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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Lead Controls Systems Technician

💰 $ - $

EngineeringControlsAutomationMaintenance

🎯 Role Definition

The Lead Controls Systems Technician is a senior hands‑on technical leader who plans, implements, and supports industrial control systems (PLC, DCS, HMI, SCADA) and field instrumentation across production assets. This role combines advanced troubleshooting, system programming, commissioning and start‑up experience with mentorship of junior technicians, vendor coordination, and continuous improvement to maximize uptime, process reliability and safety compliance. The Lead Controls Systems Technician liaises with engineering, operations, and maintenance to deliver projects, manage change control, and maintain accurate system documentation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Controls Technician / Instrumentation Technician with 3–5 years of experience
  • Electrical Technician or Maintenance Technician with automation exposure
  • Junior PLC Programmer or Field Service Technician

Advancement To:

  • Controls Engineering Supervisor / Controls Manager
  • Automation Engineer / Senior Controls Engineer
  • Maintenance Manager or Operations Engineering Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • SCADA/HMI Specialist
  • Instrumentation & Calibration Lead
  • Electrical Reliability Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the design, modification and validation of PLC and DCS control logic (Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Yokogawa), including ladder logic, function block, structured text and sequential function charts, ensuring robust and maintainable code that meets process control requirements and safety standards.
  • Plan, execute and lead commissioning, factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT) for new automation systems and equipment packages, coordinating cross‑functional teams, contractors and vendors to achieve safe and timely start‑up.
  • Troubleshoot complex electrical, control and instrumentation faults using root cause analysis techniques, point‑to‑point testing, oscilloscope and diagnostic tools, and implement corrective actions that minimize process downtime and repeat failures.
  • Develop, review and maintain detailed control system documentation including I/O lists, loop diagrams, ladder logic comments, HMI displays, block diagrams, tag databases, and as‑built drawings to support regulatory compliance and knowledge transfer.
  • Lead and mentor a team of controls and instrumentation technicians, assigning work, conducting performance reviews, delivering technical training (PLC programming, VFD tuning, electrical safety), and fostering a culture of continuous learning and safe work practices.
  • Implement and maintain industrial network architectures (EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC UA), manage device addressing, switches and VLANs, and work with IT/security teams to enforce control system cybersecurity controls and vendor remote access policies.
  • Design, configure and optimize HMI/SCADA screens and trends to provide operators with intuitive, actionable displays, alarm management, historian configuration and reporting to support operational decision‑making and KPI tracking.
  • Manage spare parts, calibration schedules and preventive maintenance for control system components (PLCs, I/O modules, RTUs, VFDs, encoders, transmitters) using CMMS, ensuring critical spares are stocked and lifecycle risks are mitigated.
  • Execute loop checks, instrument calibration and tuning (PID loop tuning, cascade control) to ensure process variables are controlled within target bands and process variability is minimized.
  • Drive continuous improvement and reliability projects by analyzing failure modes, developing lifecycle improvement plans, implementing upgrades (firmware, firmware validation) and participating in reliability centered maintenance (RCM) and root cause failure analysis (RCFA).
  • Ensure all control system changes follow formal change control and configuration management processes, including version control, rollback plans, testing protocols and sign‑off by engineering and operations stakeholders.
  • Prepare and manage project scopes of work, estimates, schedules and technical specifications for control system upgrades and capital projects, coordinating procurement, vendor evaluation and work execution to meet budget and timeline objectives.

Secondary Functions

  • Provide on‑call support and rapid response for critical plant outages and control system emergencies, coordinating with operations and maintenance to restore production while preserving safety and equipment integrity.
  • Evaluate legacy control systems and lead retrofit or migration strategies to modern PLC/DCS platforms, preserving process logic intent while improving maintainability and cybersecurity posture.
  • Interface with process engineers to translate process control strategies into program logic, HMI operator procedures and automated sequences that support production targets and changeovers.
  • Lead vendor acceptance and performance review of supplied control panels, PLC code modules, and skids; coordinate vendor start‑up services, punch list resolution and warranty follow‑up.
  • Maintain and improve alarm rationalization, setting priorities, and developing operator guidance to reduce nuisance alarms and enhance alarm response effectiveness in accordance with ISA‑18.2 principles.
  • Participate in PSSR (pre‑startup safety review), HAZOP actions implementation and safety instrumented system (SIS) diagnostics, testing and proof testing plans to ensure compliance with company and regulatory safety requirements.
  • Support capital forecasting by providing input on obsolescence, spare parts needs, and lifecycle upgrade plans for control and instrumentation assets.
  • Create and deliver technical handover packages, training materials and SOPs for operations and maintenance teams following project completion or system modifications.
  • Perform vendor, OEM and integrator oversight for contracted work, ensuring deliverables meet technical specifications, site standards and regulatory compliance requirements.
  • Contribute to asset data integrity by updating CMMS, PLC tag databases and control system inventories, ensuring accurate records for audits and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • PLC programming and troubleshooting: Allen‑Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix, Siemens S7, Schneider, DeltaV or equivalent.
  • DCS and SCADA systems: Honeywell, Yokogawa, Emerson DeltaV, GE, Wonderware, Ignition, Rockwell FactoryTalk.
  • HMI design and optimization: FactoryTalk View, WinCC, iFIX, Ignition Designer, PanelView.
  • Industrial networking: EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC/UA, managed switches, VLANs and basic network diagnostics.
  • Field instrumentation & calibration: pressure, temperature, flow, level transmitters, flowmeters (Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic), thermocouples and RTDs.
  • Motor control & drives: VFD setup and optimization, starter logic, servo drives, motor protection and soft starters.
  • Control theory & tuning: PID loop tuning, cascade and feedforward strategies, anti‑reset windup mitigation, and stability analysis.
  • Electrical fundamentals and schematics: reading and creating ladder diagrams, wiring diagrams, single‑line diagrams, and control panel layouts; familiarity with NEC and NFPA standards.
  • Diagnostics and testing tools: multimeter, clamp meter, insulation tester, oscilloscope, loop calibrator, fieldbus diagnostic tools.
  • Commissioning & validation: FAT/SAT planning, commissioning scripts, punch list management and acceptance criteria.
  • Safety systems and standards: SIS, IEC 61508/61511 awareness, PSSR, lockout/tagout, NFPA 70E and OSHA regulations.
  • Software and version control: document control systems, Git or equivalent for versioning PLC/HMI code, and familiarity with CMMS and asset management tools.
  • Cybersecurity basics for OT: segmentation, patch management, secure remote access, and coordination with IT/OT security teams.
  • Vendor and project management: writing technical specifications, evaluating bids, and managing contractors for control system work.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management: coaching, delegation, performance feedback and conflict resolution.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication: translating technical issues into operational actions and preparing clear technical reports and SOPs.
  • Analytical problem solving: structured root cause analysis, data‑driven decision making and predictive failure analysis.
  • Time and priority management: juggling reactive troubleshooting with planned projects and preventive maintenance.
  • Collaboration and stakeholder management: working across operations, engineering, procurement and safety to deliver solutions.
  • Attention to detail and documentation discipline: ensuring change control, accurate records and audit readiness.
  • Training and mentorship: developing technical capability within the team and running hands‑on workshops.
  • Adaptability and continuous learning: staying current with automation technology trends and regulatory updates.
  • Customer service orientation: supporting internal operations as a trusted technical partner and value driver.
  • Safety mindset: leading by example to maintain a culture of safety and compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree or diploma in Electrical, Instrumentation, Controls, Automation or related technical field; or equivalent combination of education and hands‑on experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, Instrumentation Engineering, Mechatronics or related discipline.
  • Certifications such as ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST), Rockwell/Siemens programming certifications, or safety certifications (NEBOSH, OSHA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Electrical Engineering / Instrumentation
  • Control Systems / Automation Technology
  • Mechatronics / Industrial Electronics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 6–12+ years in industrial controls, with at least 3–5 years in a lead or senior technician role.

Preferred:

  • Proven track record of leading control system projects, commissioning multiple packages, deep experience with PLC/DCS platforms, industrial networking, HMI/SCADA development, and demonstrated success in mentoring technicians and delivering reliability improvements.
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