Engineer, Instrument & Controls

About the role

NextDecade is seeking a full-time Engineer, Instrument & Controls to support long-term operations for the Rio Grande LNG facility located near Brownsville, Texas. The incumbent will report to the Manager Instrumentation, Controls, and Electrical Engineering in the Operations Department and is a member of the Instrumentation and Control engineering team. This role may require backfilling the Manager of Instrumentation, Controls, and Electrical Engineering during periods of absence and managing contractor controls personnel. The position is located at the Rio Grande LNG site in Brownsville, TX.

Responsibilities

• Lead support for equipment, systems, and processes including:
  • Distributed Control System (DCS), equipment control systems (e.g., PID controllers, Sequential logic control, Opticomp, turbine controls, local control panels, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs))
  • Alarm management and response through control system optimization, overrides, and inhibits
  • Software change management, DCS support, Operational Technology security / Process Control Domain (PCD) security, and control system obsolescence management
• Lead control systems engineering efforts to support day-to-day plant operations and long-term reliability and availability targets
• Provide frontline support to operations to investigate control logic issues, causes of trips, and equipment downtime, working proactively to maximize facility availability
• Develop and monitor control systems Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure reliable, safe, and efficient operation
• Coordinate DCS support engineers and work closely with rotating equipment engineers and contractor turbine controls engineers
• Participate in risk assessments, PHAs, HAZOP, SIL, and SIF reviews
• Ensure Management of Change (MOC) procedures (including Software Change Requests) are followed and documentation is up to date
• Develop and ensure adherence to all discipline specifications, standards, procedures, and guidelines
• Monitor and report on the condition and performance of all control barriers to major accident events, managing barrier impairment risks
• Provide integral interaction and support for other intercompany teams such as Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Process Safety Management (PSM), and Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE)
• Prepare, execute, and maintain control systems related software licensing contracts and service agreements
• Provide input into the instrumentation, control & safety systems budget for the Facilities Engineering Team

Requirements

• B.S. or higher in Chemical or Electrical Engineering or equivalent degree
• 10+ years of control systems engineering experience
• 5+ years of instrumentation and control systems engineering experience in an LNG operating facility or equivalent
• Willingness to travel domestically & internationally as needed (approximately 10-15%)
• Ability to work collaboratively and foster a collaborative work environment
• Ability to lead by example, perform under pressure, and deliver against targets
• Excellent organization, planning, and time management skills
• Highly motivated self-starter mentality with focus on timely, consistent, and accurate results
• Excellent analytical and communication skills

Preferred Skills

Advanced skills in:

• Troubleshooting and problem-solving control system issues, including following equipment or facility trips and supporting the operations team

Intermediate skills in:

• Application of LNG facility applicable industry standards, regulatory codes, and recommended practices
• Compressor performance & anti-surge controls
• Control theory & analysis
• ABB Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), and Fire and Gas Systems (FGS)
• Programmable logic controllers from multiple manufacturers and their associated interfaces with Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
• MkVIe Turbine Controls

Basic/beginner skills in:

• Process Safety Management (PSM) and operational risk management
• Management of Change (MOC)
• Operational Technology (OT) / Process Control Domain (PCD) security
• Root cause investigations
• Managing interfaces and working closely with Project and Operations teams during detailed design, construction, commissioning, startup, and post-startup operations

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds unassisted and push/pull with up to 50 pounds of force
• Required to grip objects with up to 50 pounds of force
• Frequent standing, walking, balancing, climbing stairs and ladders
• Regular reaching, bending, stooping, handling, and spinal twisting
• Use of hands, arms, and legs to lift, push, and pull machinery and other mechanical components
• Must be able to wear all necessary PPE equipment to perform job functions
• Operates in a complex construction environment with exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts and electrical circuits
• Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds of a pitch level sufficient to cause marked distraction
• Routinely uses standard office and field communications equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, fax machines, and radios
• Ability to drive to other Company work locations as required
• Ability to move throughout all areas of the facility, including being physically capable of traveling to a designated muster point during emergency situations
• Stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift
• Fully mechanical motion and usage of all extremities
• Physically able to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, handle, and lift items weighing up to 20 lbs. without assistance
• Visual acuity corrected to perform job functions, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• Must be able to clearly communicate with others via radio, phone, and verbal methods
• May be required to enter confined spaces
• May be required to work at elevated heights and access elevated structures without assistance