Process Controls Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Process Controls Engineer Team Leader

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Process Controls Engineer Team Leader to guide a process controls group serving the water and wastewater sector. In this leadership role, you apply deep hands-on expertise across the full control systems lifecycle—design, engineering, startup, testing, and implementation—within water, wastewater, and related process industries. You combine strong technical skills with proven project management and team leadership capabilities to drive successful outcomes for both projects and people, while gaining valuable municipal wastewater experience in a flexible, largely remote work setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the process controls engineering team, providing technical direction, mentorship, and support across multiple projects in the water and wastewater sector.
• Own the full control systems lifecycle, including requirements definition, design, engineering, programming, testing, startup, and implementation for process automation and controls projects.
• Design and develop PLC-based control strategies for pumps, valves, pressure, and flow control, including PID loop configuration and optimization for water and wastewater treatment processes.
• Program, configure, and troubleshoot PLCs and HMI/SCADA systems, with a focus on VTScada and other industrial automation platforms used in process control applications.
• Create and review electrical designs for control panels, ensuring safe, reliable, and compliant configurations for process automation systems.
• Manage projects from inception through completion, including planning, scheduling, resource coordination, risk management, and delivery of project milestones on time and within scope.
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and external customers to understand process requirements, translate them into control system designs, and ensure solutions meet operational needs.
• Provide high-quality customer service, communicating clearly and professionally with clients, partners, and team members throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support estimating and proposal development activities by contributing technical input, scope definitions, and effort estimates for new process controls opportunities.
• Participate in system startup, commissioning, and testing, resolving technical issues and validating that control systems perform as specified in municipal and industrial water/wastewater environments.
• Apply and promote best practices in process control, electrical design, and OT cybersecurity where applicable, helping to strengthen overall system reliability and security.
• Stay current with industry technologies such as PLCs, HMI/SCADA platforms, power distribution, motor controls, and networking equipment, and share knowledge with the team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering standards, documentation, and workflows within the process controls group.

Essential Skills

• At least 10 years of experience in process automation and controls within water, wastewater, or related process industries.
• Strong PLC programming experience, including development, testing, and troubleshooting of control logic for pumps, valves, PID loops, and process control applications.
• Hands-on experience with HMI/SCADA systems, with VTScada strongly preferred for monitoring and control of water and wastewater processes.
• Proficiency in electrical design for control panels, including layout, specification, and documentation of control panel components.
• Demonstrated project management experience, including planning, coordination, and delivery of automation and controls projects.
• Excellent customer service orientation, with strong verbal and written communication skills for interacting with clients and internal teams.
• Solid understanding of process control concepts such as PID loop tuning, pump control, valve control, and pressure and flow management.
• Ability to lead technical initiatives and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering and operations teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Leadership experience or a strong desire to lead and develop a process controls engineering team.
• Experience with modern SCADA and HMI platforms such as Ignition, VTScada, Wonderware, or iFIX.
• Hands-on experience with Opto22 control systems and related hardware or software.
• UL508A control panel design experience, including familiarity with relevant standards and best practices.
• Operational technology (OT) cybersecurity experience, including securing industrial control systems and networks.
• Experience with power distribution and motor controls in industrial or municipal environments.
• Experience in estimating and proposal development for automation and controls projects.
• Municipal water and wastewater experience, including treatment plant or distribution system controls.
• Certifications related to industrial automation and networking, such as Rockwell, Siemens, Ignition, or Cisco certifications.
• Relevant technical degree or formal education in engineering, automation, or a related discipline.

Work Environment

The role offers a flexible and professional work environment with the opportunity to gain municipal wastewater experience while working remotely. Typical hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with flexibility to start earlier or later based on personal preference and project requirements. The team generally works an average of 45 hours per week, and any hours worked beyond 40 per week are compensated at time-and-a-half overtime rates. You collaborate with a dedicated group of process controls professionals using modern PLC, HMI/SCADA, and electrical design technologies to support water and wastewater projects in a supportive, project-focused setting.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Lansing, MI.

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $55.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a hybrid position in Lansing,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 4, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.