Tuning Engineer

Yokogawa; Al Khobar; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Yokogawa is seeking a skilled Gas Chromatograph engineer to configure, tune, and troubleshoot Online/Process GC systems in a demanding lab setting and for client projects. The role involves close collaboration with chemists and Application Managers to optimize thermal and chemical separations, ensuring reliable performance.

Requires a strong background in instrumentation or chemical engineering, 6–8 years of hands-on GC experience, and familiarity with GC software, Modbus/TCP, and OPC protocols.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Diploma in Instrumentation Engineering, Electronics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or equivalent technical field.
• 6–8 years of direct hands-on experience in configuring, tuning, and troubleshooting Online/Process Gas Chromatographs.
• Preference: Candidate with experience in Service department of Gas Chromatograph OEMs (especially Yokogawa) shall be preferred.

Responsibilities

• System Application Tuning & Calibration: Install, condition, and optimize packed and capillary GC column sets based on design specs.
• Tune pneumatics, EPC, valve switching times, and detector settings (FID, TCD, FPD).
• Run calibration gas and liquid standards to optimize peak resolution and detection limits.
• Configure GC software, gates, baseline drift compensation, and application-specific scripts.

Skills

Gas chromatography

Troubleshooting

System tuning

Lab collaboration

HSE safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in Instrumentation Engineering

Electronics

Chemical Engineering

Chemistry

Tools

GC software

Modbus TCP/RTU

OPC

Job description

Not just a job, but a career

Yokogawa, award winner for ‘Best Asset Monitoring Technology’ and ‘Best Digital Twin Technology’ at the HP Awards, is a leading provider of industrial automation, test and measurement, information systems and industrial services in several industries.

Our aim is to shape a better future for our planet through supporting the energy transition, (bio)technology, artificial intelligence, industrial cybersecurity, etc. We are committed to the United Nations sustainable development goals by utilizing our ability to measure and connect.

About The Team

Our 18,000 employees work in over 60 countries with one corporate mission, to "co-innovate tomorrow". We are looking for dynamic colleagues who share our passion for technology and care for our planet. In return, we offer you great career opportunities to grow yourself in a truly global culture where respect, value creation, collaboration, integrity, and gratitude are highly valued and exhibited in everything we do.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• System Application Tuning & Calibration
  • Install, condition, and optimize packed and capillary GC column sets based on application design specifications.
  • Tune pneumatics, electronic pressure/flow controllers (EPC), valve switching times (backflush, column transfer, heart-cut), and detector settings (FID, TCD, FPD).
  • Run calibration gas and liquid standards to optimize peak resolution, retention times, reproducibility, and detection limits.
  • Configure GC internal software, peak integration gates, baseline drift compensation, and application-specific calculation scripts (e.g., BTU, Calorific Values, physical properties, etc).
• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) & Quality Control
  • Execute formal internal testing and customer-witnessed Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) to verify performance against guaranteed analytical metrics.
  • Troubleshooting hardware, pneumatic, column phase, or baseline stability issues during assembly and integration phases.
  • Document all final tuning parameters, calibration curves, raw Chromatograms, and test results for inclusion in the final project documentation package.
• Cross-Functional Lab Collaboration
  • Interface with Lab Technicians to guide hardware wiring, piping, and mechanical preparation prior to tuning.
  • Consult with the Chemist and Application Manager to resolve complex thermodynamic separation challenges or non-standard sample matrix behaviors.
  • Provide feedback to Proposal Engineers and Application teams regarding real-world column performance, cycle time optimizations, and practical build improvements.

Qualification And Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Diploma in Instrumentation Engineering, Electronics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or equivalent technical field.
• Experience: 6–8 years of direct hands-on experience in configuring, tuning, and troubleshooting Online/Process Gas Chromatographs.
• Preference: Candidate with experience in Service department of Gas Chromatograph OEMs (especially Yokogawa) shall be preferred.

Competencies

• Methodical Troubleshooting: Systematic approach to identifying sample contamination, column bleed, carrier leaks, valve leakages, or electronic noise.
• Precision & Quality Focus: Rigorous attention to analytical detail, ensuring every system leaves the lab fully compliant with customer specifications and zero defect tolerance.
• Customer-Facing Professionalism: Ability to confidently lead customer engineers through technical FAT execution and answer technical performance questions.

Skills

• Deep practical understanding of chromatographic separation techniques, column phase characteristics, peak integration, and valve switching methods.
• Hands-on proficiency with GC operating software, communication protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC), and hazardous area safe-handling procedures.
• Solid mechanical and pneumatic aptitude for working with micro-fluidic fittings, fine metering valves, carrier gas purifiers, and sample conditioning hardware.

Yokogawa is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Yokogawa wants a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. We will actively recruit, develop, and promote people from a variety of backgrounds who differ in terms of experience, knowledge, thinking styles, perspective, cultural background, and socioeconomic status. We will not discriminate based on race, skin color, age, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, belief, political opinion, nationality, ethnicity, place of origin, disability, family relations or any other circumstances. Yokogawa values differences and enables everyone to belong, contribute, succeed, and demonstrate their full potential.