Senior Controls Engineer

Insight Global; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to support the deployment, commissioning, startup, and turnover of a DCS on a major power generation project. You will coordinate with engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, and vendor teams to ensure the control system is installed, tested, and brought online safely and successfully.

The role requires 8+ years in controls/commissioning, strong DCS knowledge, hands-on troubleshooting, and excellent communication.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in controls engineering, commissioning, startup, or related field.
• Strong understanding of Distributed Control Systems (DCS).
• Experience supporting commissioning and startup activities in industrial environments.
• Hands-on troubleshooting with control systems, instrumentation, networks, and field devices.
• Strong communication and coordination skills.

Responsibilities

• Support DCS installation, hardware checkout, cabinet inspections, network verification, and system startup activities.
• Coordinate with vendors, contractors, engineering teams, and operations personnel throughout commissioning and startup.
• Perform control logic checkout, graphics verification, alarm validation, historian checks, and field device integration.
• Execute loop checks, functional testing, interlock testing, permissive testing, sequence testing, and control tuning.
• Troubleshoot DCS hardware, software, communications, instrumentation interfaces, I/O, and industrial networks.
• Review narratives, logic diagrams, I/O lists, drawings, and commissioning documentation.
• Support FAT, SAT, procedures, deficiency tracking, and punch list resolution.
• Provide field engineering support during energization, startup, synchronization, performance testing, turnover.
• Maintain startup documentation, test records, issue logs, and turnover packages.
• Manage controls-related change management processes throughout commissioning.

Skills

Controls engineering

Commissioning

Startup

Industrial automation

Power generation

Communication

Tools

Emerson Ovation

DeltaV

Honeywell Experion

ABB 800xA

Job description

Senior Controls Engineer (DCS Commissioning & Startup)

We're looking for an experienced Controls Engineer to support the deployment, commissioning, startup, and turnover of a Distributed Control System (DCS) on a major power generation project. This individual will play a key role in coordinating with engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, and vendor teams to ensure the control system is installed, tested, and brought online safely and successfully.

What You'll Do

• Support DCS installation, hardware checkout, cabinet inspections, network verification, and system startup activities.
• Coordinate with vendors, contractors, engineering teams, and operations personnel throughout commissioning and startup.
• Perform control logic checkout, graphics verification, alarm validation, historian checks, and field device integration.
• Execute loop checks, functional testing, interlock testing, permissive testing, sequence testing, and control tuning.
• Troubleshoot DCS hardware, software, communications, instrumentation interfaces, I/O, and industrial networks.
• Review control narratives, logic diagrams, I/O lists, drawings, and commissioning documentation.
• Support FAT, SAT, commissioning procedures, deficiency tracking, and punch list resolution.
• Provide field engineering support during energization, startup, synchronization, performance testing, and turnover activities.
• Maintain startup documentation, test records, issue logs, and turnover packages.
• Manage controls-related change management processes throughout commissioning.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in controls engineering, commissioning, startup, industrial automation, power generation, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of Distributed Control Systems (DCS).
• Experience supporting commissioning and startup activities in industrial environments.
• Hands-on troubleshooting experience with control systems, instrumentation, networks, and field devices.
• Strong communication and coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Emerson Ovation, DeltaV, Honeywell Experion, ABB 800xA, or similar DCS platforms.
• Experience with loop checks, logic validation, graphics testing, and system integration.
• Experience supporting power plants, combined cycle facilities, utilities, refineries, chemical plants, or other process industries.
• Familiarity with PLCs, SCADA, industrial networking, instrumentation, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Knowledge of ISA, IEEE, NFPA, NERC CIP, or related industry standards.
• Hybrid schedule when project demands allow.
• Significant onsite support required during commissioning and startup phases.
• Travel typically 25-50%, with higher travel during critical project milestones.