Instrumentation Engineer

Actalent; Hopewell (VA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 143,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match

PTO 2-4 weeks

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an Instrumentation Engineer to lead electrical reliability initiatives at the Hopewell plant. You will oversee maintenance programs, support capital projects from design through startup, and guide plant standards for electrical equipment, protecting critical assets across 27k instruments.

The role requires 5+ years in reliability engineering for instrumentation, a bachelor's in electrical engineering, and strong knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70E, ISA standards, with on-site

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a reliability engineer specializing in instrumentation and controls.
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• Proficiency in electrical engineering, reliability engineering, and maintenance engineering.
• Experience with VFD, hardware, and schematic design.
• Experience with National Electric Code, NFPA 70E, and ISA standards.
• Familiarity with safety procedures in hazardous chemical environments.

Responsibilities

• Oversee preventative and predictive maintenance programs for electrical equipment and controls.
• Provide electrical oversight of activities generated by the Management of Change process.
• Support capital projects from design phase to startup.
• Identify and utilize preferred equipment manufacturers, specialists, and consultants.
• Inspect new/repaired electrical equipment and make spare parts recommendations.
• Provide technical assistance to the hourly E&I Technicians work group and contractors, as needed.
• Guide on new electrical equipment technology, plant standards, and drawing updates.
• Develop and implement Reliability and Maintenance procedures pertaining to electrical equipment.
• Prepare Reliability Control Plans for critical equipment.
• Ensure quality assurance in Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance, Operator Monitoring, Critical Repair activities, and Spare Parts bills of materials.
• Analyze failures and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) teams and apply lean principles.
• Participate in Reliability-focused Failure Modes and Effects Analyses teams where appropriate.
• Develop and implement reliability control plans for electrical systems as part of an ongoing asset risk management initiative.
• Lead electrical equipment performance troubleshooting as required.
• Actively participate in plant safety programs and maintain knowledge and understanding of Process Safety Management, OSHA requirements, and other safety standards.

Skills

5+ years experience

Electrical engineering

VFD design

Communication skills

Meridium

SAP work management

NFPA 70E ISA standards

Repair troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Meridium

SAP work management

Job description

Job Title: Instrumentation Engineer

Job Description The Electrical Reliability Engineer is responsible for electrical reliability projects supporting the Maintenance and Reliability organization at the Hopewell Plant by applying Reliability Engineering principles, statistical data analysis, and supporting work processes. This fast-paced position thrives in a dynamic team environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee preventative and predictive maintenance programs for electrical equipment and controls.
• Provide electrical oversight of activities generated by the Management of Change process.
• Support capital projects from design phase to startup.
• Identify and utilize preferred equipment manufacturers, specialists, and consultants.
• Inspect new/repaired electrical equipment and make spare parts recommendations.
• Provide technical assistance to the hourly E&I Technicians work group and contractors, as needed.
• Guide on new electrical equipment technology, plant standards, and drawing updates.
• Develop and implement Reliability and Maintenance procedures pertaining to electrical equipment.
• Prepare Reliability Control Plans for critical equipment.
• Ensure quality assurance in Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance, Operator Monitoring, Critical Repair activities, and Spare Parts bills of materials.
• Analyze failures and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) teams and apply lean principles.
• Participate in Reliability-focused Failure Modes and Effects Analyses teams where appropriate.
• Develop and implement reliability control plans for electrical systems as part of an ongoing asset risk management initiative.
• Lead electrical equipment performance troubleshooting as required.
• Actively participate in plant safety programs and maintain knowledge and understanding of Process Safety Management, OSHA requirements, and other safety standards.

Essential Skills

• 5+ years of experience as a reliability engineer specializing in instrumentation and controls.
• Bachelors degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• Proficiency in electrical engineering, reliability engineering, and maintenance engineering.
• Experience with VFD, hardware, and schematic design.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in chemical/petrochemical plant maintenance and/or reliability engineering.
• Knowledge of electrical design, selection, repair techniques, and performance assessment.
• Experience in electrical reliability with low and medium voltage electrical distribution equipment, VFDs, motors and motor control systems.
• Knowledge in the use and application of predictive technologies (infrared, testing history, diagnostic software/systems).
• Familiarity with Fault Current, Coordination, and Arc Flash Studies.
• Experience using SAP work management system, Meridium, or similar system for reliability data collection and analysis.
• Experience with National Electric Code, NFPA 70E, and ISA standards.
• Familiarity with safety procedures and requirements in a hazardous chemical environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals at all levels of an organization.
• Ability to incorporate safety into foundations of work activities.
• Ability to generate and implement work process improvements.
• Ability to analyze complex technical issues and develop robust solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Knowledgeable in repair and troubleshooting techniques for electrical and instrumentation equipment.
• Familiarity with Lean and Six Sigma tools for business process improvement.
• Highly motivated, self-directed, capable of working with limited daily supervision.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Ability to work in various weather conditions in an industrial environment.

Work Environment The role is based in an industrial, chemical manufacturing plant with a team of around 10 engineers. The candidate will help oversee and direct E&I technicians, working on a variety of machines, including over 27k unique instruments. The position offers the opportunity to work on both older equipment and new, state-of-the-art machinery.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Hopewell, VA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $95000.00 - $142600.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

401k match, PTO from 2-4 weeks

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 10, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Hopewell, VA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.