Process Control Engineer

Airswift; Westlake (LA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift is seeking a Process Control Engineer for a 6-month assignment at a refinery and petrochemical facility in Lake Charles, LA. The role focuses on process control optimisation, automation support, and operational improvement to boost safety, reliability and energy efficiency.

You will work with operations, maintenance, process engineering, and project teams on unit-specific optimization, alarm management, and start-up activities, requiring hands-on experience with DCS systems such as

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemical, electrical, or mechanical engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of process controls experience in refinery or petrochemical facilities.
• Strong knowledge of process control systems and automation technologies.
• Experience with process safety management programmes.
• TWIC card eligibility.
• Experience with Foxboro IA and Emerson DeltaV DCS.
• PLC experience including Triconex, GE Fanuc, or Mark V/VI/VII.
• Knowledge of batch and continuous manufacturing control applications.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and support process control applications for operating units.
• Develop, modify, troubleshoot, and tune DCS strategies.
• Support advanced process control and multivariable control systems.
• Design and implement control strategies for operational improvements.
• Monitor plant performance; identify throughput, quality, and energy gains.
• Provide technical support for automation and safety systems.
• Participate in process safety activities, hazard reviews, and MOC.
• Assist in alarm management initiatives and KPI improvements.
• Develop operator graphics and train on control strategies.
• Support project execution, testing, and start-up activities.

Skills

Process controls

Automation

HSE / safety management

TWIC

Foxboro IA

Emerson DeltaV

PLC experience

Batch/continuous knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Eng

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Eng

Tools

Foxboro IA DCS

Emerson DeltaV

Triconex PLC

GE Fanuc PLC

Mark VI/VII PLCs

Job description

Process Control Engineer

Duration: 6-month assignment with possibility of extension

Location: Lake Charles, LA

This Process Control Engineer position is focused on supporting safe, reliable, and efficient operations through process control optimisation, automation support, and operational improvement. The Process Control Engineer will work closely with operations, maintenance, process engineering, and project teams to improve plant performance, product quality, and energy efficiency. This Process Control Engineer opportunity will suit candidates with strong technical capability and hands‑on experience in complex process manufacturing environments.

Role Context

This opportunity is based within a manufacturing facility in the refinery and petrochemical industry. The role supports assigned processing units and works across day‑to‑day operations as well as capital project activities. The position involves close collaboration with cross‑functional teams in a process manufacturing environment with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and support process control applications for assigned operating units.
• Develop, modify, troubleshoot, and tune distributed control system strategies.
• Support advanced process control applications and multivariable control systems.
• Design and implement control strategies to support operational improvements and capital projects.
• Monitor plant performance and identify opportunities to improve throughput, product quality, and energy utilisation.
• Provide technical support for PLCs, automation systems, and safety instrumented systems.
• Participate in process safety activities including hazard reviews, incident investigations, and management of change.
• Support alarm management initiatives, including alarm rationalisation and KPI improvement.
• Develop operator graphics and provide training on control strategies and system modifications.
• Support project execution activities including testing and start-up.

Qualifications & Experience

• Essential: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Essential: Minimum 5 years of process controls, operations engineering, or process engineering experience within a refinery or petrochemical facility.
• Essential: Strong understanding of process control systems and automation technologies.
• Essential: Experience supporting process safety management programmes and related activities.
• Essential: Ability to obtain or maintain a TWIC card.
• Essential: Experience with Foxboro IA distributed control systems.
• Essential: Experience with Emerson DeltaV distributed control systems.
• Desirable: Experience supporting advanced process control applications.
• Desirable: PLC experience including Triconex, GE Fanuc, or Mark V, VI, or VII systems.
• Desirable: Knowledge of batch and continuous manufacturing control applications, participation in hazard and protection studies, and SAP experience.

About the Company

This company is a chemical manufacturer producing and distributing petrochemicals, polyester fibres, film and chips, polymers, yarns, and wool products. Its operations support a broad industrial manufacturing base across process industries.