Senior Ovation DCS Programmer / Control Systems Engineer

Hazen and Sawyer; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Hazen and Sawyer invites a Senior Ovation DCS Programmer to lead Emerson Ovation projects from design through commissioning for water and wastewater facilities. You will program, test, and optimize control strategies, mentor junior staff, and collaborate across operations, engineering, and project management.

The role supports hybrid work with a preference for Virginia or the Washington DC area, and requires hands-on experience in DCS systems, FAT/SAT, and cybersecurity best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in control systems or automation.
• Hands-on experience with Emerson Ovation DCS systems.
• Experience with water or wastewater facilities.
• Experience with FAT, SAT and field commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Configure, program, test, and commission Emerson Ovation DCS systems.
• Develop and maintain control logic, operator graphics, alarm configurations, and system databases.
• Lead upgrades, migrations, and expansions on Ovation platforms.
• Support control optimization, tuning, and modernization initiatives.

Skills

Emerson Ovation DCS

Control systems engineering

DCS programming

FAT/SAT testing

Leadership & mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Emerson Ovation DCS configuration tools

Automation software & diagrams

Job description

Job Description

Hazen and Sawyer is seeking anexperienced Senior Ovation DCS Programmer / Control Systems Engineer to support the design, implementation, commissioning, and long-term support of Emerson Ovation Distributed Control Systems for water and wastewater treatment facilities. This role is a senior technical position responsible for hands-on system programming, configuration, troubleshooting, and optimization, with direct involvement in plant operations, startup, and lifecycle support. The successful candidate will serve as a technical lead, supporting project delivery while mentoring junior staff and collaborating closely with operations, engineering, and project management teams.

This position can be based at any Hazen location; however, our preference is for it to be based in Virginia or the Washington, D.C. area.

Why Hazen and Sawyer:

• Founded in 1951 by the son of Allen Hazen (developer of the Hazen-Williams equation), we are an employee-owned company with a singular focus on "all things water."
• Our work includes planning, design, and oversight of construction of environmental infrastructure – for water, wastewater, and stormwater management.
• We foster a work environment low on bureaucracy and high in creativity.
• We recruit talented professionals, provide them with challenging, interesting, and creative assignments, and furnish them with the tools they need to succeed.
• We currently have over 2,400 employees in 70+ offices throughout the United States, Latin America, Canada, and the UK.
• A flexible hybrid work schedule supports today's busy professionals.

Key Responsibilities:

Ovation DCS Engineering & Programming

• Configure, program, test, and commission Emerson Ovation DCS systems.
• Develop and maintain control logic, operator graphics, alarm configurations, and system databases.
• Perform system upgrades, migrations, and expansions on legacy and current Ovation platforms.
• Support control optimization, tuning, and modernization initiatives.

Water & Wastewater Process Integration

• Implement and support control strategies for treatment and conveyance processes including pumping, filtration, chemical feed, disinfection, sludge handling, and distribution systems.
• Troubleshoot process and control system issues and implement corrective actions.

Testing, Commissioning & Support

• Lead and support FAT, SAT, and on-site commissioning activities.
• Provide operational troubleshooting and post-startup support.
• Develop and maintain system documentation, including control narratives, I/O lists, and architecture diagrams.
• Support changing management and configuration control procedures.

Cybersecurity & Compliance

• Implement OT cybersecurity best practices consistent with ISA/IEC 62443 and utility standards.
• Support redundancy, backup, disaster recovery, and system resiliency planning.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Serve as a technical lead on Ovation-related projects.
• Mentor junior engineers and programmers.
• Coordinate with operations staff, project managers, vendors, and system integrators.

Work Setting:

• Hybrid Preferred (3 days in office; 2 days remote)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in control systems or automation.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience with Emerson Ovation DCS systems.
• Experience supporting water or wastewater treatment facilities strongly preferred.
• Experience with FAT, SAT, and field commissioning.

Preferred Qualifications: