Industrial Automation/Control Systems Engineer, Senior

Tacoma Water is looking for a Industrial Automation/Control System Engineer, Senior to join the Electrical and Controls team in our Planning & Engineering Division.  This position has the oversight for Tacoma Water's Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system and makes decisions on daily system operations and the strategic implementation of new technology. This position may be required to work from Tacoma Public Utilities in Tacoma, WA and the Tacoma Water Filtration Facility located in Ravensdale, WA as needed.

The Control System Engineer, Senior designs, plans, recommends, implements, and commissions water facility's electrical control system, data networks, telemetry control, and communication systems. This position requires high level of technical expertise to support the critical functions of the Electrical and Controls group for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Data Historians, Virtual Machines, Database, and IT/OT Cyber Security best practices and monitoring within the control system environment of Control Centers, Production Wells, Pump Stations, Water Treatment, Water Reservoirs, Fish Facilities, Generator Control, and Hydro-Gen Control.

Primary Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Supports the Principal Operational Technology Engineer in the Electrical Group in leading personnel including one Operational Technology Engineer, and three Instrumentation Technicians

• Provide training, mentorship, guidance, and support to junior personnel, and give direction and support to contractors, consultants, internal & external engineers, and technicians by possessing and displaying a high level of technical knowledge

• This position is the technical lead for the Tacoma Water control system, SCADA Data Historians, converged virtual server infrastructure, and data transport.

Project Engineer

• Oversee and review design work of other Operational Technology Engineers in both P&E and the Utility Technology Services (UTS) department

• Inspect projects and related activities to assure compliance with the specifications, contracts, and applicable local, state, and federal codes

• Perform advanced level of engineering duties in the preparation, implementation,

coordination, evaluation and analysis of engineering projects, studies, systems, and functions

• Evaluate and coordinate maintenance, repair, installation, and design of SCADA systems

• Assist in managing and overseeing the SCADA system Cyber Security posture and assist with coordination between Tacoma Water and the Utility Technology Services Cyber Security group.

Planner/Designer

• Provide guidance and direction to other engineers, technicians, and electricians in installing, commissioning, maintaining, and repairing the instrumentation and control system

• Review engineering designs, drawings, specifications, calculations, and related engineering documents

• Develop project scopes, technical specifications, timelines, and budgets and also

research, prepare and submit all necessary federal, state, and local project documents for such projects

• Coordinate with internal staff to develop strategic plans for the Instrumentation and Control system and with other utilities to effectively manage interagency projects and ensure contract compliance

• Develop and implement procedures for maintenance and testing control system components to identify current trends and future needs.

Problem Solver

• Evaluate, respond to, and investigate issues with projects, contracts, and operational control system functions

• Research, analyze and perform advanced engineering calculations to assess electrical and control system faults, pipelines, well pump efficiencies as well as other analytical data to diagnose electrical and control system malfunctions or to improve electrical and control efficiencies

• Act as SCADA coordinator between Electrical Instrumentation & Controls and Operations staff to optimize SCADA performance and minimize outages

Minimum Education*

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or directly related field.

Minimum Experience*

4 years of progressively responsible computer network, communications engineering or industrial controls experience

• Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements

Washington State Driver's License

Desired Qualifications

Experience programming and configuring Siemens TIA and WinCC products

This recruitment is being managed by Joanna Hambrick; if you would like to be notified of similar opportunities or stay connected with things going on at Tacoma Public Utilities and the City of Tacoma, connect with me on LinkedIn!

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Tacoma's diversity is its greatest asset. Tacoma embraces its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic character. Communities of color and immigrant communities are fundamental to Tacoma's entrepreneurial spirit, workforce, and long-term success. In Tacoma, equity and empowerment are top priorities, meaning that all Tacoma residents must have equitable opportunities to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of community progress.  One of our goals is for the City of Tacoma workforce to reflect the community it serves. We actively work to eliminate racial and other disparities and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets and experiences. Our goal is for Tacoma to be an inclusive and equitable place to live, work, and play.

The City of Tacoma is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its workplace. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, and local laws.

Tacoma Water

Tacoma Water has a proud tradition of operating and maintaining one of the country's oldest municipally owned water systems. We provide high-quality water at very competitive prices. We provide direct service to more than 305,000 people throughout Pierce and King counties.

Our mission is to deliver clean, reliable services essential to quality of life. If you share our values of Safety, Belonging, Customer focus, Integrity, and Respect, we are looking for you!

Apply

Interested individuals should apply online and attach a detailed resume and cover letter that includes job experience, major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received for interview consideration.

Reference checks will be conducted on final candidates and appointment is subject to passing a background check. 

Communication from the City of Tacoma:

We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from cityoftacoma.org and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.

If you have any additional questions regarding this position, please contact the Human Resources Department at 253.591.5400 before 4pm on the closing date of this posting.