Control System Engineer

Birdon Group; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Birdon Group is seeking a Senior Controls System Engineer to design, develop, integrate, and validate advanced electronic control systems for maritime applications. You will lead complex engineering efforts across multi-functional teams and ensure compliant, high-quality automation and power systems.

Responsibilities include specifying designs, implementing PLC/HMI controls, CAN bus networks, power generation and distribution, and C5i integration on vessels.

Qualifications

• BS degree preferred in Electrical Engineering or similar
• 10+ years of control system design to include feedback control systems using PLC and CAN bus protocols
• Desire experience with autonomy, automation, and modular open systems architecture concepts and architectures
• Desire marine electrical knowledge to include power generation, power distribution, navigation, communication, video, equipment installations, junction box installation, cable routing, cableways and penetrations, and lighting systems
• Experience with MS Office, BC Dynamics, AutoCAD, Zuken, Python, PDM, PLM, MRP, SharePoint, and Access
• The ability to work unsupervised efficiently and effectively
• Have excellent communication, teamwork, leadership, conflict management, and critical thinking skills
• 5 years program management experience
• Ability to be lead technical advisor to achieve scope, cost, and schedule targets
• Ability to pay attention to detail and to work on complex configurations
• Understanding of compliance to AS9100 and Mil-STD-973

Responsibilities

• Specifies, designs, optimizes, adapts, and tests electronic control systems to remotely control and autonomously control maritime related processes to maximize mission effectiveness and endurance, and to minimize mission risk.
• Develops technical designs, process diagrams, ladder logic diagrams, and control schematics to implement automation controls according to customer requirements.
• Configures systems using PLC and HMI techniques.
• Models, tests, and measures output and data to analyze performance or quality issues and develop solutions.
• Coordinates with customer, sub-contractors, and vendors to manage inputs to design activities.
• Software development for feedback control systems using CAN bus protocols.
• Meets daily with team members to identify roadblocks and remove roadblocks.
• Develop electrical power generation and power distribution systems for marine applications.
• Integrate Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber and Intelligence (C5i) systems into vessel.
• Approve wiring routing tables with passthrough information, pinout identification, wire type, connector part numbers, label descriptions in MS Access.
• Ensures that all work is performed in accordance with the specifications, drawings, and terms of the contract including ABS standards within assigned SWBS section.
• Partners with Weight Manager to monitor and control the weight of the systems to meet design targets.
• Approver of Engineering Change Notifications (ECNs) to formally release design data.
• Initiates Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) when improvements or errors are identified.
• Redlines released designs for junior engineers to incorporate into the controlled design.
• Development of engineering deliverables in accordance with engineering processes, ensuring safe, fit for purpose engineering deliverables, and presenting material associated with the above life-cycle reviews.
• Approve drawings using Product Life Cycle Management system following company workflow.
• Addresses ECRs on time to support production readiness.
• Issues ECNs on time to implement new designs and changes.
• Partner with quality team to troubleshoot installation issues, determine root cause, and recommend solutions.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the department by creating work instructions for best practices as well as mentoring/training junior designers.
• Reviews peer’s work for compliance to engineering standards.
• Works autonomously and unsupervised.
• Leads a small team of engineers and designers.
• Tasks performed are of a complex nature.

Skills

Control system design

Autonomy and automation

Modular open systems architecture

Leadership

CAN bus protocols

PLC programming

HMI configuration

Python

Team collaboration

Critical thinking

Education

BS degree in Electrical Engineering or similar

Tools

MS Office

BC Dynamics

AutoCAD

Zuken

Python

PDM

PLM

MRP

SharePoint

Access

Job description

The Controls System Engineer – Senior is responsible for the design, development, integration, and validation of advanced electronic control systems for maritime applications. This role leads complex engineering efforts, supports cross-functional collaboration, and ensures delivery of high-quality, compliant, and innovative automation and power systems. The position requires strong technical expertise, leadership capability, and the ability to work autonomously on complex assignments across multi-functional teams.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Specifies, designs, optimizes, adapts, and tests electronic control systems to remotely control and autonomously control maritime related processes to maximize mission effectiveness and endurance, and to minimize mission risk.
• Develops technical designs, process diagrams, ladder logic diagrams, and control schematics to implement automation controls according to customer requirements.
• Configures systems using PLC and HMI techniques.
• Models, tests, and measures output and data to analyze performance or quality issues and develop solutions.
• Coordinates with customer, sub-contractors, and vendors to manage inputs to design activities.
• Software development for feedback control systems using CAN bus protocols.
• Meets daily with team members to identify roadblocks and remove roadblocks.
• Develop electrical power generation and power distribution systems for marine applications.
• Integrate Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber and Intelligence (C5i) systems into vessel.
• Approve wiring routing tables with passthrough information, pinout identification, wire type, connector part numbers, label descriptions in MS Access.
• Ensures that all work is performed in accordance with the specifications, drawings, and terms of the contract including ABS standards within assigned SWBS section.
• Partners with Weight Manager to monitor and control the weight of the systems to meet design targets.
• Approver of Engineering Change Notifications (ECNs) to formally release design data.
• Initiates Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) when improvements or errors are identified.
• Redlines released designs for junior engineers to incorporate into the controlled design.
• Development of engineering deliverables in accordance with engineering processes, ensuring safe, fit for purpose engineering deliverables, and presenting material associated with the above life-cycle reviews.
• Approve drawings using Product Life Cycle Management system following company workflow.
• Addresses ECRs on time to support production readiness.
• Issues ECNs on time to implement new designs and changes.
• Partner with quality team to troubleshoot installation issues, determine root cause, and recommend solutions.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the department by creating work instructions for best practices as well as mentoring/training junior designers.
• Reviews peer’s work for compliance to engineering standards.
• Works autonomously and unsupervised.
• Leads a small team of engineers and designers.
• Tasks performed are of a complex nature.

Qualifications / Skills / Experience:

• BS degree preferred in Electrical Engineering or similar
• 10+ years of control system design to include feedback control systems using PLC and CAN bus protocols
• Desire experience with autonomy, automation, and modular open systems architecture concepts and architectures
• Desire marine electrical knowledge to include power generation, power distribution, navigation, communication, video, equipment installations, junction box installation, cable routing, cableways and penetrations, and lighting systems
• Experience with MS Office, BC Dynamics, AutoCAD, Zuken, Python, PDM, PLM, MRP, SharePoint, and Access
• The ability to work unsupervised efficiently and effectively
• Have excellent communication, teamwork, leadership, conflict management, and critical thinking skills
• 5 years program management experience
• Ability to be lead technical advisor to achieve scope, cost, and schedule targets
• Ability to pay attention to detail and to work on complex configurations
• Understanding of compliance to AS9100 and Mil-STD-973