Automation Principal Engineer

Description You’ll Come for a Job…But You’ll Stay for an Exciting Career! Engineering and Designing Reliable, Responsive, Solutions.

SINCE 1976, CANNON has provided creative solutions to clients in the energy industry, water resources, public infrastructure, and commercial and residential development. We work hard. We play hard. We have fun.

JOIN CANNON as an Automation Principal Engineer in San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo is on the beautiful central coast of California, has scenic beaches, is surrounded by the wine country, and offers endless recreational opportunities.

AUTOMATION PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Automation Engineer to support the growth and delivery of automation solutions across a wide range of industries, including Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Water Reclamation and Recovery Facilities (WRRF), Water Distribution, Wastewater Collections, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Food & Beverage, and Industrial Processes.

This role blends strategic client engagement, technical leadership, and hands-on engineering. The successful candidate will contribute to business development efforts by identifying opportunities, building client relationships, and supporting proposal development. They will also lead the execution of automation projects—overseeing design, integration, and implementation—while collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure high-quality outcomes.

In addition to driving project success, the Principal Automation Engineer will help maintain a strong backlog of billable work by aligning staff resources with project needs, supporting workload planning, and mentoring junior engineers. This position plays a key role in advancing our automation capabilities and shaping the future of our practice through innovation and excellence.

AUTOMATION PRINCIPAL ENGINEER KEY RESPONSIBILITES

Client Engagement & Business Development

• Supports strategic growth by identifying new opportunities and engaging with clients to understand their automation needs.
• Develops and manages proposals, scopes of work, fee estimates, and schedules tailored to client objectives.
• Fosters long-term client relationships to promote trust, repeat business, and cross-sector collaboration.
• Collaborates with internal teams to position automation services effectively across target markets.

Project Leadership & Execution

• Leads the delivery of automation projects involving design, integration, or both—ensuring technical excellence and client satisfaction.
• Manages project scope, schedule, and budget, proactively addressing risks and changes.
• Provides mentorship to junior staff, ensuring quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) on deliverables.
• Coordinates with vendors, subcontractors, and internal disciplines to ensure seamless execution.
• Ensures compliance with applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Team Collaboration & Resource Planning

• Helps maintain a strong backlog of billable work by aligning staff resources with project needs.
• Provides technical mentorship and guidance to junior engineers and designers.
• Supports workload planning and contribute to team development through coaching and knowledge sharing.

Design & Engineering Oversight

• Leads and oversees the development of control system designs, including plans, specifications, narratives, I/O lists, and cost estimates.
• Guides hardware selection and layout, including instrumentation (pressure, level, flow), valves, VFDs, and other field devices.
• Collaborates with CAD technicians and design engineers to produce high-quality bid documents.
• Coordinates with civil, structural, and mechanical teams to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of IT/OT infrastructure, including networking and server architecture.

Integration & Commissioning

• Oversees programming and configuration of PLCs, HMIs/OITs, and SCADA systems.
• Develops and implements testing protocols, commissioning plans, and documentation standards.
• Ensures reliable integration of control systems hardware with industrial automation platforms.

Requirements

• Must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college, preferably with a concentration in Control Systems, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering.
• California Professional Engineer (PE) License required.
• 15+ years of experience in control systems engineering.
• 8+ years of experience in project management.
• 5+ years of experience as a consultant.
• 5+ years of experience in business development.
• 5+ years of experience managing a team and keeping them utilized
• Experience in staff management, mentoring and resource management a plus.
• Proficient with PLC programming in more than 1 software platform: Rockwell, Modicon, etc.
• Proficient with SCADA HMI and historian software.: Ignition, Aveva/Wonderware, FTView, etc.
• Experience with network design, installation, configuration and troubleshooting.
• Understanding of process instrumentation including design, procurement, installation, calibration, and maintenance.
• Proficient with motor control schematics, loop drawings, logic charts, network architecture drawings, and P&ID drawings.

WE OFFER competitive salaries, relocation assistance, excellent benefits package, remote work flexibility, and an active and positive team building, work environment.

Cannon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age.