Senior Automation Engineer (Permanent – Onsite – Greater Tulsa, OK)

A leading innovator in the manufacturing industry is actively seeking a highly skilled and strategic Senior Automation Engineer (Permanent – Onsite – Greater Tulsa, OK) to bolster their engineering department. This permanent position, located in the dynamic Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma area, is pivotal in spearheading plant optimization efforts through advanced automation and control system solutions. The ideal candidate will possess robust analytical capabilities, exceptional communication prowess, and a deeply collaborative mindset, all of which are essential attributes for successfully integrating into and thriving within this results-driven organization. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to enhancing operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and production capacity within a critical industrial environment.

Senior Automation Engineer (Permanent – Onsite – Greater Tulsa, OK)

Location: Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma – This is a Permanent, Onsite position, requiring regular presence at the facility.

Employment Type: Permanent

Industry: Engineering / Manufacturing

What You’ll Be Doing: Core Responsibilities Driving Plant Optimization

As a Senior Automation Engineer, you will be at the forefront of designing, implementing, and optimizing complex industrial control systems that are the backbone of modern manufacturing. Your expertise will directly influence the plant’s operational efficiency, safety, and productivity. Your key responsibilities will encompass a broad range of engineering tasks, each critical to achieving the company’s ambitious production and efficiency goals:

• Design and Develop Advanced Industrial Control System Solutions: You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of designing and developing sophisticated industrial control system (ICS) solutions. This includes, but is not limited to, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) programs. Your work will span from conceptual design and functional specification (FDS) to detailed design specification (DDS), programming (e.g., Ladder Logic, Function Block Diagram, Structured Text, Sequential Function Chart), simulation, testing (including Factory Acceptance Testing – FAT), and on-site commissioning (Site Acceptance Testing – SAT). You will ensure robust programming standards are met, integrating various control strategies such as PID loops, sequential control, batch processing, and safety interlocks. The goal is to create highly reliable and efficient automated processes that optimize production flows and maintain stringent quality standards across the manufacturing facility.
• Ensure Cybersecurity Compliance for Operational Technology (OT) Devices: A critical and increasingly vital aspect of this role is ensuring stringent cybersecurity compliance across all Operation Technology (OT) devices. You will actively work to integrate secure solutions into the design and implementation of control systems, safeguarding them against evolving cyber threats. This involves understanding and applying best practices for OT cybersecurity, such as network segmentation (e.g., implementing the Purdue Model), managing secure remote access, overseeing patch management strategies for industrial software, implementing robust access controls, and participating in vulnerability assessments specific to control systems. Your efforts will protect intellectual property, prevent unauthorized access, and mitigate the risk of operational disruption due to cyber incidents, ensuring the integrity and reliability of the plant’s critical infrastructure.
• Monitor and Action Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Controls Equipment: You will be responsible for diligently monitoring various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to controls equipment performance and initiating timely corrective actions as necessary. This involves establishing and tracking metrics such as equipment uptime, cycle times, alarm rates, control loop performance, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) metrics related to automation. You will leverage data from SCADA systems, historians (e.g., OSIsoft PI), and other data analytics platforms to identify performance deviations, conduct root cause analyses for inefficiencies or failures, and proactively implement improvements to maintain and enhance control system reliability and efficiency. This continuous monitoring is fundamental to driving sustained operational excellence.
• Optimize and Automate Plant Controls for Enhanced Cost-Effectiveness and Production Capacity: A core objective of your role will be to continuously optimize and automate plant controls with the explicit aim of improving facility cost-effectiveness and maximizing production capacity. This involves identifying areas for process improvement through automation, implementing advanced process control (APC) strategies, optimizing control loop tuning, reducing energy consumption through smart controls, minimizing raw material waste, and improving product consistency. You will work to streamline batch processes, integrate control systems with higher-level Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and explore new automation technologies to achieve significant gains in throughput and overall plant efficiency. Your direct contributions will translate into tangible financial benefits and increased manufacturing output.
• Provide Technical Support for Process Safety Efforts and Serve as an SME on Control System Networking: You will play a crucial role in providing expert technical support for process safety efforts. This includes contributing to the design and maintenance of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), managing alarm systems to ensure compliance with safety standards, and participating in Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs). Furthermore, you will serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on control system networking. This entails providing guidance on industrial network architecture design (e.g., Industrial Ethernet, fieldbus technologies like Profibus/Modbus), troubleshooting complex communication issues, ensuring network resilience and redundancy, and understanding the nuances of industrial protocols such as EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, and OPC UA. Your expertise will be vital in maintaining a robust and safe operational environment.

What’s Needed: Essential Qualifications and Expertise for Success

To thrive as a Senior Automation Engineer in this challenging and rewarding environment, you will need a strong academic foundation coupled with significant practical experience and specific technical proficiencies. We are looking for candidates who possess:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Relevant Engineering Discipline: A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field is a fundamental requirement. This academic background provides the essential theoretical knowledge and problem-solving methodologies necessary for understanding complex industrial processes and designing effective control solutions.
• Demonstrated Ability to Analyze Complex Data and Develop Effective Problem Solutions: You must possess a proven, demonstrable ability to analyze complex data sets – including process variables, alarm histories, equipment diagnostics, and network logs – and subsequently develop effective, data-driven problem solutions. This requires strong analytical thinking, critical reasoning, and the capability to apply engineering principles to diagnose root causes of operational issues and design corrective or optimizing control strategies. Experience with statistical analysis or data visualization tools relevant to industrial processes is a plus.
• Comprehensive Understanding of ICS Architecture and Operational Reliability: A deep and thorough understanding of Industrial Control System (ICS) architecture and the principles of operational reliability is crucial. This includes knowledge of hierarchical control models (e.g., ISA-95, Purdue Model), various levels of automation (Level 0-4), redundancy concepts (e.g., hot standby, redundant controllers, redundant networks), fault tolerance mechanisms, and high-availability principles applied to industrial systems. You should understand how to design systems that minimize single points of failure and ensure continuous operation in demanding environments.
• Desirable Experience with Key Automation Systems (DeltaV, Allen-Bradley, PI Systems): While not strictly mandatory, significant experience with specific industrial automation platforms is highly desirable. This includes:
  • DeltaV: Experience with Emerson’s DeltaV DCS, including configuration, programming (Function Blocks, Structured Text), graphics development (HMI), alarm management, and system administration.
  • Allen-Bradley: Proficiency with Allen-Bradley PLC systems (e.g., ControlLogix, CompactLogix), including programming in Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 (Ladder Logic, Structured Text), configuring I/O, and troubleshooting hardware and software issues.
  • OSIsoft PI Systems: Experience with OSIsoft PI System (historian, data archive, Asset Framework), including collecting, storing, analyzing, and visualizing large volumes of process data for performance monitoring and optimization.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with any of these widely used systems will significantly enhance your candidacy.
• Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills with Independent Work Capability: You must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. This involves the ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts to both technical peers and non-technical management, write precise functional specifications, document system configurations, and prepare clear reports. Equally important is the ability to work independently, demonstrating self-motivation, initiative, and accountability in managing projects and tasks with minimal supervision, while still recognizing when to collaborate or escalate.

What’s In It For You: Benefits, Growth, and a Supportive Environment

This permanent Senior Automation Engineer role in Greater Tulsa, OK, offers a compelling package designed to attract top talent and foster long-term career growth and satisfaction.

• Competitive Salary with a Performance-Based Bonus: You will receive a competitive salary that recognizes your experience and expertise within the industrial automation sector. This is complemented by a performance-based bonus structure, providing a direct incentive for your contributions to plant optimization and successful project delivery. Your dedication and results will be tangibly rewarded.
• Opportunities for Professional Growth and Development: The organization is deeply committed to the continuous professional growth and development of its employees. This includes access to ongoing training programs, industry certifications, workshops, and conferences relevant to industrial automation, control systems, and cybersecurity. You’ll have avenues to expand your technical skills, explore new technologies, and advance into more specialized or leadership roles within the company.
• Relocation Assistance Available: For candidates looking to make a significant career move, relocation assistance is available. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to securing the best talent, offering support to ease the transition for those moving to the Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma area.
• Collaborative and Inclusive Work Environment: You will join a collaborative and inclusive work environment where teamwork is highly valued. The culture encourages open communication, knowledge sharing, and mutual support among colleagues across various engineering disciplines. Your ideas and contributions will be respected and encouraged, fostering an atmosphere where you can thrive and achieve your full potential.
• Engagement in Meaningful Projects that Drive Plant Optimization and Efficiency: This role offers the profound satisfaction of engaging in meaningful projects that have a direct, tangible impact on the company’s operational success. Your work will directly contribute to driving plant optimization, improving energy efficiency, increasing production throughput, enhancing safety protocols, and implementing cutting-edge automation solutions. You will be instrumental in shaping the future efficiency and competitiveness of the manufacturing facility.

If this Senior Automation Engineer role in Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma, deeply interests you and you possess the required blend of technical expertise, analytical prowess, and collaborative spirit, we encourage you to take the next step. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a leader in the manufacturing industry and make a significant, lasting impact on critical industrial operations.

To learn more and potentially embark on a rewarding career journey with this forward-thinking organization, click “Apply Now.” A dedicated recruiter will promptly be in touch to discuss this outstanding opportunity in greater detail, answer any questions you may have, and guide you through the application and interview process. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to connect with you and explore how your skills can contribute to our collective success!