CONTROLS SYSTEMS LEAD

In Demand Recruitment and Consulting Inc.; Geismar (LA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

In Demand Recruitment and Consulting Inc. supports a global industrial organization in Geismar, LA, seeking a Control Systems Lead to guide three plants with a strong emphasis on DCS, SIS, PLCs and instrumentation.

This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on SME work and cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Maintenance, Reliability and Engineering. You will drive reliability, availability and cybersecurity of plant control systems, oversee OPEX initiatives and capital

Qualifications

• BS in Engineering required, chemical or electrical preferred.
• 10+ years engineering or instrumentation/control systems experience, preferably in oil & gas, refining or petrochemical environments.
• 5+ years of proven leadership experience, including coaching and developing technical professionals.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of DCS and SIS.
• Experience with SIS and SIL principles/calculations.
• Knowledge of low-, medium- and high-voltage systems.
• Experience with MOC and plant-change processes.
• Strong project-management capabilities and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and mentor the Control Systems team across three plants, setting priorities and resources.
• Provide SME for DCS, SIS, PLC, instrumentation and electrical systems.
• Manage control systems portfolios to meet safety, quality, cost and schedule goals.
• Lead DCS OPEX projects and plant modifications from scope through commissioning and startup.
• Ensure changes are reviewed, risk-assessed and compliant with MOC and regulations.
• Guide Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, I&E and Project teams on complex controls issues.
• Support capital projects through design, review, construction and startup.
• Lead Plant Change Request and small OPEX modification evaluations.
• Oversee DCS/SIS G3 Vulnerabilities project and reporting.
• Provide guidance on SIS, SIL calculations, hazard assessments and risk reviews.
• Support major outages, pit stops and turnarounds with control systems planning.

Skills

DCS/SIS

Instrumentation

Process-control

Leadership

PLC

Cybersecurity

Project management

Communication

10+ years engineering/Instrumentation/

5+ years leadership

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

DCS platforms

HMI/SCADA

Job description

Our client is a well-established industrial organization operating complex process manufacturing facilities with a strong commitment to safety, reliability, operational excellence and continuous improvement.

They are seeking an experienced Control Systems Lead to provide technical and people leadership for the Control Systems function supporting three operating plants in Geismar, LA.

This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for an accomplished controls professional who combines deep DCS/SIS, instrumentation and process-control expertise with the ability to develop people, lead projects and partner effectively with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, Engineering and Projects.

About the Role

Reporting into Technical leadership, the Control Systems Lead will lead and develop the Control Systems team while providing strategic and technical direction for the site’s instrumentation, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), PLCs, automation and associated electrical/control infrastructure.

You will be accountable for the reliability, availability, security and long‑term performance of plant control systems, while overseeing plant modifications, OPEX initiatives, capital‑project support, outages, turnarounds and continuous‑improvement programs.

This role requires someone who can operate at both the leadership and technical SME level—setting priorities and developing the team while remaining capable of providing hands‑on technical direction on complex control‑system issues.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and mentor the Control Systems team supporting three plants, establishing priorities, allocating resources and ensuring effective technical support to the business.
• Provide subject matter expertise for DCS, SIS, PLC, instrumentation, process controls, automation and associated electrical systems.
• Manage Control Systems project and modification portfolios, ensuring safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives are achieved.
• Lead assigned DCS OPEX projects and plant modifications from scope development through engineering, construction, commissioning and startup.
• Ensure modifications are properly reviewed, risk assessed and executed in accordance with Management of Change (MOC) requirements, company standards and applicable regulations.
• Provide technical guidance to Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, I&E, Engineering and Project teams on complex controls and instrumentation issues.
• Support capital projects involving Control Systems through design development, technical review, construction, commissioning and startup.
• Lead the evaluation and execution of Plant Change Requests, Technical Service Requests and small OPEX modifications.
• Oversee the DCS/SIS G3 Vulnerabilities Project, including progress, risk and performance reporting to Technical leadership.
• Provide guidance on Safety Instrumented Systems, SIL calculations, hazard assessments and risk reviews, ensuring identified actions are appropriately addressed.
• Lead Control Systems planning and execution support for major outages, pit stops and turnarounds across the three plants.
• Maintain technical governance and lifecycle management for critical Control Systems assets, configurations and infrastructure.
• Ensure DCS drawings, P&IDs, I&E documentation and other critical technical records are accurate and appropriately controlled.
• Manage external engineering consultants, contractors and service providers, ensuring work is completed safely and effectively.
• Drive plant reliability, system availability, cybersecurity, risk reduction and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage departmental budgets and contribute to annual Technical Department and business planning.
• Develop team capability through coaching, mentoring, performance management, succession planning and recruitment.
• Collaborate with other company sites and participate as a member of the Global I&E Engineering sub-team to share technical knowledge and best practices.
• Champion a culture of safety, integrity, accountability, collaboration and operational excellence.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be an experienced Control Systems / Instrumentation & Electrical Engineering leader with a strong background supporting complex process manufacturing operations.

You will bring:

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an accredited institution required, with Chemical or Electrical Engineering preferred.
• 10+ years of Engineering or Instrumentation/Control Systems Engineering experience, preferably within Oil & Gas, Refining and/or Petrochemical environments.
• 5+ years of proven leadership experience preferred, including coaching and developing technical professionals.
• Strong hands‑on knowledge of Distributed Control Systems (DCS).
• Experience with Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) principles/calculations.
• Strong instrumentation, automation, process-control and electrical-systems knowledge.
• Knowledge of low‑, medium‑ and high‑voltage systems.
• Experience with Management of Change (MOC) and formal plant change‑management processes.
• Strong plant reliability, troubleshooting, diagnostic and fault‑finding capabilities.
• Experience supporting capital projects, OPEX modifications, outages, turnarounds, commissioning and startups.
• Working knowledge of mechanical/piping engineering and design principles.
• Experience with technical codes, standards, statutory requirements and industry best practices.
• Strong project‑management capabilities, including cost estimating/control, procurement, expediting and contract management.
• Experience managing external engineering consultants, contractors and service providers.
• Strong computer and programming skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical issues for operations personnel, management and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively across multidisciplinary and geographically dispersed teams.

Why Join Our Client?

This is an opportunity to take on a significant technical leadership role supporting three operating plants while influencing the long‑term reliability and performance of critical Control Systems infrastructure.

You will have the opportunity to lead a specialized technical team, provide direction on major DCS/SIS and reliability initiatives, contribute to capital projects and turnarounds, and work closely with senior technical and operational leaders across the organization.

For an experienced Control Systems professional ready to combine technical expertise, people leadership and strategic plant responsibility, this represents an excellent opportunity to make a measurable impact within a sophisticated industrial operating environment.