Instrumentation and Controls Engineer II

Airswift; Baytown (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift seeks an Automation/Controls Engineer II in Baytown, TX to design, program, commission and maintain PLC-based control systems for refinery and chemical complex environments. You will contribute to instrumentation, electrical design, loop checks, and system integration supporting pilot plants and research facilities.

This hands-on role focuses on troubleshooting, safety interlocks, and continuous improvement across multiple automation technologies and control strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in EE/related field or equivalent experience.
• 2–5 years in automation, PLCs, instrumentation or industrial controls.
• Experience designing, programming, testing and troubleshooting PLC systems.
• Experience with system integration, commissioning and FAT/SAT activities.
• Experience producing electrical drawings, schematics and BOMs.
• Experience with field devices: valves, sensors, VFDs, motors.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, commission and maintain PLC-based controls.
• Troubleshoot electrical controls and instrumentation in refinery/chemical environments.
• Develop control logic, safety interlocks and shutdown schemes.
• Support system integration, FAT/SAT, loop checks and I/O verifications.
• Prepare drawings, wiring diagrams and cable schedules.

Skills

PLC programming

Electrical design

Troubleshooting

System integration

HMI/SCADA support

P&ID reading

AutoCAD

Documentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

AutoCAD

SAP/Analytics for Excel/Tableau

P&ID tools

HMI/SCADA platforms

Job description

Job Title: Instrumentation and Controls Engineer II

Duration: 1 year

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, with occasional overtime by approval

Location: Baytown, TX

Position Overview

We are seeking an Automation/Controls Engineer with experience in PLC programming, electrical controls, industrial automation, system integration, and troubleshooting. This role supports pilot plants and research facilities within a refinery and chemical complex environment through the design, programming, commissioning, optimization, and maintenance of custom automation and control systems.

The position offers exposure to a wide variety of automation technologies, control strategies, instrumentation systems, and research applications. Candidates with backgrounds in industrial automation, manufacturing, specialty chemicals, process industries, OEMs, system integrators, EPC organizations, pilot plants, or research facilities are encouraged to apply.

This is primarily an individual contributor role focused on PLC controls, electrical design, troubleshooting, control logic development, commissioning, and system integration rather than project management.

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; equivalent professional experience may be considered

Required Experience

• 2 to 5 years of experience in automation, controls engineering, PLC programming, instrumentation, or industrial control systems
• Experience designing, developing, programming, testing, and troubleshooting PLC-based industrial control systems
• Experience with system integration, commissioning, startup, functional testing, FAT/SAT activities, loop checks, and I/O verification
• Experience producing and reviewing electrical drawings and documentation, including schematics, control panel layouts, PLC enclosures, wiring diagrams, and cable schedules
• Experience supporting instrumentation and control hardware including pressure, temperature, flow, and level instrumentation, control valves, shutdown valves, motors, VFDs, and related field devices
• Experience analyzing equipment performance, maintenance records, instrument reliability, failure modes, and control system performance

Required Skills

• Strong knowledge of industrial automation, control systems engineering, electrical design standards, specifications, codes, and safety requirements
• Ability to design PLC panels, control enclosures, electrical control systems, and generate Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Ability to develop and implement shutdown logic, safety interlocks, and Cause & Effect matrices
• Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and improve existing PLC, instrumentation, and electrical control systems to enhance reliability, safety, and performance
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills
• Ability to read and interpret PLC programming documentation, electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs
• Proficiency with AutoCAD
• Experience supporting HMI, operator interface, or SCADA-related systems
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis using SAP, Analytics for Excel, Tableau, process historians, and visualization software tools
• Ability to perform process control philosophy reviews, control logic modifications, stability assessments, and loop tuning
• Strong communication, facilitation, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, multiple projects, and varying technical environments
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Fluent English communication skills for technical and business environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation platforms, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, SLC, or MicroLogix
• Experience with Siemens S7, GE Rx3i/RSTi/VersaMax, National Instruments cRIO/cDAQ, or Automation Direct platforms
• Proficiency in Ladder Logic, Function Block Diagram (FBD), and Structured Text programming
• Experience with industrial networking protocols including Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus RTU, RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485
• Experience supporting HMI and SCADA platforms
• Experience with system integration projects, startup support, and commissioning activities
• Experience within refining, petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, specialty chemicals, LNG, oil & gas, pilot plant, OEM, or industrial automation environments

Other Requirements

• Authorization to work in the US without sponsorship
• Availability to commute to Baytown

About Airswift

Airswift is an international workforce solutions provider within the energy, process and infrastructure industries. Airswift serves as a strategic partner to clients, offering a turnkey workforce solution to capture and deliver the top talent needed to complete successful projects by aligning with unique project needs. With over 1000 employees and 9,000 contractors operating in over 60 countries, Airswift's geographical reach and pool of talent available is unmatched in the industry.