Chief Engineer (IWMF / Electrical Maintenance Department)

Government Technology Agency (GovTech); Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Technology Agency (GovTech) in Singapore seeks a Chief Engineer (Electrical Maintenance) to lead ICA maintenance, reliability, and asset lifecycle management for a Waste-To-Energy plant. You will drive digitalisation, advanced process control, and cybersecurity for OT systems while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

You will oversee a team delivering preventive/predictive maintenance, fault investigations, and vendor management, with a focus on reliability and plant

Qualifications

• Degree in Instrumentation Engineering, Control Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering or related discipline.
• Registration as a Chartered Engineer or Professional Engineer is preferred.
• 15+ years of relevant experience in power generation, waste-to-energy, utilities or heavy industrial facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead maintenance and reliability management of ICA systems including DCS, PLCs, ERP, weighbridge, crane automation, STG control, CEMS and field instruments.
• Oversee building/site systems such as BMS, lighting, CCTV, access control, ISMS, fire/detection and PA systems.
• Develop long-term asset management, replacement strategies and condition monitoring programmes.
• Serve as technical authority for ICA systems; review engineering modifications and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Drive digitalisation and automation, including advanced process control and data historians; consider OT cybersecurity.
• Manage ICA maintenance contracts, vendor performance and service agreements for DCS/SCADA/automation.

Job description

What the role is

The Chief Engineer (Electrical Maintenance) leads the instrumentation, control, and automation maintenance function of the Waste-To-Energy plant. The role is accountable for ensuring the reliability, safety and performance of instrumentation systems, process control systems, plant automation infrastructure, and associated building and site systems. The incumbent serves as the technical authority for instrumentation, control and automation systems and drives asset reliability, digital transformation, and lifecycle management initiatives across the plant.

What you will be working on

Your main responsibilities are as follows:

Asset Management & Reliability

Lead the maintenance and reliability management of instrumentation, control and automation systems (ICA), including distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), enterprise resource planning system, weighbridge system, waste crane automation system, steam turbine generator (STG) control and protection system, flue gas treatment control systems, continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS), field instruments, actuators and process analysers. Oversee the maintenance and performance of building and site systems, including building management system (BMS), lighting and environmental controls, CCTV and video surveillance, access control and integrated security management systems (ISMS), fire detection and alarm system, and public address and communication systems.

Develop and establish long-term asset management and replacement strategies, equipment criticality assessments, and reliability programmes. Establish preventive and predictive maintenance programmes, including asset lifecycle plans, critical spares strategies, condition monitoring, diagnostics, and instrument calibration management programmes. Analyse ICA failures, control system faults and process upsets, and lead fault investigations and root cause analyses. Improve system dependability and resilience, particularly for safety-critical control loops and interlock systems, and develop mitigation plans for ageing instrumentation and control assets.

Engineering & Technical Governance

Serve as the technical authority for all ICA systems. Review and approve engineering modifications, including changes to control logics, interlock settings, and process parameters. Ensure compliance with regulatory and engineering standards. Lead design reviews and factory and site acceptance tests for new projects and system upgrades.

Digitalisation & Automation

Drive plant digitalisation initiatives, including advanced process control and data historian utilisation. Improve operational efficiency through automation solutions and control system optimisation and support predictive maintenance and condition monitoring technologies. Lead cybersecurity considerations for operational technology (OT) systems, including DCS and PLC networks.

Contractor & Vendor Management

Manage specialised ICA maintenance contracts and review technical specifications and procurement requirements for instrumentation and control equipment. Evaluate vendor performance and support contract management for DCS, SCADA and automation system service agreements.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with instrumentation and control safety regulations and standards, including functional safety requirements for Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS). Lead ICA safety audits and risk assessments. Support Permit-to-Work and Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) processes. Investigate ICA-related incidents and implement corrective actions.

Leadership & Team Development

Lead the instrumentation, control, and automation engineering team. Establish technical competency programmes covering instrumentation, control systems, and automation technologies. Mentor engineers and technical specialists; support talent development and succession planning.

What we are looking for

A degree in Instrumentation Engineering, Control Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, or a related discipline. Registration as a Chartered Engineer or Professional Engineer is preferred. A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in power generation, waste-to-energy, utilities, or heavy industrial facilities, with a focus on instrumentation, control, and automation systems, including at least 10 years in a senior leadership position. Demonstrated ability to lead a team in performing routine maintenance, troubleshooting root causes of critical system failures, and executing plant-wide turnarounds. Deep expertise in condition-based and/or predictive maintenance technologies is preferred. Mastery in the maintenance of DCS and PLCs. Ability to integrate advanced data analytics, instrumentation, and machine learning models into modern automation systems. Proficiency in industrial communication protocols (e.g. HART, Foundation Fieldbus and Profibus) and OT cybersecurity frameworks. Comprehensive knowledge of SIS and international standards such as IEC 61511. Deep expertise in sensor technologies, final control elements (e.g., actuators and control valves), signal processing and precision calibration standards.

As part of the shortlisting process for this role, you may be required to complete a medical declaration and/or undergo further assessment.

The Singapore Public Service plays a key role in the economic growth, progress and stability of Singapore by formulating and implementing government policies, as well as providing key public services. Whether you are a fresh graduate joining the workforce or an experienced professional, the Singapore Public Service offers a great variety of job opportunities for you. The work in the Public Service can be broadly categorised into the following sectors: Economic, Social, Security & External Relations, and Administration & Corporate Development. Be part of the team that shapes the future of Singapore.