Senior Process Controls Engineer

Manus works across industries and value chains to accelerate the transition to BioAlternatives – better performing and more sustainable versions of complex molecules traditionally sourced from plants, animals, or fossil fuels. Our platform is proven to work across scales, bridging the Valley of Death between lab and manufacturing more efficiently and more reliably to deliver the benefits of synthetic biology today.

The Senior Process Controls Engineer position is a hands-on control engineering position. Candidates must demonstrate experience in programming, configuring, implementing, commissioning, and troubleshooting Emerson DeltaV DCS applications. Strong Allen-Bradley PLC knowledge and experience integrating PLC-based equipment with DeltaV are also highly valued. Project-management experience is a plus but is not a mandatory qualification

Technical Leadership & Advanced Engineering

• Serve as site technical expert for process control and automation systems, with primary focus on Emerson DeltaV DCS and Allen-Bradley PLC systems.
• Design, program, configure, implement, test, commission, and troubleshoot DeltaV control applications, including control modules, sequences, interlocks, permissives, alarms, and operator graphics.
• Develop and modify Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix PLC programs and support integration and communications between Allen-Bradley PLCs, packaged equipment, and DeltaV.
• Translate P&IDs, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, equipment sequences, and process requirements into functional control logic.
• Develop and maintain site standards for control system architecture, programming, alarm management, documentation, and system integration.
• Lead advanced troubleshooting of controls, instrumentation, I/O, communications, and process-control issues; perform RCA and implement permanent corrective actions.

Project & Capital Support

• Provide controls and automation engineering support for capital projects from scope development and detailed design through FAT, SAT, commissioning, startup, and turnover.
• Define controls scope and technical requirements and coordinate implementation with Process Engineering, Operations, E&I, vendors, OEMs, contractors, and system integrators.
• Review P&IDs, control narratives, functional specifications, cause-and-effect matrices, I/O lists, instrument documentation, control drawings, and vendor control interfaces.
• Lead or support I/O checkout, loop checks, functional testing, commissioning, and startup.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other controls/automation engineers.

Production Support & Continuous Improvement

• Provide senior-level Production support for DeltaV and Allen-Bradley PLC configuration, programming, control logic changes, loop tuning, alarms, and troubleshooting.
• Troubleshoot instrumentation, control valves, VFDs, motors, field I/O, networks, PLC/DCS communications, and packaged-equipment interfaces.
• Partner with Production and Process Development to improve process automation, reliability, efficiency, data collection, and reporting.
• Analyze process and historian data to identify control-performance issues and opportunities for optimization.

Training, Documentation & Compliance

• Develop and maintain technical and operator training for automated systems.
• Maintain control narratives, functional specifications, I/O documentation, logic documentation, alarm settings, configuration records, and as-built documentation.
• Ensure control-system changes comply with site change-control, GMP, safety, cybersecurity, and documentation requirements.
• Support incident investigations, RCA/CAR activities, and site safety and quality initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, Controls/Automation Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in process controls or automation engineering in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience programming, configuring, implementing, commissioning, and troubleshooting Emerson DeltaV DCS systems.
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop and modify DeltaV control strategies, sequences, interlocks, permissives, alarms, and operator interfaces.
• Hands-on knowledge of Allen-Bradley PLC systems, preferably ControlLogix/CompactLogix and Studio 5000, including programming, configuration, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with integration and communication between Allen-Bradley PLC systems and Emerson DeltaV DCS, including packaged/OEM equipment.
• Strong knowledge of process instrumentation, including flow, pressure, temperature, level, analytical instrumentation, control valves, VFDs, and control-loop tuning.
• Experience with FAT/SAT, I/O checkout, loop checks, commissioning, startup, and field troubleshooting.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, instrument documentation, I/O lists, and electrical/control drawings.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, RCA, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Flexibility to support commissioning, startup, shutdowns, and plant operational needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DeltaV Batch, sequential control, equipment modules, phases, or recipe-based manufacturing.
• Experience with industrial communications and integration between DeltaV, Allen-Bradley PLCs, VFDs, instrumentation, OEM systems, and historians.
• Experience in bioprocess, fermentation, pharmaceutical, biotech, specialty chemical, or similar process manufacturing.
• Experience with process historians such as OSIsoft/AVEVA PI, SCADA, or MES integration.
• Familiarity with ISA-88 batch-control principles, ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity, and 21 CFR Part 11/GMP environments.
• Capital project and project-management experience, including scope, cost, schedule, vendor/contractor coordination, FAT/SAT, and commissioning.
• Experience mentoring junior controls/automation engineers.

Core Competencies

• Emerson DeltaV Programming & Configuration
• Allen-Bradley PLC Programming & DeltaV Integration
• Process Control & Automation
• Controls System Commissioning & Startup
• Instrumentation & Troubleshooting
• Root Cause Analysis
• GMP & Regulatory Compliance
• Continuous Improvement
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Technical Leadership
• Project Execution
• Technical Communication