Automation Control Engineer – APC & DCS Specialist

CITGO

Lake Charles (LA)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 130,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Job summary

CITGO Petroleum Corporation in Lake Charles, LA seeks an Automation Control Engineer to monitor APC utilization, tune controls, and support operators. The role includes developing and maintaining control models, alarm management, and KPI reporting across DCS/PI/PHD systems.

You will collaborate with Operations and the Operations Engineering Department (OED) on APC projects, lead FEL activities, train Console Operators, and ensure alarm strategies improve plant performance.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.

Responsibilities

Perform daily checks of regulatory and Advanced Process Control (APC) utilization, discuss control performance with console operators, reactivate dropped controlled and manipulated variables, identify poorly performing regulatory loops, make tuning adjustments, and provide operator support on control and alarm management issues.
Prepare weekly work activity reports, including APC utilization reporting and correction, identification of poor performing control loops, and monitoring process unit performance using data from the DCS, PI, and PHD.
Develop new and maintain existing supporting calculations, inferentials, and applications. Lead or assist with rework efforts for new APC development.
Investigate opportunities and prepare justifications for new regulatory and APC applications. Collaborate with Operations and the Operations Engineering Department in control scheme development, conduct process testing, develop models and strategies, implement and maintain control applications, train Console Operators, audit application performance, and communicate benefits gained.
Monitor, troubleshoot, and support alarm management applications for assigned consoles. Investigate bad actor alarms, coordinate corrective actions with Operations Focal Points and Unit Supervisors, initiate MOC for alarm updates, perform alarm rationalization, maintain dynamic alarming strategies, update alarm documentation, and generate alarm KPI reports.
Maintain and support existing High Performance HMI (HPHMI) console graphics. Ensure operator interfaces add value to minimize unit upsets, monitor graphic performance for system load issues, and develop new schematics as needed.
Coordinate or perform hardware/software maintenance, conduct model reviews and updates, and develop new models when needed.
Perform FEL activities for capital APC projects and manage approved projects, including scheduling, cost control, participation in failure analysis, incident investigations, and other technical teams as required.