Principal Process Controls Engineer - Lead Automation

BW Design Group; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Design Group is seeking a Principal Process Controls Engineer to lead process control systems projects with a focus on FactoryTalk Batch, PlantPAx and ISA-88 standards. You will guide teams through design, startup, and client handover while ensuring safety, quality, and budget compliance.

You will mentor engineers, develop firmwide standards, and partner with clients to deliver world-class outcomes. Significant travel to installations and client engagement is expected.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive process controls engineering experience with leadership and client-facing responsibilities.
• Mastery of FactoryTalk Batch, Rockwell PlantPAx, and ISA-88 (S88) batch control standards.
• Significant experience with instrumentation, industrial networking, PLC/SCADA architectures and integration.
• Proven history leading teams to deliver automation projects on time and within budget.
• Excellent communication skills for executive and plant-level audiences; travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Serve as SME and technical authority for process control systems across projects.
• Lead project teams through full automation life cycle from design to startup and handover.
• Ensure quality, schedule, cost targets, and regulatory and safety compliance.
• Mentor engineers and uplift organizational technical capabilities.
• Develop and implement firmwide standards and best practices for controls.
• Engage clients to define requirements and build trusted, long-term relationships.
• Support business development, opportunity reviews, and proposals for complex projects.

Skills

FactoryTalk Batch

PlantPAx

ISA-88

Instrumentation

Industrial Networking

PLC/SCADA

Team Leadership

Client Communication

Education

Electrical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

PE preferred

Tools

Rockwell Automation

PlantPAx System

Job description

Design Group is seeking a Principal Process Controls Engineer to lead process control systems projects with a focus on FactoryTalk Batch, PlantPAx and ISA-88 standards. You will guide teams through design, startup, and client handover while ensuring safety, quality, and budget compliance.

You will mentor engineers, develop firmwide standards, and partner with clients to deliver world-class outcomes. Significant travel to installations and client engagement is expected.