Digital Engineer - Process Performance Optimization

ABB Inc.; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life insurance

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Short term disability

Long term disability

401(k)

Employee discount

Job summary

ABB in Houston is seeking a Digital Engineer - Process Performance Optimization to lead Advanced Process Control (APC) initiatives and optimize production performance. The role combines engineering leadership with hands-on APC design, modeling, and lifecycle support in a hybrid work model.

You will collaborate with process engineers, operations, and sales teams to deliver measurable value, improve energy efficiency, and drive continuous improvement across customer sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering; advanced degrees preferred.
• 10+ years in industrial automation, energy, power/water, and oil & gas industries.
• Expertise in process control to develop and implement advanced control strategies.
• Strong background with distributed control systems and instrumentation.
• Willingness to travel up to 40%.

Responsibilities

• Lead APC design, configuration, testing, and commissioning to meet objectives.
• Develop models and strategies to improve throughput, quality, energy use, and process stability.
• Serve as SME for APC solutions, supporting sales pursuits, proposals, workshops, and customer presentations.
• Collaborate with process engineers, operations, automation teams, and stakeholders to define APC requirements.
• Provide lifecycle support: monitoring, tuning, troubleshooting, health checks, and continuous improvement.
• Analyze data to quantify benefits and develop actionable recommendations delivering business value.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote APC engineering best practices.
• Support development of APC standards, templates, and organizational knowledge.
• Perform software engineering tasks in areas such as development, testing, DevOps, release, and maintenance.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product Management, and development teams for future planning.

Skills

APC expertise

Process optimization

Stakeholder collaboration

Distributed control

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's or PhD preferred

Tools

DCS platforms

Process instrumentation

Job description

Digital Engineer - Process Performance Optimization

$100,000 and $140,000 annually and is eligible for a short-term incentive plan/annual bonus

life insurance, parental leave, paid holidays, short term disability, long term disability, 401(k), employee discount

United States, Texas, Houston

Sep 25, 2026

At ABB, we help industries run leaner and cleaner-and every person here makes that happen. You'll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world.

This position reports to:

Digital Execution Lead

__

In this role, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with key stakeholders to develop, implement, and facilitate successful onboarding of digital solutions and the adoption of digital platforms and solutions into the customer business environment along with their subsequent operations and maintenance. Each day, you will provide consultative assistance in supporting the use of products with the goal of improving productivity and efficiency. You will also showcase your expertise by helping the customers to achieve their solution goals and objectives by leveraging domain expertise and knowledge on ABB's digital solutions.

The work model for the role is: Hybrid, based either in Houston, TX or Cleveland, OH

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, configuration, testing, and commissioning of Advanced Process Control (APC) applications, ensuring successful project delivery and achievement of customer performance objectives.
• Develop and maintain dynamic process models, control strategies, and optimization solutions that improve production throughput, product quality, energy efficiency, process stability, and asset utilization.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert (SME) for APC solutions, supporting sales pursuits, proposal development, technical workshops, scope development, and customer presentations.
• Collaborate with process engineers, operations personnel, automation teams, and project stakeholders to identify process improvement opportunities and define APC project requirements.
• Provide lifecycle support for deployed APC applications, including performance monitoring, controller tuning, troubleshooting, model maintenance, periodic health checks, and continuous improvement recommendations.
• Analyze process and operational data to quantify benefits, identify optimization opportunities, and develop actionable recommendations that deliver measurable business value to customers.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and project team members while promoting APC engineering best practices, standards, and documentation quality.
• Support the development of APC standards, methodologies, reusable engineering templates, and organizational knowledge to improve consistency, efficiency, and scalability of APC project execution.
• Guides, mentors, and performs a variety of software engineering tasks in one or more of the assigned areas such as software development, software quality engineering, software testing, DevOPS, cybersecurity, software release, support and maintenance, and/or release management with limited supervision.
• Collaborates with Sales, Product Management, and development teams and Solution Architects for future planning, feature development, and support on product deliverables.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering with advanced degrees (Master's or PhD) preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in industrial automation, energy, power and water and oil and gas industries.
• Expertise in process control to develop and implement advanced control strategies for optimizing processes.
• Strong background with distributed control systems, process instrumentation and supervisory control applications is a plus.
• Proven strategic planning, problem-solving, and operational efficiency skills, with expertise in process optimization, asset management, and regulatory compliance.
• Established leadership skills to effectively manage technical discussions and guide technical teams.
• Willingness to travel up to 40%

What's in it for you

We want you to bring your full self to work-your ideas, your energy, your ambition. You'll have the tools and freedom to grow your skills, shape your path, and take on challenges that matter. Here, your work creates impact you can see and feel, every day.

More About Us

ABB is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Aff…?.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their- sex (gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation), marital status, citizenship, age, race and ethnicity, inclusive of traits historically associated with race or ethnicity, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles, color, religious creed, national origin, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal and state law.

For more information regarding your (EEO) rights as an applicant, please visit the following websites: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

As an Equal Employment Opportunity and Aff…? Applicants may request to review the plan of a particular ABB facility between the hours of 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. EST Monday through Friday by contacting an ABB HR Representative at 1-888-694-7762.

Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access ABB's career site as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling an ABB HR Representative at 1-888-694-7762 or by sending an email to [e-mail] . Resumes and applications will not be accepted in this manner.

ABB Benefit Summary for eligible US employees

[excludes ABB E-mobility, Athens union, Puerto Rico]

Go to myBenefitsABB.com and click on "Candidate/Guest" to learn more

Health, Life & Disability

• Choice between two medical plan options: A PPO plan called the Copay Plan OR a High Deductible Health Plan (with a Health Savings Account) called the High Deductible Plan.
• Choice between two dental plan options: Core and Core Plus
• Company paid life insurance (2X base pay)
• Voluntary life and AD&D - 100% employee paid up to maximums
• Short Term Disability - up to 26 weeks - Company paid
• Long Term Disability - 60% of pay - Company paid. Ability to "buy-up" to 66 2/3% of pay.
• Supplemental benefits - 100% employee paid (Accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance
• Parental Leave - up to 6 weeks
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health Advocate support resources for mental/behavioral health, general health navigation and virtual health, and infertility/adoption
• Employee discount program

Retirement

• 401k Savings Plan with Company Contributions
• Employee Stock Acquisition Plan (ESAP)

Time off

ABB provides 11 paid holidays. Vacation is provided based on years of service for hourly and non-exempt positions. Salaried exempt positions are provided vacation under a permissive time away policy.

While base salary is determined by things such as the successful applicant's qualifications and experience, this position is expected to pay between $100,000 and $140,000 annually and is eligible for a short-term incentive plan/annual bonus.

Contribute to a collective vision. This is where progress takes flight, teams turn ideas into impact, and we define what's next. Run What Runs the World.

#RunwithABB

Building a cleaner, smarter future takes all kinds of minds: the curious, the courageous, and the creative. That's why we welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences.

Ready to make an impact?