Automation Engineer III

Nabors Career Site; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Nabors Career Site is looking for a skilled Controls Engineer in the Houston area to design and implement advanced control systems for land-based drilling rigs. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, with at least 5 years of experience in drilling rig control systems, PLC programming, and SCADA systems. This position requires strong analytical skills, effective communication, and the ability to work in a collaborative environment. Travel is expected, along with after-hours availability.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in designing and maintaining control systems for drilling rigs.
• Experience with Variable Frequency Drives (ABB and GE Converteam preferred).
• Knowledge of industry safety standards and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of advanced control systems for land-based drilling rigs.
• Provide technical support and guidance to internal field technicians.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation for control systems.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA systems

HMI development

Field Troubleshooting

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Factory Talk View

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Job description

Canrig Drilling Technology is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Controls Engineer to join our team. The successful candidate will be responsible for design support, implementation, deployment (I&C) and support for control systems for land-based drilling rigs. This role requires a strong understanding of drilling rig equipment and process, PLC hardware and programming, SCADA systems, industrial networks and communications, Variable Frequency Drives (VFD’s) and Power Systems, and HMI development to ensure efficient and safe drilling operations.

Job Info

• Job Identification 1001308
• Posting Date 05/04/2026, 09:48 PM
• Apply Before 07/08/2026, 05:00 AM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 515 W Greens Road, Houston, TX, 77067, US

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in designing and maintaining control systems for drilling rigs.
• Proficiency in PLC programming (Allen-Bradley preferred, but also Siemens)
• Experience with SCADA systems and HMI development
• Experience with Variable Frequency Drives (ABB and GE Converteam preferred)
• Experience and understanding of Industrial PCs, Servers, networking and communications protocols
• Strong troubleshooting and diagnostic skills
• Hands‑on approach to solving problems
• Knowledge of industry safety standards and regulations
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience with controlling heavy rotating equipment using induction motors
• Experience in the drilling industry

BEHAVIORAL COMPENTENCIES

• Strong Field Troubleshooting skills
• Effective communication skills both verbal & written, both 1-1 and group situations
• Situational Leadership
• Time management

TECHNICAL COMPENTENCIES

• HMI: Factory Talk View. Understanding for Rockwell software suite.
• Understanding of Hydraulics/ Pneumatics, AC drives and controls a plus (ABB/ Converteam/ Yaskawa)
• Knowledge of industrial communication protocols, including OPC, MODBUS, Ethernet IP, and Profibus required.
• Software design and development experience.
• Ability to read electrical schematics.
• Understanding of various communication protocols Profibus, Modbus, OPC, Ethernet IP, etc.
• Strong hands‑on hardware troubleshooting and software debugging skills.
• Basic knowledge of Cisco switches and configurations.
• Project management and presentation skills.
• Ability to extract and document requirements from user problem description.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS / WORKING CONDITIONS

• While this position is primarily based in a professional office environment
• Travel to yards and rigs is essential and required
• 25% travel is expected
• The position supports drilling rigs that work 24/7 and will routinely require phone availability outside regular work hours

Responsibilities

• Design and Implementation: Support the development and implementation of advanced control systems for land‑based drilling rigs and drilling rig equipment, including participation in customer and vendor facing meetings, and internal design and status reviews.
• System Support: Perform regular support activities such as lab and shop floor set‑up, integration testing, factory and customer acceptance testing.
• Technical Support: Participate in and perform troubleshooting of drilling rig and associated equipment control systems to minimize downtime and optimize performance. Provide technical support and guidance to internal field technicians and drilling operations and support teams.
• Safety Protocols: Ensure all control systems comply with industry safety standards and regulations.
• Collaboration: Work closely with Canrig and Nabors engineering teams, and Nabors and 3 rd party operations teams to integrate new technologies and improve existing systems.
• Documentation: Prepare and maintain technical documentation for control systems and procedures, such as product documentation, functional requirements documents, software release documents, commissioning documents, etc.
• Training: Train and mentor junior engineers on control system design, implementation, and maintenance. Train and support field technicians on the deployment, set‑up, and commissioning of drilling rig and drilling equipment control systems.

About Us

Nabors is a leading provider of advanced technology for the energy industry. With operations in about 20 countries, Nabors has established a global network of people, technology and equipment to deploy solutions that deliver safe, efficient and responsible hydrocarbon production. By leveraging its core competencies, particularly in drilling, engineering, automation, data science and manufacturing, Nabors aims to innovate the future of energy and enable the transition to a lower carbon world. Equal Opportunity Employer Nabors is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibiting discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, religion, age, color, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training. To learn more about our Fair Employment practices, please refer to the Nabors Code of Conduct.