Automation & Controls Manager

Enchanted Rock Management LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ERock is a leader in distributed energy and a pioneer of smart-grid solutions. The Automation and Controls Manager will lead a team of engineers and technicians supporting power generation and microgrid facilities. You will translate design intent into reliable field execution and drive performance and staffing.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years in automation and controls, power generation, commissioning, or system integration.
• Bachelor's degree in electrical/controls engineering or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• Experience with generator paralleling, microgrid power systems, and field problem resolution.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise and develop A&C engineers and technicians; manage performance, staffing, and training.
• Evaluate and troubleshoot control systems, instrumentation, and integration across MV installations.
• Lead FAT/SAT, startup, testing, and turnover; ensure readiness and safe operation.

Skills

People leadership

Troubleshooting

Technical decision making

Project coordination

Education

Electrical engineering

Tools

PLC/SCADA

Modbus

GMCs

Job description

Description

We are ERock!

ERock is a leader and innovator in distributed energy. ERock has responded to long-term trends in electricity by becoming the first smart-grid supplier to US energy consumers. The company installs, operates, and integrates its highly flexible, low-cost, and quick-response distributed generation to increase reliability and stability, reduce costs and decrease carbon footprint.

At ERock, our backup generators ensure that customers will never be without power, allowing their business to operate normally when there is an outage in the area. Our innovative approach provides customers with highly reliable, ultra-clean backup generation at a fraction of the cost of traditional backup solutions. We seek those who share our commitment to customer service, innovation, and ingenuity.

Position Summary:

• The Automation and Controls Manager is responsible for managing, developing, and directing ERock's A&C engineers and technicians supporting power generation and microgrid facilities. The manager owns team performance, staffing, work assignments, technical development, and delivery of controls integration activities from project preparation through commissioning and operational support.
• The role combines direct people management with senior technical capability. The manager must independently evaluate controls and integration problems, make sound technical decisions, and personally lead complex troubleshooting when required. Working with the Commissioning Manager, Engineering, EPC, IT, NOC, and O&M, the manager translates design intent into reliable field execution and builds a team capable of supporting both routine projects and unique medium-voltage installations.

Key Responsibilities:

People Management and Development

• Directly supervise A&C engineers and technicians. Set individual goals, conduct regular feedback and performance reviews, address performance gaps, and hold employees accountable for quality, safety, schedules, and follow-through.
• Recruit, select, onboard, and develop personnel. Establish role expectations, qualification requirements, progression criteria, and individual training plans in coordination with HR and Training.
• Assign work and balance office, laboratory, project, and urgent field support demands. Coordinate staffing and schedules with commissioning leadership; identify resource gaps and recommend hiring or outside support.
• Coach employees through technical decisions and customer interactions. Delegate with clear ownership, review results, and develop technical depth through mentoring, peer reviews, and shared documentation.

Controls and Power System Integration

• Serve as the senior technical escalation point for integration of generator controllers, generator management controllers (GMCs), PLCs, RTACs, SCADA/HMI, switchgear controls, protection interfaces, and industrial communications.
• Personally evaluate and troubleshoot generator synchronization, paralleling, real and reactive load sharing, voltage and frequency control, islanding, utility transfers, and breaker permissives and interlocks.

Technical Delivery and Commissioning

• Develop and review control narratives, sequences of operation, interlock matrices, alarm lists, I/O databases, Modbus maps, network interfaces, controller configurations, and controls test procedures.
• Review single-line diagrams, schematics, wiring and termination schedules, panel drawings, vendor packages, and controller files for completeness and field readiness. Resolve technical gaps with Engineering and EPC before mobilization.
• Manage A&C scope, sequencing, milestones, and schedule commitments for new builds, expansions, and retrofits. Own controls test plans and data sheets; establish readiness criteria, identify risks early, and drive mitigation and closeout.
• Direct advanced and first-of-kind controls integration, FAT/SAT, laboratory validation, integrated system testing, startup, performance testing, and technical turnover. Validate unfamiliar configurations before repeat deployment.
• Partner with the Commissioning Manager on readiness and execution. Provide engineering direction for unique and medium-voltage work while the Commissioning Manager manages technician readiness, routine escalation, and daily field activities.
• Lead troubleshooting of synchronization failures, unstable load sharing, transfer sequencing, sensing issues, SCADA loss, communications faults, and controls or protection-interface problems. Use trends, event records, and controlled testing to establish root cause and verify corrections.
• Provide urgent technical support to O&M, Power Generation, and NOC when controls or integration issues affect site reliability. Establish safe interim operating guidance with the accountable operations leader.

Standards and Knowledge Transfer

• Maintain controlled logic libraries, approved controller files, test templates, change records, backups, redlines, as-left configurations, and complete turnover packages.
• Manage the System Integration Training Lab with Training and Engineering. Keep configurations aligned with the fleet; support hands‑on training, commissioning simulations, failure recovery, and logic validation.
• Convert first-of-kind solutions and field lessons into reusable standards. Recommend hardware, software, controls, and design improvements to Engineering and confirm corrective actions are adopted.

Functional Interfaces

• Coordinate design changes, protection studies, and breaker or relay settings with Engineering and EPC through their approval processes. Coordinate network installation, configuration, connectivity, access, and cybersecurity requirements with IT. Work with NOC on SCADA points, alarms, trends, and operating visibility. Coordinate specialized protection testing and calibrated test equipment with qualified third‑party providers.
• Communicate project status, dependencies, technical risks, recovery plans, and customer impacts clearly to Operations leadership, project managers, and customers. Ensure controls work follows approved safety procedures, switching plans, lockout/tagout, and change control.

Requirements

Basic (Required) Qualifications:

• Eight or more years of progressive experience in automation and controls, power generation, electrical commissioning, or system integration, including at least three years directly managing technical employees.
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, controls engineering, engineering technology, or a related technical discipline; equivalent demonstrated technical and leadership experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience integrating and commissioning generator paralleling or microgrid power systems, including independent diagnosis and resolution of complex field problems across controls, sensing, switchgear, communications, and operating modes.
• Experience developing or reviewing PLC/controller logic, SCADA/HMI interfaces, industrial networks, Modbus mappings, control narratives, permissives, interlocks, and functional test procedures.
• Working knowledge of low‑and‑medium‑voltage switchgear controls, automatic transfer systems, breaker operation, protection interfaces, and electrical/control documentation.
• Experience directing FAT/SAT, startup,