Engineer, Instrument & Controls

SUMMARY OF 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, under the leadership of the Director Facilities Engineering, Sr. Director of Engineering, and Vice President of Operations. The Engineer, Instrument & Controls is a member of the Instrumentation and Control engineering team and may be required to backfill the Manager of Instrumentation, Controls, and Electrical Engineering during periods of absence. The role has no direct reports, although it may be required to manage and supervise contractor controls personnel working within the facility.

Peer level personnel will include other members of the engineering team across all facilities disciplines. This position is located in Brownsville, TX at the Rio Grande LNG site (RGLNG). Check out our RGV Spotlight Video to learn more about Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley!

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead support for the following equipment, systems, and processes:
• Equipment: Distributed Control System (DCS), equipment control systems (e.g., PID controllers, Sequential logic control, Opticomp, turbine controls, local control panels, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), etc.)
• Systems and Processes: Support alarm management and alarm 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 the control systems engineering efforts for the RGLNG facility to support both day-to-day plant operations and long-term reliability and availability targets.
• Lead frontline support to operations to investigate control logic issues, causes of trips, and equipment downtime, and work 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.
• Work closely with rotating equipment engineers and contractor turbine controls engineers for reliable performance of gas turbine driven compressor strings.
• Participate in risk assessments, PHAs, HAZOP, SIL, and SIF reviews as required.
• Ensure the Management of Change (MOC) procedures (including Software Change Requests) are followed and documentation for instruments and control systems 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. Manage barrier impairment risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable to support safe continued operations.
• 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.

EDUCATION, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, & COMPETENCIES

Basic 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.
• An eye for detail to ensure complete documentation and associated metadata.
• Excellent organization, planning, and time management skills to ensure timely execution of work tasks.
• Highly motivated self-start mentality with focus on timely, consistent, and accurate results.
• Ability to accept responsibility with determination to consistently meet and exceed expectations.
• Ability to liaise effectively with other departments such as operations, safety, and engineering.
• Communicates effectively at all levels of the organization to ensure clarity in expectations requirements, and deliverables. Excellent analytical skills.

Preferred Requirements:

• Advanced skills in the following areas:
• Troubleshooting and problem-solving control system issues, including following equipment or facility trips and supporting the operations team to return equipment into service.
• Intermediate skills in the following areas:
• 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 the following areas:
• 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. Ability to push and pull machinery and other mechanical components.

Site Working Conditions & Physical Expectations

Work Environment

• Must be able to wear all necessary PPE equipment to perform job functions.
• Operates in a complex construction environment.
• Exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions.
• Not necessarily protected from weather and temperature changes. Possible exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy 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 w/scanner and fax, and radios.

Able to meet the following physical demands of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations:

• 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 designed muster point during emergency situations.
• Stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
• The incumbent is required to have 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. Specific vision abilities required by this job include 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.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

*In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

NEXTDECADE VALUES

• Safety – We make safety a priority. Everything we do relies on the safety of our people and the communities around us.
• Integrity – We do the right thing, and are open, ethical, and fair. We hold ourselves to the highest standards in all that we do.
• Honesty – We value truth and honesty in ourselves and others. We honor our commitments and take responsibility for our actions.
• Respect – We listen, and respect people, the environment, and the communities in which we live and work.
• Transparency – Transparency builds trust. We promote open communication with our people, our customers, and all our stakeholders.
• Diversity – We value diversity of people and thought. It takes people with different strengths, ideas, and cultural backgrounds to make our company succeed.

NextDecade provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. NextDecade complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.