SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) · 7 hours ago
OT Controls & Automation Engineer
Houston, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
3+ years expChevron is seeking an OT Controls & Automation Engineer to join their OT Product Line Mechatronics team. This role focuses on the adoption of emerging operational technologies, bridging the gap between industrial control systems and IT/OT convergence, while ensuring operational reliability and cybersecurity.
AssociationBiotechnologyCommunitiesGovernmentInformation Technology
No H1B
Responsibilities
Design and implement industrial control solutions across OT environments, including PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) architectures, control narratives, I/O design, and configuration aligned with enterprise standards and site requirements
Engineer instrumentation and electrical integrations for prototypes and deployments, including sensor selection, loop design support, wiring/termination planning, panel/interface concepts, power considerations, and field commissioning support as required
Execute rapid technology adoption spikes (2–6 weeks) by defining scope, success criteria, risk/assumption logs, and test plans; building and validating prototypes; and rapidly iterating based on results and stakeholder feedback
Plan and perform testing, validation, and troubleshooting for lab and field trials (e.g., FAT/SAT-style validation, loop checks, point-to-point verification, protocol/network validation, and reliability/performance troubleshooting)
Drive "prototype-to-operations" readiness by aligning trial outcomes to acceptance expectations (e.g., cybersecurity hardening, patch/upgrade planning, documentation completeness, and "Ready for Operations" checklists) so validated capabilities land cleanly into platform operations
Support IT/OT convergence and industrial connectivity by collaborating with IT, OT platform operations, and cybersecurity on segmented networking, secure remote access, industrial DMZ patterns, identity/access dependencies, and lifecycle management for OT systems that run on IT platforms
Produce high-quality technical documentation and learnings capture including architecture diagrams, control narratives, test reports, commissioning checklists, and "trial learnings" packages; apply disciplined version control and ensure artifacts are easy to find and reuse across teams
Collaborate cross-functionally and mentor others by working with facilities/smart building stakeholders, OT platform operations, IT, external vendors/technology partners, and internal innovators; coach teammates on controls/I&E fundamentals and share reusable patterns through demos, templates, and knowledge bases
Qualification
Required
Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Experience: 3–7 years in controls engineering, instrumentation, electrical systems, industrial automation, or related OT engineering roles (energy, chemicals, manufacturing, or other capital-intensive industries)
Hands-on experience designing, configuring, commissioning, and troubleshooting PLC- and/or SCADA-based systems in industrial environments
Familiarity with at least one major automation ecosystem (e.g., Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Emerson, Honeywell, Schneider; depth in one is acceptable)
Working knowledge of control system lifecycle deliverables (e.g., I/O lists, control narratives, cause & effect where applicable, configuration baselines, commissioning checklists, FAT/SAT concepts)
Practical experience integrating field devices with control systems, including loop checks and troubleshooting of common measurement and discrete devices
Working knowledge of common industrial signals (e.g., 4–20 mA; familiarity with HART where applicable) and basic electrical/panel interface practices consistent with industrial safety requirements
Experience with common industrial protocols such as Modbus and/or OPC UA (and/or EtherNet/IP, PROFINET), including practical troubleshooting in lab/field environments
Demonstrated ability to produce clear technical documentation, communicate tradeoffs, and translate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
Comfortable working in an iterative delivery model using work tracking tools (e.g., Azure DevOps / Kanban) and collaborating across disciplines to execute short-cycle work
Commitment to safe work practices and operational reliability; familiarity with change control expectations in industrial environments (e.g., Management of Change concepts) and partnering with IT service/change workflows as needed
Preferred
Advanced education or credentials: Master's degree in a relevant discipline; Professional Engineer (PE) license; ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP); NICET or comparable certifications (instrumentation/electrical)
Experience deploying or evaluating one or more of the following in industrial environments: Industrial edge computing (gateway patterns, virtualization/container concepts, ruggedized compute), Industrial IoT / IIoT architectures and data integration patterns, Private LTE/5G or advanced wireless connectivity for industrial use cases, Digital twins or operational analytics tied to real OT data
Familiarity with industrial security concepts (defense-in-depth, segmentation, secure remote access, vulnerability/patch coordination) and how OT systems depend on IT infrastructure (e.g., Windows/identity services, virtualization, backups/DR)
Prior experience in rapid prototyping, pilots, lab/field trials, or technology adoption programs where success is measured by learning velocity and de-risking—not only long-cycle delivery
Experience guiding junior engineers/technicians, leading small technical workstreams, or serving as a technical mentor for controls/I&E integration
Company
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening)
SLAS, headquartered in Oak Brook, IL, is a tax exempt organization under section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Vicki Loise
CEO
Amy Wilkinson
Director, Global Events and Corporate Partnerships
Recent News
2025-10-23
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2025-10-03
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