Controls Engineer I

Job Overview:  

• This position is responsible for designing, constructing, and improving manufacturing equipment, systems, processes, plants, and facilities to achieve business objectives through capital project management. The role focuses on process controls and automation using PLC/HMI systems and field devices, including VFDs, integrated into high-level process control schemes.
• Support ODCA’s strategic mission and WE CARE values by utilizing engineering skills aligned with ODCA’s business goals.
• Utilize goal and task-driven management of portfolio projects to ensure that products and processes meet customer requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates knowledge and ability to take existing operations that lack process controls and integrate those operations under complex control schemes that increase rate or improve yield or reduce operator inputs (physical) or improves product quality or reduce process variation.
• Provide leadership and project management skills to successfully implement projects in a cost effective, timely manner. Manage projects without assistance with complex scopes of work in the areas of processing, packaging, and mining.
• Highly familiar with Allen Bradley process controls family of products.
• Ability to monitor and record data using Historian Data Management tools.
• Develop and work with others to produce process and instrumentation diagrams, single-line diagrams, plant and equipment layouts, equipment lists, materials lists, plans, schedules, cost estimates, project economics, and other data required in projects for a minerals plan.
• Provide clear and effective guidance to consultants, contractors, and other outside services under your direction.
• Provide engineering services and expertise to maintenance and operating managers.
• Familiarity with appropriate electrical codes
• Coordinate and communicate regularly and effectively with all stakeholders in a team environment keeping them up to date on your progress toward goals and commitments.
• Document projects and processes and provide training as required to support operations, maintenance, procurement, finance, and others as needed.
• Maintain project records according to established policy.
• Consult exhaustively with operations and maintenance at every step to ensure that their needs are met and their ideas are used when appropriate.
• Build effective working relationships with managers, supervisors and workers.
• Make or endorse cost estimates for capital projects and initiate capital requests.
• Direct activities and approve expenditures against budgeted projects you manage.
• Confirm and approve project invoices.
• Maintain and report performance against budget as to amount committed, paid and forecast to complete.
• Perform other such duties as may be required.

Other duties:

• Comply with all safety policies, practices and procedures and reporting all unsafe activities to Management and/or Human Resources.
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals.
• Contribute to building a positive team spirit.
• Apply effective written and verbal communication.
• Protect confidential information by not communicating, disclosing, or using for benefit of 3rd parties.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor of Science (BS) in an engineering or technical field preferred. Degree in minerals, packaging, mechanical, electrical, chemical or civil engineering degree preferred. At least 0-3 years related experience and/or training in a manufacturing environment. An equivalent combination of education and experience is allowed.
• Experience in designing plants, process lines, packaging lines, and infrastructure. Ability to develop Process Control Narratives, including definition of alarm and fault conditions, for automation scope development. Basic electrical power knowledge; sizing VFD’s, breakers and motor cabling when needed.
• Experience in solids handling, combustion, drying operations, milling and screening, environmental compliance, packaging, power distribution, and instrumentation preferred.
• Helpful areas of experience includes sizing, layout, specification, selection, and installation of standard equipment such as pumps, fans, pipes, ducts, burners, mills, grinders, crushers, conveyors of all types; rotary, fluid bed, and flash dryers; screens, classifiers, mixing, spraying, packaging powders and granules using equipment such as baggers (range: three pound packages to bulk rail), collators, palletizers including robotic, foundation and building design, electrical power and control, instrumentation (Predominant environment is Allen Bradley ControLogix PLC with Ethernet/IP network), environmental compliance, safety, quality management.
• Must be able to multi-task, prioritize, and delegate tasks readily.
• This position requires an excellent communicator who can lead co-workers at various levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, plus oral and written communication skills, including excellent presentation skills.
• Must be able and willing to work extended hours as required. (including weekends)
• Able to work with minimal supervision.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs. Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Computer Skills: Knowledge of database, project management, spreadsheet, and word processing software, electronic mail, statistical software, graphics, technical diagrams, flow charts, etc.
• Certifications: The position recommends certification as a Project Manager by the Project Management Institute (PMI) or equivalent certification and/or successful experience in using equivalent project management skills is desired., as determined by manager and/or annual goals.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• This is the area to list the work environment: It’s hot, it’s cold, it’s dusty, and it’s noisy. They have to wear goggles, safety glasses, safety boots, welding shield, respirators, gloves, etc.