Controls Engineer

Innospec Inc.; Salisbury (NC); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Controls Engineer at Innospec Inc. Salisbury, NC provides Electrical, Instrumentation, and Controls engineering expertise to support safe, reliable operations and compliance with site E&I standards.

Responsibilities include delivering EC&I design packages, supporting change control, HAZOP, functional safety, cyber security, and ongoing support to Project, Operations, and Maintenance teams across the North Carolina site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Chemical, Controls Engineering, or related field.
• Proven experience in chemical plant electrical, instrumentation, and controls design engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years in chemical/industrial manufacturing, ideally in Plant or Design Engineering.
• Strong technical knowledge with a practical, hands-on, can-do approach; able to work independently.
• Familiarity with applicable directives, standards, and industry best practices.
• Experience with Rockwell, Allen-Bradley, and SCADA systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Promote process safety and site SHE engagement, including major accident hazard areas.
• Provide low-voltage electrical and instrumentation expertise (up to 480V) for safe operations.
• Develop and maintain site EC&I standards, codes of practice, and regulatory alignment.
• Identify capital and revenue investments; prepare technical justifications.
• Produce detailed EC&I design packages for installations and upgrades.
• Support DCS/PLC/SCADA systems and cyber security of control systems.
• Serve as authorized approver for EC&I design, change control, and handover docs.
• Deliver capital projects from concept to commissioning and handover.
• Support knowledge management and staff development within EC&I teams.

Skills

Hands-on

Problem-solving

Independent work

Can-do attitude

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related

Tools

Rockwell

Allen-Bradley

SCADA

AutoCAD

Microsoft Project

Job description

The Controls Engineer provides Electrical, Instrumentation, and Controls Engineering expertise to support safe, reliable, and efficient operations at the Salisbury, NC site. This role is responsible for developing and maintaining site E&IC standards, supporting capital and revenue investment needs, and delivering EC&I design packages for projects and system upgrades. The position also serves as a technical resource for change control, HAZOP, functional safety, cyber security, safety assessments, and ongoing support to Project, Operations, and Maintenance teams.

Essential Functions

• Actively support the promotion of, and engagement in, process and workplace SHE, especially major accident hazards and Basis of Safety areas.
• Provide low-voltage electrical and instrumentation engineering expertise, up to 480V, to support safe and efficient business unit operations.
• Develop and maintain current and future site E&IC standards and codes of practice in alignment with applicable legislation, regulations, and U.S. standards.
• Identify capital and revenue investment requirements related to EC&I equipment and systems to maintain and improve safety, equipment fitness for purpose, energy efficiency, and cost effectiveness, including preparation of technical justification.
• Identify and implement new technologies for new applications and upgrades, designing to approved procedures to minimize the potential for major process accident hazards.
• Scope, specify, and produce detailed design packages to facilitate installation by contract personnel, including instrumentation and systems, functional safety installations, low-voltage electrical installations, AutoCAD Release 14 or higher, and cyber security of DCS and PLC systems.
• Support the development and serve as custodian of DCS, PLC, SCADA, and other control systems across the North Carolina sites.
• Serve as authorized site approver for EC&I systems, design packages, and handover documentation created by the Project E&I and Systems Engineering Team.
• Serve as authorized signatory for EC&I aspects of change control.
• Provide EC&I technical knowledge to support change control, HAZOP, functional safety, cyber security, and safety assessments.
• Provide problem-solving and technical support to Project, Operations, and Maintenance teams as required.
• Deliver electrical and instrumentation capital projects in support of the North Carolina site expansion strategy, including improvements from concept through commissioning and handover.
• Support ongoing knowledge management and quality improvement programs.
• Support staff development through relevant personal assessments, development of technical competencies, and promotion of teamwork within and between teams.

Role Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in chemical plant electrical, instrumentation, and controls design engineering, including both office-based and plant-based work.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the chemical industry or a similar industrial manufacturing environment, ideally within Plant Engineering or Design Engineering in a relevant discipline.
• Strong technical knowledge with a practical, hands-on, can-do approach; capable of delivering work independently and through others.
• Comfortable managing detailed technical work and supporting complex engineering requirements.
• Familiarity with the practical application of relevant directives, standards, codes of practice, guidelines, industry legislation, and industry best practices.
• Experience with control systems such as Rockwell, Allen-Bradley, and SCADA systems is preferred.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD Release 14 or higher and Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Project.

Environmental Restrictions

• Ability to perform essential job duties in both indoor and outdoor environments, including offices, facilities, and external job sites.
• Regular exposure to varying weather conditions, noise, dust, moving equipment, and uneven terrain.
• Physical requirements may include sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, bending, reaching, and operating tools or equipment as necessary to perform job responsibilities.
• Regular attendance and adherence to company safety policies are required.
• In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state laws, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.