Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Job Details

Sector(s)

Component Manufacturing & Research & Development; 
Construction; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$101,780 per year

$48.93 per hour

Job Type

Entry- to Mid-Level

Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements

Bachelors required; little to no experience required

Position Title

Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Alternate Titles

Instrumentation and control engineer, supervisory control and data acquisition engineer, asset management specialist, and computerized maintenance management system specialist

Job Description

Instrumentation and controls (I&C) engineers design, test, install, and maintain equipment that automates the processes that monitor and control machinery. This automation equipment allows hydropower component manufacturing or hydropower plant operations to run more efficiently and effectively.

Education and Training Description

I&C engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related computer or engineering degree. Employers also value experience, so internships and  cooperative-education engineering programs at universities are a plus. To be hired into formal engineering roles, I&C engineers generally need to acquire a fundamentals of engineering license by passing the fundamentals of engineering exam.

With a fundamentals of engineering license and 4 or more years of work experience, I&C engineers can take a test to acquire a professional engineering license. I&C engineers with a professional engineering license can be a technical specialist within the electrical engineering discipline, oversee other engineers, develop designs and specifications, and oversee component assembly activities. An advanced degree, additional work experience, and a professional engineering license can lead to more job and career advancement opportunities in the research and development sector, project development, training or education field, and managerial roles.

Job Profile

I&C engineers design, test, install, and maintain equipment that automates the processes that monitor and control machinery. I&C equipment could include instrumentation that monitors and controls temperatures, pressures, and other operational indicators to identify or remediate equipment malfunctions. This automation equipment allows hydropower component manufacturing plants and hydropower operations to run more efficiently and effectively.

In the hydropower energy industry, I&C engineers design electrical and communications systems (servers and telecommunication networks) that ensure the hydropower plant can operate autonomously with minimal oversight or manual adjustments. These systems, often called supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, control individual components of hydropower or manufacturing facilities while also recording information on the performance of the components. These systems send this performance information to centralized facilities, called SCADA control centers, for plant operators and I&C engineers to monitor. Particularly in small-scale hydroelectric operations, centralized facilities are often located in a different location from the plant or manufacturing facility, so plant operators and I&C engineers use this information to either make remote adjustments to components or identify when on-site maintenance is needed. These systems help make small hydroelectric power plants economically viable because it reduces the need for on-site staff.

During the design and installation of these systems, I&C engineers must test their systems and equipment thoroughly. After testing, they often work closely with I&C technicians to install, maintain, and calibrate these systems. I&C engineers must be flexible in their work hours and prepared to address problems remotely or in person by traveling to the physical system as necessary.

Instrumentation and controls engineers typically:

  • Handle projects that involve multiple applications, including SCADA, device controls and sensors, telecommunications networks, and related systems
  • Oversee the installation, reception, and configuration of servers, networks, and equipment
  • Troubleshoot equipment and software to repair and diagnose any malfunctions in the system along with continuously maintaining and upgrading the SCADA systems
  • Monitor data communication
  • Troubleshoot programmable logic controller circuits
  • Monitor I&C systems for cyber attacks that could alter or damage the plant or manufacturing facility.
  • Manager system access
  • Organize and maintain license and support documents
  • Prepare instrumentation diagrams, process control narratives, instrument lists, and input/output lists as part of project design and ongoing maintenance

Job Skills

Instrumentation and controls engineers typically need:

  • Communication skills. Instrumentation and controls engineers must be able to follow instructions from other engineers and others. They also need to clearly convey problems to other engineers.
  • To be detail-oriented. Instrumentation and controls engineers must pay attention to detail when assembling, troubleshooting, and repairing electronic and electrical mechanical systems.
  • Math skills. Instrumentation and controls engineers use mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting tasks.
  • Mechanical skills. Instrumentation and controls engineers must use hand tools and soldering irons on small circuitry and electronic parts to build components by hand.
  • Writing skills. Instrumentation and controls engineers write reports about on-site construction, design problems, or testing results. Their writing must be clear and well organized to convey the information in the reports.

More Information

For more information on instrumentation and controls engineer jobs, see:

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