I&E Flare and Combustion Technician

Job Description

Job Description

Zeeco fosters a robust work environment where employees, from engineering teams to support groups, benefit from a strong culture, trained leadership, and opportunities for growth. Zeeco collaborates with the biggest names in the industry, enabling individuals to broaden their skills alongside teams of subject matter experts. 

Position Summary:

The I/E Flare & Combustion Technician is responsible for the installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair of flare systems, thermal oxidizers, enclosed combustors, burner management systems (BMS), instrumentation, controls, and associated electrical equipment. This position provides field service support to customers in refinery, petrochemical, midstream, upstream oil & gas, LNG, power generation, and industrial facilities while ensuring safe and reliable operation of combustion equipment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Electrical & Controls

• Install, inspect, troubleshoot, and repair electrical systems associated with flare and combustion equipment.
• Read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, P&IDs, loop drawings, and control narratives.
• Troubleshoot PLCs, HMIs, burner management systems, ignition controls, and safety shutdown systems.
• Perform electrical terminations and verify proper wiring of field devices.
• Conduct electrical testing using multimeters, megohmmeters, loop calibrators, and other diagnostic equipment.
• Verify proper operation of motors, MCCs, VFDs, relays, control panels, and associated electrical systems.
• Assist with startup and commissioning of combustion systems.

Instrumentation

• Install, calibrate, and troubleshoot field instrumentation including:
• Pressure transmitters
• Temperature transmitters
• Thermocouples
• RTDs
• Differential pressure devices
• Flow meters
• Control valves
• Flame detection equipment
• Gas analyzers
• Perform loop checks and instrument verification.
• Diagnose signal and communication issues involving 4-20mA, HART, Modbus, and other industrial protocols.
• Verify control logic and instrument functionality during startup activities.

Flare & Combustion Equipment

• Troubleshoot flare ignition systems, pilots, flame fronts, flame scanners, igniters, and control panels.
• Support maintenance and repair activities on:
• Utility and elevated flares
• Ground flares
• Enclosed combustors
• Thermal oxidizers
• Vapor combustion units
• Burners and combustion systems
• Assist mechanical technicians during flare turnarounds, inspections, and equipment upgrades.
• Perform operational testing to ensure compliance with customer specifications and safety requirements.

Field Service Responsibilities

• Travel to customer sites to provide service, maintenance, startup, commissioning, and emergency support.
• Prepare detailed service reports documenting findings, repairs, recommendations, and equipment conditions.
• Interface professionally with customers, project managers, operations personnel, and engineering teams.
• Participate in on-call rotations and emergency response activities as required.
• Maintain company vehicles, tools, instrumentation, and testing equipment.

Safety

• Follow all company, customer, OSHA, and site-specific safety requirements.
• Conduct Job Safety Analyses (JSA), Hazard Assessments, and Pre-Job Briefs.
• Utilize lockout/tagout (LOTO), confined space, hot work, and permit procedures when applicable.
• Promote a strong safety culture and identify opportunities for risk reduction.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Technical degree, instrumentation certification, or electrical training preferred.
• Minimum 3+ years of experience in industrial electrical, instrumentation, combustion, or flare systems.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in industrial electrical and instrumentation systems.
• Ability to read and interpret:
• Electrical schematics
• P&IDs
• Loop diagrams
• Control narratives
• Instrument data sheets
• Knowledge of low-voltage industrial electrical systems.
• Experience with PLC and control system troubleshooting.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with flare systems and combustion equipment.
• Knowledge of burner management systems (BMS).
• Understanding of NFPA 85, NFPA 86, and combustion safety practices.
• Experience with Honeywell, Fireye, Siemens, Allen-Bradley, WEG, or Schneider control systems.
• Industrial refinery, petrochemical, LNG, pipeline, or upstream oil & gas experience.
• NCCER, ISA, Electrical License, or related certifications.
• TWIC card.
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to climb ladders, flare structures, and elevated platforms.
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, kneel, bend, and work in confined spaces for extended periods.
• Must be capable of wearing required PPE, including fall protection, respirators, and flame-resistant clothing.

Travel Requirements

• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and extended hours during outages, startups, and emergency callouts.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain access to customer facilities.

Key Competencies

• Electrical Troubleshooting
• Instrument Calibration
• PLC/BMS Diagnostics
• Flare Systems Knowledge
• Combustion Controls
• Customer Service
• Technical Reporting
• Safety Leadership
• Root Cause Analysis
• Startup & Commissioning

Working at Zeeco means being part of a people-centric culture and environment built on mutual respect, personal encouragement, professional integrity, and limitless opportunity. Join Zeeco and embark on a fulfilling journey where innovation, collaboration, and personal and professional growth converge.