Senior Plant Controls Engineer

RWE Clean Energy, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Engineering
Remuneration: Exempt

The Senior Plant Controls Engineer is part of the Plant Controls Team within RWE Clean Energy. The team ensures the highest-quality control solutions for utility-scale renewables projects (Solar, Wind, and Battery) throughout their life cycle—from development to operation. This position executes the design, construction, commissioning, and administration of control systems within RWE Clean Energy.

 

In this position, you will be key in the design and execution of control solutions for new sites. You will gather project-specific requirements to define the services and functionalities the plants require, determine the most suitable SCADA concept for interconnection, and ensure the right control system design for the application.

 

In this position, you will be involved in all the different stages of the project, starting from the design stage, guiding the implementation phase, and supporting the solution's on-site commissioning.

You will work closely with third-party providers, assessing the most suitable options and implementing concepts in the field. 

 

As a Plant Controls engineer, you will be a key interface between the business's Operations and Development parts.

 

Responsibilities: 

• Lead SCADA design, configuration, and commissioning on individual projects and provide oversight and guidance to junior engineers
• Coordinate with project managers and other engineering discipline SME’s to ensure SCADA requirements are met and project timelines are achieved
• Review and provide constructive input for project contracts with financial partners and equipment manufacturers. Advises and provides technical input for contract wording discussions
• Gather technical requirements for projects based on grid codes, standards, and contracts and ensure SCADA system capability to achieve these
• Generate and modify project exhibits for contractors and vendors in alignment with SCADA Standards and strategy
• Develops and oversees the scope of work and technical requirements for control system vendors and integrators
• Review contractor design documents and ensure the design will meet the operational needs of the SCADA system and align with SCADA standards
• Leads, oversees and implements the development of technical SCADA Requirements, including networking design (IP addressing, VLANs), RTU configuration, and plant control strategy across multiple projects
• Commissions substation equipment, switches, and plant networks for projects; working closely with junior engineers to train and build their skillsets
• Drives and pursues interpretation and understanding of operational data of Battery plants across the wider business
• Assists in developing strategic goals of the SCADA team and supports driving changes to standards and processes

 

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Control Engineering, a similar field of engineering, or equivalent professional experience is required
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in control systems and SCADA platforms (any industry) is required
• Strong grasp of networking design fundamentals, including fiber/ethernet, switch, and VLAN configuration.
• Strong background in the configuration of RTUs or other plant controllers (software development experience also a plus)
• Has proven experience developing technical documentation, including exhibits, scope of works, functional descriptions, and plant control narratives
• Structured and thorough in analyzing and documenting requirements and creating technical documentation for different stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience commissioning networking and plant controls
• Demonstrated experience overseeing contractors delivering technical work
• Experience within the renewable energy or power industry is highly regarded but not required