Senior Controls Engineer

Solcoa Industries; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Generous stock options

Comprehensive medical, dental and VISP

Job summary

Solcoa Industries in San Francisco, CA, is building the next generation of American metalmaking. The Senior Controls Engineer will own the design, implementation, testing, and commissioning of instrumentation and controls for Solcoa’s metals processing systems, building scalable measurement and data recording, and integrating PLC-based automation into reactor designs.

You will work with process and mechanical engineers to translate process requirements into reliable automation and protective

Qualifications

• Experience designing instrumentation and data acquisition systems.
• Experience with PLC-based controls for reactors, gas systems, and furnaces.
• Experience with testing, commissioning, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Instrumentation and Data Acquisition: design scalable systems to measure and record temperature, pressure, gas concentrations, and process flows; select instruments; establish calibration requirements; build data logging and displays.
• Reactor, Gas, and Furnace Controls: develop PLC-based controls; regulate gas flow, pressure, and heating; integrate controls into reactor designs.
• Safe Operation and Shutdown: design alarms, interlocks, and shutdown controls; define safe responses to abnormal conditions and failures.
• Testing and Commissioning: lead testing; verify calibration and wiring; document results; prepare operating instructions and training.

Skills

Instrumentation

Data acquisition

PLC programming

Safety systems

Tools

Siemens PLC

Allen-Bradley PLC

Job description

Making the Metals Powering the World

Solcoa is building the next generation of American metalmaking, starting with rare earths — the metals of power and motion. We’ve developed a new chemistry that converts rare earth oxides into high-purity metals — the materials inside every EV, fighter jet, wind turbine, and data center — cleaner, cheaper, and faster than any conventional process. Now we’re scaling it to thousands of tonnes of annual production.

The Role

The Senior Controls Engineer will own the design, implementation, testing, and commissioning of instrumentation and controls for Solcoa’s metals processing systems. You will build scalable measurement and data recording systems, integrate PLC-based automation into reactor designs, and develop controls for gas delivery and furnace operation. Working closely with process and mechanical engineers, you will translate process requirements into reliable automation and protective controls that support safe operation and shutdown as we scale production.

What You’ll Do

• Instrumentation and Data Acquisition. Design scalable systems to measure and record temperature, pressure, gas concentrations, and process flows. Select and integrate instruments, establish calibration requirements, and build reliable data logging and operator displays that support troubleshooting and production scale-up.

• Reactor, Gas, and Furnace Controls. Develop PLC-based controls for reactors, gas systems, and furnaces. Use process measurements to regulate gas flow, pressure, and heating. Work with process and mechanical engineers to integrate controls into reactor designs and automate operating sequences.

• Safe Operation and Shutdown. Design alarms, interlocks, and shutdown controls with process and safety engineers. Implement required safety functions and define how systems respond to abnormal conditions, instrument failures, and loss of utilities to bring processes to a safe state.

• Testing and Commissioning. Lead testing and commissioning of instrumentation and controls. Verify calibration, wiring, control logic, and shutdown functions. Resolve issues during installation and startup, document test results, and prepare operating instructions and training for the operations team.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary.

• Generous stock options.

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance.

• Company-provided lunch daily.

• Visa sponsorship available if needed.