System & Control Engineer

Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (YASREF) Ltd.; Ar Rass; On-site; SAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading refining company in Saudi Arabia is seeking a Process Control Engineer to support operations and enhance process optimization. Responsibilities include ensuring efficient operations, troubleshooting control systems, and participating in digital transformation initiatives. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and at least five years of experience in a related role. This position offers a dynamic work environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience.
• Optional: Certified as a Professional Engineer from a recognized Engineering Institute.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe and reliable process control operations.
• Provide engineering support for operational abnormalities.
• Lead troubleshooting and root cause analyses of control systems.
• Participate in digital transformation initiatives.

Skills

Process Control

Project Management

Troubleshooting

Advanced Control Applications

Model Predictive Control

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical, Instrumentation & Control, or Computer Engineering

Job description

Overview

Provide support to the refinery Process Control needs with the accurate and quick real-time engineering solutions. Respond to operational abnormalities and provide required engineering support in compliance with Yasref strategies and operational priorities. Ensure IRIS (Integrated Refinery Information System) integrity, accuracy and reliability to allow end users and management to monitor real-time data critical information of the plants’ operations and facilitate and support decision making.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Ensure the safe, reliable and efficient process control operations throughout the life cycle of processing. Perform day-to-day work to increase refinery excellence, plant reliability/integrity, and promote health, safety & compliance and environmental standards.
2. Perform frequent plant visits to discuss the Process Control Systems and its applications and identify relevant operational issues with respective OME teams. Provide technical inputs to operation and maintenance teams to overcome control system issues.
3. Review the existing control sequence, advanced process control, expert system applications and generate/approve efficient and cost-effective sound recommendations/actions. Highlight wrong operation practice (manual operation, bypass implementation) and deliver safe viable ideas to avoid human error.
4. Ensure process control and PAS Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) and Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) are cleared to ensure the system and design meet YASREF requirements.
5. Participate in investigations on equipment failures, system failures and identify root causes; provide sound recommendations to prevent future failure or incidents.
6. Perform economic analysis, justifications and optimization for process automation systems (for projects) and modifications. Lead studies to improve the control scheme and applications if needed and provide recommendations. Approve and support online and virtual analysers’ hardware and software.
7. Apply Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Advanced Control Applications (ACAP) for enhanced plant optimization. Incorporate all major applications, architecture and integration components and ensure alignment with YASREF’s objectives. Develop and execute the MES (Manufacturing Execution Strategy) / IRIS development in alignment with OME and organizational goals.
8. Develop new control scheme designs, prepare required calculations, and prepare software packages. In association with IT, select a Service Integrator capable of combining industry knowledge with technical and integration skills and able to team up with specific software vendors.
9. Lead troubleshooting, investigation, and root cause analyses of control systems application problems.
10. Oversee integration of systems with ERP, PLM and other related systems to ensure seamless data flow and real-time insights. Define KPIs, standardized reporting structures, data models and integration guidelines.
11. Collect all needed data for IRIS development. Provide DBMS and in-house developed information systems to form a bridge between IRIS and the DCS.
12. Unite business controls, production controls and process controls to integrate in real time to create actual workflow and information flow. Develop a robust, scalable and easy-to-maintain system in alliance with IT, supporting real-time decision making and various analyses.
13. Incorporate all major applications, architecture and integration components to ensure alignment with YASREF’s objectives. Improve operational performance as per industry benchmarks.
14. Participate in digital transformation initiatives leveraging MES capabilities, analytics and automation technologies. Drive continuous improvement by identifying optimization opportunities and implementing innovative solutions.
15. Provide DBMS and in-house information systems to form a bridge between IRIS and the DCS.
16. Provide necessary support to the respective OME team members before/after daily meetings to ensure high performance and compliance with health, safety and environmental standards.
17. Perform other job-related duties as assigned by the direct Supervisor.

Minimum Requirements

• Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical, Instrumentation & Control, Computer Engineering or equivalent.
• Years of work experience: Five (05) years of relevant experience.
• Certification/License (Optional): Certified as a Professional Engineer from a recognized Engineering Institute