Ovation DCS Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Hazen and Sawyer is seeking a highly experienced Ovation DCS Project Manager responsible for planning, designing, implementing, and supporting automation solutions built on Emerson’s Ovation DCS platform.

This role leads projects from concept through commissioning and lifecycle support, ensuring delivery of systems that meet technical, financial, and operational objectives. The Project Manager serves as the primary liaison between customers, engineering teams, vendors, and internal stakeholders while maintaining accountability for schedule, budget, quality, and safety objectives.

This position can be based at any Hazen location; however, our preference is for it to be based in Virginia or the Washington, D.C. area.

Why Hazen and Sawyer:

• Founded in 1951 by the son of Allen Hazen (developer of the Hazen-Williams equation), we are an employee-owned company with a singular focus on "all things water."
• Our work includes planning, design, and oversight of construction of environmental infrastructure – for water, wastewater, and stormwater management.
• We foster a work environment low on bureaucracy and high in creativity.
• We recruit talented professionals, provide them with challenging, interesting, and creative assignments, and furnish them with the tools they need to succeed.
• We currently have over 2,400 employees in 70+ offices throughout the United States, Latin America, Canada, and the UK.
• A flexible hybrid work schedule supports today's busy professionals.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Planning & Execution

• Plan, execute, and control Ovation DCS projects across full lifecycle: development, design, implementation, testing, commissioning, and support.
• Ability to support on-site activities including FATs, site acceptance testing, startup, and commissioning, with periodic travel to client facilities.
• Develop detailed project plans, schedules, staffing plans, budgets, and risk registers.
• Ensure project deliverables meet functional requirements, quality standards, and customer expectations.
• Manage change control, scope definition, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with internal OT/cybersecurity specialists to implement IEC 62443-aligned architectures.
• Ensure cybersecurity requirements are incorporated into Ovation system design, documentation, and testing (but not necessarily act as the sole cybersecurity authority).

Technical Leadership

• Mentor junior Ovation engineers and project managers.
• Contribute to internal standards, templates, and best practices for Ovation delivery.
• Support proposal development, scope definition, and technical reviews as a subject matter expert.
• Lead the design and implementation of Ovation DCS architectures including:
  • Servers, workstations, network topology, and redundancy design.
  • Controller configuration and database management.
  • Graphics development, control strategies, and alarm management.

Technical Oversight

• FAT and SAT execution.
• Performance validation.
• Cutover planning.
• Functional Control Descriptions.
• Review design documentation including:
• Control philosophy documents.
• Architecture diagrams.
• I/O lists.
• Cause & effect diagrams.
• Network layouts and cybersecurity plans.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary customer interface throughout project lifecycle.
• Lead project kickoff meetings, design reviews, progress updates, and closeouts.
• Translate business requirements into technical scope.
• Manage subcontractors and vendors related to Ovation deployments.

Financial & Commercial Control

• Maintain project profitability through cost tracking, forecasting, and billing management.
• Manage contract compliance including:
  • Scope management.
  • Claim prevention and mitigation.
  • Vendor contracts and change orders.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with:
  • Project governance standards.
  • OT cybersecurity best practices.
  • Functional safety requirements.
• Drive quality assurance throughout design, configuration, FAT, and commissioning.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory and client standards.

Support & Lifecycle Services

• Lead post-implementation support planning including:
  • Operator and maintenance training.
  • System documentation rollout.
  • Warranty support.
• Assist with system upgrades, expansions, and optimization initiatives.
• Serve as escalation point for Ovation troubleshooting and long-term customer support.

Work Setting:

• Hybrid Preferred (3 days in office; 2 days remote)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, IT, Automation, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 7–15 years of senior level experience in automation or control systems projects. (Lead PM on multi-million-dollar projects)
• Demonstrated experience delivering Emerson Ovation DCS projects.
• Proven track record managing large-scale automation projects.
• Experience in power, utilities, water/wastewater, or heavy industrial environments preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

Technical Skills

• Advanced knowledge of Emerson Ovation DCS architecture and configuration.
• Experience with:
  • Control system networks (Ethernet/IP, OPC, Modbus, serial protocols).
  • Redundant servers and high-availability designs.
  • Virtualization environments.
  • Alarm management principles (ISA-18.2 / EEMUA 191).
  • Industrial cybersecurity frameworks (NIST, IEC 62443).
• Understanding of field instrumentation, PLC integrations, and network infrastructure.
  

Project Management Skills

• Expertise in:
  • Project planning and scheduling.
  • Budgeting and forecasting.
  • Risk management.
  • Stakeholder communication.
  • Contract and vendor management.

Certifications (Preferred)

• PMP or equivalent project management certification.
• Emerson Ovation certification(s) or coursework preferred.
• CISA CAP or CCST (preferred, not required)
• Experience with ISA-18.2 alarm rationalization
• Familiarity with utility owner standards and long-term lifecycle support models
• Cybersecurity certifications are a plus.
  

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and prescription plans)
• Pre-tax flexible spending plans for medical, dependent care, and transportation
• Short and long-term disability, and employer paid life insurance
• Paid holidays, floating holidays, and paid time off (PTO)
• Employer-contributed 401(k) plan and additional financial planning support
• Professional growth opportunities, including tuition reimbursement, in-house training, and incentives for professional registration and professional organization memberships
• Starting pay range for this position depends on skills, experience, education and geographical location

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