PLC and Controls Engineer (Manassas)

Overview:

Primarily responsible for various service and support functions around the clock across multiple client accounts. This role typically involves implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of control systems to ensure 24/7 facilities operations. A secondary responsibility is to support project teams designing and implementing customer building automation projects.

Overview:

Service and Support

• Perform regular inspections, maintenance, and software updates of control systems

• Identify and address system malfunctions or inefficiencies promptly

• Implement system upgrades and enhancements to improve efficiency and performance

• Continuously monitor service and support channels, including phone lines, email, chat, and ticketing systems

• Track service metrics, performance indicators, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify issues and trends

• Respond to incidents, outages, and service disruptions promptly

• Manage shift schedules and workload distribution to meet service demands and effectively ensure 24/7 coverage

• Act as a point of contact for escalated issues and complex customer inquiries

• Collaborate with technical teams to resolve critical incidents quickly and efficiently

• Develop incident response protocols and ensure they are followed

Instrumentation & Electrical Design

• Create instrument lists by examining P&ID drawings

• Compile submittal and procurement documentation for controls and instrument hardware

• Provide technical support for panel fabrication technicians

• Inspect completed control enclosures

System Design and Configuration

• Participate in customer design review meetings

• Assemble development system using project hardware and computers

• Configure user interface and HMI screens

• Configure DDC, PLC and/or DCS control algorithms

• Draft system documentation from templates

• Assist is customer demonstrations and acceptance testing

• Configure networks to interface with equipment.

Onsite System Startup

• Works in a supervised role and/or with a team at a customer site

• Install project software and configuration onto site systems

• Participate in point-to-point loop checks

• Perform instrumentation and software calibration and tuning

• Participate in functional tests of all systems

• Troubleshoot installation discrepancies

• Program field modifications as required

• Assist with developing commissioning test plans and documentation updates/redlines

• Assist with developing training documentation/presentation on operations and maintenance of system

Working Conditions

• Requires on-call rotation to address critical system issues outside regular working hours.

• During on-call rotation assignment, will need to be available 24/7. Out of on-call rotation required to work from Monday to Thursday regular working hours the week after an on-call rotation week. The remaining weeks of the month will work from Monday to Friday regular working hours.

• The role requires travel to different facilities for installation, maintenance, or troubleshooting.

• May include working in shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Qualifications:

• Proven track record as a Service Specialist and experience in service and support operations in a 24/7 environment.

• Associate’s Degree in approved mechanical or electrical program, or proper background as determined by interview

Technical Experience (One or more of the following technologies)

• Controls Experience: Tridium: Niagara N4

• Distech: Experience with BACnet and LON Distech controllers, Eclypse Controllers

• Johnson Controls: Facility Explorer or Metasys controllers

• Siemens: Experienced with Apogee (PXC), Talon Controllers, DXR controllers, Desigo CC or Insight

• Rockwell: FactoryTalk Suite, RS Logix/Studio 5000, familiarity with PlantPAx DCS

• Other useful technologies include: Scripting languages (VBA, Python, etc.)

• Knowledge of Kepware OPC server, ThinManager, VMware is preferred.

HVAC Experience Preferred:

• Basic understanding of HVAC systems in large building automation systems.

• Understanding of sequence of operations and P&IDs for HVAC and plant utilities.

• Experience with functional testing, including the ability to create, maintain, and execute test plans.

• Experience with specifying instrumentation and control valves for HVAC systems