Onsite Power Plant Control Systems Engineer - Upington

Placements24; Riverton (UT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement contribution

Professional development

Annual leave

Life insurance

Wellness programs

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Control Systems Engineer to join our client’s energy generation operations in Upington, South Africa. The role focuses on designing, implementing, and maintaining sophisticated PLC/DCS control architectures for power plants.

You will develop software, alarms, and HMI screens, perform troubleshooting, and drive plant reliability and safety outcomes on-site. A hardware/SCADA background and strong teamwork are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in control systems engineering in power generation or heavy industry.
• Proven experience with major PLC/DCS platforms (Siemens, Rockwell, Emerson DeltaV).
• Strong programming skills in Ladder Logic, Structured Text, and Function Block Diagram.
• Experience with HMI/SCADA software and industrial networking protocols.
• Solid understanding of process control principles and instrumentation.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting abilities.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• On-site work in South Africa; Pr. Eng. registration is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and commission PLCs and DCS for power plant operations.
• Develop and maintain control system software, including logic, HMI screens, and alarms.
• Troubleshoot and perform root cause analysis of control system failures.
• Ensure reliability and availability of control systems through proactive maintenance.
• Collaborate with process engineers and operators to optimize plant performance.
• Implement safety protocols and cybersecurity best practices for control systems.
• Specify hardware and software components for upgrades and new installations.
• Conduct technical training for operators and maintenance staff.
• Stay current with advancements in industrial automation and control technologies.
• Manage small to medium control system projects from inception to completion.

Skills

PLC/DCS programming

Ladder Logic

Structured Text

HMI/SCADA

Industrial networking

Teamwork & communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechatronics

Tools

Siemens PLC

Rockwell PLC

Emerson DeltaV

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Control Systems Engineer to join our client’s energy generation operations in Upington, South Africa. The role focuses on designing, implementing, and maintaining sophisticated PLC/DCS control architectures for power plants.

You will develop software, alarms, and HMI screens, perform troubleshooting, and drive plant reliability and safety outcomes on-site. A hardware/SCADA background and strong teamwork are essential.