyage

Even if you don't meet every single qualification mentioned above, share with us why you believe you'd be an excellent match for this role in your application! Your unique skills and perspectives could be the perfect fit for our team.