Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Design Lead

Xyntek Inc; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalyx is seeking an Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Technical Design Lead responsible for defining and coordinating the project’s I&C design requirements, equipment data, specifications, installation standards, and testing requirements. This role ensures I&C designs are technically solid and aligned with the PCS architecture, site automation roadmap, and industry practices.

You will lead cross‑disciplinary interfaces with process, electrical, and commissioning teams to ensure consistent

Qualifications

• Degree in Instrumentation and Controls Engineering or related field.
• Experience in instrumentation and controls design for complex industrial facilities.
• Knowledge of field instrumentation, control valves, actuators, cabling, and panels.
• Ability to coordinate instrumentation requirements with process, electrical, automation, and commissioning teams.
• Understanding PCS architectures and hazardous-area requirements.
• Knowledge of hazardous-area standards and regulatory practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and review of I&C design requirements, specifications, schedules, and supporting engineering documentation.
• Evaluate instrumentation technologies and standards to align with site operations and automation roadmap.
• Define requirements for field instruments, valves, actuators, junction boxes, panels, and cables.
• Coordinate I&C design interfaces with process, PCS, electrical, equipment layout, construction, and commissioning teams.
• Establish I&C equipment data, instrument specs, cable sizing, and installation standards.
• Collaborate with site I&C and automation personnel to align with current and future automation strategy.
• Provide input to long-lead process equipment packages, including vendor-supplied skids.
• Define and review I&C requirements within vendor SOWs and technical docs.
• Coordinate installation, loop testing, calibration, and handover activities.
• Ensure designs consider safety, environmental conditions, and maintenance accessibility.
• Ensure compliance with standards, hazardous-area classifications, and safe practices.

Skills

Instrumentation engineering

Controls engineering

Field instrumentation

SOW coordination

Vendor coordination

PCS architectures

Hazardous-area standards

Project coordination

Documentation skills

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Instrumentation/Controls Engineering degree

Tools

PLC/DCS familiarity

Job description

Frederick, United States | Posted on 10/16/2026

Catalyx specializes in the science of operational processes. With a footprint across North America and Europe, the company carefully automates and services R&D, production, packaging, and delivery processes—globally—with a sophisticated blend of products, technologies, and lifecycle services. The company was formed in 2022 after CXV Global (Crest Solutions, Xyntek, and VistaLink) and Panacea Technologies joined forces. For over three decades, Catalyx’s partnership-based culture has helped organizations in production-intense, highly regulated industries optimize their operational efficiency, performance, and safety. To learn more about the company's experience and comprehensive suite of capabilities and solutions, visit www.catalyx.ai .

Job Description

Catalyx is seeking an Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Technical DesignLead is responsible for defining, coordinating, and maintaining the project’s instrumentation and controls design requirements, equipment data,specifications, installation standards, and testing requirements. This roleensures that I&C designs are technically sound, consistently documented,and aligned with the Process Control System (PCS) architecture, site automationroadmap, industry standards, and overall project objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, coordination, and reviewof I&C design requirements, specifications, schedules, and supportingengineering documentation.
• Evaluate emerging instrumentation technologies,communication protocols, and industry standards to develop recommendationsaligned with site operations, the long-term automation roadmap, and FMC F&Eobjectives.
• Define requirements for field instruments,valves, actuators, junction boxes, panels, cable interfaces, terminations,signal types, and associated installation arrangements.
• Coordinate I&C design interfaces withprocess, PCS, electrical, equipment layout, construction, and commissioningteams to ensure consistency across the engineering package.
• Establish and maintain I&C equipment data,instrument and final-element specifications, cable identification and sizingrequirements, panel and junction-box arrangements, calibration requirements,and installation standards.
• Collaborate with site I&C and automationpersonnel to understand existing operations, validate design decisions, andensure alignment with the site’s current and future automation strategy.
• Provide early technical input to long-leadprocess equipment packages, including bioreactors and vendor-supplied skids,ensuring I&C requirements are complete, clearly defined, and compatiblewith the future PCS architecture.
• Define and review I&C requirements withinvendor Statements of Work (SOWs), including instrumentation, valves, actuators,local devices, panels, junction boxes, cable interfaces, terminations, andhardwired I/O.
• Work closely with the APEO – PCS team to definethe interfaces between vendor-supplied equipment, including dumb skids, andthe project’s instrumentation and control systems.
• Define and coordinate installation, looptesting, calibration, and other I&C verification requirements to supportconstruction, commissioning, and system handover.
• Identify and resolve gaps or inconsistencies ininstrumentation data, loop and cable information, layouts, terminationarrangements, and testing documentation before they impact procurement,fabrication, installation, or commissioning.
• Ensure designs consider applicable engineeringstandards, hazardous-area classifications (including ATEX where applicable),environmental conditions, accessibility, maintainability, and safe installationpractices.
• Serve as the technical I&C design lead whencoordinating with the Design-Build Firm and applicable System Integrators,ensuring consistent implementation of project design requirements.
• Develop and support I&C design documentationfor the overall project, long-lead process equipment workstream, and otherrelated engineering deliverables.

Requirements

• Degree or equivalent qualification inInstrumentation and Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, AutomationEngineering, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in instrumentation andcontrols engineering design for complex industrial or process facilities.
• Strong knowledge of field instrumentation,control valves, actuators, instrumentation interfaces, cabling, junction boxes,panels, and termination arrangements.
• Experience developing and reviewing I&Cspecifications, instrument schedules, equipment data sheets, loop diagrams,cable schedules, installation details, and testing documentation.
• Understanding of Process Control System (PCS)architectures, industrial communication protocols, hardwired I/O, andintegration of vendor-supplied equipment packages.
• Experience coordinating instrumentationrequirements with process, electrical, automation, equipment vendors,construction, and commissioning teams.
• Knowledge of applicable instrumentationstandards, hazardous-area requirements, and relevant regulatory and industrypractices.
• Experience defining and reviewing vendor SOWsand technical requirements for long-lead process equipment and packagedsystems.
• Ability to assess emerging technologies anddevelop practical recommendations that balance innovation, site standards,operational requirements, and long-term automation strategies.
• Strong technical coordination, problem-solving,documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to lead technical design discussions,resolve cross-disciplinary interfaces, and drive design consistency acrossmultiple project stakeholders.