Automation Manager

Cognify Global; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognify Global is seeking a Controls & Automation professional with a Texas PE license to join our Houston team. Roles range from Senior Controls Engineer to Director, focusing on technical delivery, SME development, and growth of the function.

You will lead across PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA, mentor engineers, collaborate with clients and vendors, and help grow the practice. The company supports licensure expansion and strategic business development.

Qualifications

• Active Texas P.E. license – essential.
• Strong experience with PLC, DCS, HMI and/or SCADA systems.
• Proven experience delivering industrial controls projects from engineering through commissioning.
• Strong systems integration experience.
• Experience within Oil & Gas, Energy, Water/Wastewater, Chemical Processing or other industrial environments.
• Strong understanding of industrial automation and control systems.
• Excellent technical, communication and client-facing skills.
• Experience providing technical leadership and/or mentoring engineering teams.
• Willingness to obtain additional state P.E. licenses where required to support projects and areas of responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Subject Matter Expert for Controls & Automation across projects.
• Provide technical leadership across PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA projects.
• Support the development and growth of the Controls & Automation team.
• Help establish engineering processes, standards and best practices.
• Lead Controls & Automation engineering activities across multiple projects.
• Develop and review control system designs, architectures and engineering documentation.
• Lead controls engineering from initial design through programming, integration, commissioning and startup.
• Develop control philosophies, functional specifications, I/O documentation and related engineering deliverables.
• Oversee PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA programming and integration.
• Lead and support FAT, SAT, commissioning and startup activities.
• Troubleshooting and resolving complex controls and automation issues.
• Work closely with electrical, instrumentation, process and project engineering teams.
• Provide technical direction and mentoring to engineers.
• Work directly with clients, vendors and project partners.
• Support project estimating, proposals and business development.
• Support the recruitment and development of additional Controls & Automation personnel.
• For Manager/Director level: build and lead the team, shape strategic direction, oversee multiple projects and support business development.

Skills

PLC/DCS/HMI/SCADA

Technical leadership

Client-facing

Mentoring engineers

Education

Texas Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation

Siemens

Ignition

Job description

Location: Houston, TX

Employment Type: Full-Time

Recruiter: Cognify Global

About the Opportunity

Cognify Global is currently working with an established engineering, construction and systems integration business that is looking to strengthen and expand its Controls & Automation function.

We are seeking an experienced Controls & Automation professional with an active Texas Professional Engineer (P.E.) license to join their Houston-based team.

The level of appointment is flexible and will be determined by the experience and capabilities of the successful candidate. The opportunity could suit someone at Senior Controls Engineer, Controls Manager or Director level.

The successful candidate will become a key Subject Matter Expert (SME) within Controls & Automation, supporting project delivery while helping to build and develop the wider team, technical capabilities and processes.

This is an opportunity for someone who wants to have a genuine influence on the development of a Controls & Automation function and take ownership of both technical delivery and future growth.

The Role

Key responsibilities will include:

• Acting as a Subject Matter Expert for Controls & Automation across projects
• Providing technical leadership across PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA projects
• Supporting the development and growth of the Controls & Automation team
• Helping establish engineering processes, standards and best practices
• Leading Controls & Automation engineering activities across multiple projects
• Developing and reviewing control system designs, architectures and engineering documentation
• Leading controls engineering from initial design through programming, integration, commissioning and startup
• Developing control philosophies, functional specifications, I/O documentation and related engineering deliverables
• Overseeing PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA programming and integration
• Leading and supporting FAT, SAT, commissioning and startup activitiesTroubleshooting and resolving complex controls and automation issues
• Working closely with electrical, instrumentation, process and project engineering teams
• Providing technical direction and mentoring to engineers
• Working directly with clients, vendors and project partners
• Supporting project estimating, proposals and business development
• Supporting the recruitment and development of additional Controls & Automation personnel

For candidates operating at Manager or Director level, the role will also include:

• Building and leading the Controls & Automation team
• Developing the structure and capabilities required to support future growth
• Overseeing multiple projects and engineering resources
• Developing client relationships and supporting business development
• Providing technical and commercial input into proposals and project opportunities
• Helping shape the strategic direction of the Controls & Automation function
• Supporting the growth of the Controls & Automation business across its project portfolio

Requirements

• Active Texas Professional Engineer (P.E.) license – essential
• Strong experience with PLC, DCS, HMI and/or SCADA systems
• Proven experience delivering industrial controls projects from engineering through commissioning
• Strong systems integration experience
• Experience within Oil & Gas, Energy, Water/Wastewater, Chemical Processing or other industrial environments
• Strong understanding of industrial automation and control systems
• Excellent technical, communication and client-facing skills
• Experience providing technical leadership and/or mentoring engineering teams
• Willingness to obtain additional state P.E. licenses where required to support projects and areas of responsibility

The company will support the successful candidate in obtaining additional P.E. licenses in other states where required.

Technical Experience

Experience with one or more of the following would be advantageous:

• Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation
• Siemens
• Ignition
• Other industrial PLC, DCS, HMI and SCADA platforms

Strong programming, commissioning, troubleshooting and systems integration experience is highly valued.

The Opportunity

This is more than a traditional engineering position.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to become a key technical leader within an established engineering and construction business and help build and shape its Controls & Automation function.

You will combine your technical expertise with team development, project leadership and, depending on level, commercial and strategic responsibility.

The position can be tailored around the successful candidate's experience and ambitions, with opportunities ranging from Senior Controls Engineer through to Controls Manager or Director level.

Compensation

$170,000 – $250,000+ base salary, depending on experience and level.

Highly experienced candidates operating at Director level may be considered above the advertised range where appropriate.

All applications will be treated confidentially.