Control engineers are experts in optimizing processes, equipment, or tools by configuring smart controls to simplify actions and improve productivity. Think about the cruise control driving option in a vehicle or the dishwasher that works with the touch of one or two buttons. A controls engineer was behind those innovations and is responsible for creating many more.
This type of work is referred to as control system engineering. The control engineering discipline actively combines theory, design, and systems development. It requires experience with, and knowledge of, mechanical and electrical engineering, automation, and the latest information technologies. Today, control engineers typically focus on developing or maintaining two types of controls: binary and digital controls.
In this career, controls engineers use their analytical capabilities to troubleshoot issues, examine processes, maintain equipment controls, and find creative solutions to system inefficiencies. Innovative problem-solvers by nature, control engineers must frequently conduct research, experiment, and investigate new systems controls or improvements to achieve smooth operations. They regularly work alongside project control engineers or process control engineers to streamline processes within a project, as planned and on schedule. Control engineers may also be required to teach other engineers and technicians how to use and maintain the system controls.
Popular industries for control engineers include manufacturing, energy, aerospace, automotive, and beyond. As technology continues to evolve, so will control systems engineering. This means, there will be only more opportunities for control engineers!
Apply now for a job as a control engineer!
Project Controls Manager
Location: Chino Valley
Branche: Mining
Expertise: Controlling
Experience: 0 years
The contract PCM will oversees project controls functional area for very large, multidisciplinary, high-risk, capital engineering and construction projects from FEED to operations. You will be responsible for project planning and scheduling, cost estimating and monitoring, progress measurement, risk management and reporting. Manage project controls personnel. Responsible for establishing operating policies to mitigate risk. Provides guidance and consultation for project managers and corporate management. Experienced with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. This role will be a 'hands-on' position with the successful applicant undertaking the day-to day cost engineering duties on the owner's team.
Project Controls Manager
Location: Montréal
Branche: Mining
Expertise: Controlling
Experience: 5 years
Guide resolution of project challenges and complex project control issues through strong analytical review of cost, schedule, and risk information. Work closely with the project management team and corporate stakeholders; prepare clear reports, dashboards, and presentations for governance and decision-making. Identify and communicate design developments, scope changes, and schedule impacts; lead the change management process and recommend mitigation strategies. Coordinate with engineering, procurement planning, commercial, and estimation teams to ensure alignment of project controls with the evolving project scope and Feasibility deliverables. Establish and maintain the cost and schedule baselines for the Feasibility stage; ensure project control systems and procedures are consistently applied. Support the project stage-gate process and ensure adherence to recognized industry best practices for estimating, scheduling, cost control, and risk management. Develop and manage the project's risk register, including identification, documentation, mitigation planning, and evaluation of cost and schedule impacts. Ensure the accuracy of progress reporting as it relates to Feasibility deliverables, including engineering progress and key studies. Lead the development, review, and updating of the project schedule, ensuring alignment between discipline-level schedules and the integrated master schedule. Oversee preparation and submission of all required Feasibility-stage reporting in line with approved timelines and reporting standards. Mentor and support the project controls team; oversee staffing requirements, performance reviews, and development planning. Vous serez responsable de mettre en place des règles, des systèmes et des processus de contrôle de projet solides pour suivre l'avancement du projet et garantir la conformité avec le modèle de gouvernance. Vous devrez établir et maintenir des systèmes de contrôle de projet complets pour surveiller de près l'évolution du projet en termes de coûts et de calendrier. Vous jouerez un rôle crucial dans le suivi et l'analyse de tous les coûts du projet, pour tous les secteurs du projet, la structure de découpage du travail (WBS) et les lots de travaux, en veillant à ce que les écarts soient repérés et traités rapidement. Vous assurerez la supervision des fonctions de contrôle des coûts, de la planification et d'ordonnancement au sein d'une équipe en veillant à une gestion rigoureuse de tous les aspects du projet. Vous travaillerez en étroite collaboration avec le directeur du projet pour établir les budgets et élaborer des échéanciers détaillés. Vous veillerez à ce que toutes les informations soient communiquées avec exactitude et dans les délais impartis. Votre rôle sera essentiel pour garantir le succès du projet, et garantir que tous les objectifs reliés au poste soient atteints avec précision et efficacité.
Project Controls Manager
Location: Bagdad
Branche: Mining
Expertise: Quality Management
Experience: 0 years
Manages and oversees project controls functional area for very large multidisciplinary high risk capital engineering and construction projects from FEED to operations. Responsible for project planning and scheduling, cost estimating and monitoring, progress measurement, risk management and reporting. Manages project controls personnel. Responsible for establishing operating policies to mitigate risk. Provides guidance and consultation for project managers and corporate management. Experienced with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Rely on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. This role will be a 'hands on' position with the successful applicant undertaking the day-to-day engineering duties on the owner's team.
Project Controls Lead II
Location: Spring
Branche: Conventional Energy
Expertise: HR & Recruiting
Experience: 0 years
TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES* Provide timely and accurate data and deliverables in support of benchmarking and tool building* Provide overall project cost, schedule, progress measurement, and change management leadership and expertise* Provide support to Project Team and Stewards with cost and schedule analysis, reporting, forecasting and budgeting* Development of Project Controls Plan and Management of Change (MOC) Plan* Ensure that the Stewardship process is established and implemented, leading to monthly cost and schedule stewardship reviews* Coordinates and communicates priorities for new and ongoing estimating, planning and cost control activities* Leads preparation and maintenance of the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), the Original Control Budget (OCB), Current Control Budget (CCB) and Project Master Schedule, and Budget (Planning & Budgeting (P&B) ), and the overall cost and progress control system* Coordinate the collecting, analyzing, and reporting of project cost and schedule control information, to ensure overall project status is assessed and potential problem areas identified; prepares overall cost and schedule forecasts* Administer and facilitates the Management of Change process* Facilitate Capital Efficiency / Opportunities and Vulnerabilities process* Interface with Controllers regarding AFEs/budgets and invoices and development of Work-In-Place* Participate in bid evaluation process (as required)* Participate in developing Contract Price Budgets and Contract Control Schedules and Milestones* Ensure familiarity of Project Controls team with Contractor payment terms and contract coordination procedures applicable to their scope* Leads preparation for Gates Reviews, Advance Commitment, Full Funding or Supplement activities- Coordinates development of cost and schedule estimates in preparation of Gate and Check Point/Advance Commitment reviews- Coordinate development of Estimate Confidence Packages and Estimate Development Plans* Respond to ad hoc requests from Project Management Team (PMT) related to Controls/Reporting* Consortium / Affiliate / Joint Venture presentations* Supports preparation of Close-out Reporting / CA$HD Input* Perform quality assurance at the project level by monitoring and appraising the performance of Contractors in the areas of cost control, progress measurement and schedule control* Responsible for ensuring that proper and effective project control measures are executed by the Contractor; including the Contractor's cost and schedule control organization, plans and procedures* Review and, where appropriate, endorse schedule, progress and cost baselines and forecast prepared by contractors* Review progress measures reported by the Contractor* Review cost and schedule bases of Contractor's Change Proposals / Orders; including progress trends developed by Contractor* Assist site management in developing/reviewing cost and schedule corrective actions and recovery plans, and making sure needed actions/plans are implemented* Manage the Cost and Schedule organization including the Contractor sites and serve as the central link from the Project to the organization* Maintain close liaison with other members of the organization on the Project and the function* Coordinates development of Project Controls Implementation Plan tailored to the specific project* Provide feedback and mentor to project controls engineers and planners in the project* Ensure Functional alignment for support and approval of key deliverables (i.e. Estimate Confidence Package, Estimate Development Plan, etc.)* Drives and promotes capital efficiency on projects being stewarded by the department
Project Controls Manager
Location: Morenci, Arizona
Branche: Mining
Expertise: Controlling
Experience: 5 years
Manages and oversees project controls functional area for very large multidisciplinary high risk capital engineering and construction projects. Responsible for project planning and scheduling, cost estimating and monitoring, progress measurement, risk management and reporting. Manages project controls personnel. Responsible for establishing operating policies to mitigate risk. Provides guidance and consultation for project managers and corporate management. Experienced with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. This position is "hands on" or working manager position.DUTIES: * Guide and direct resolution of project difficulties and complex project control issues. Strong analytical skills required to review all project controls information and ensure accuracy as well as identify issues, concerns and potential mitigations. * Interact with the Project Management team and Corporate management team and participate in regular project meetings. Gather information and prepare reports and presentations of information as needed on the project. * Identify and communicate design changes, scope changes and schedule slippages and potential impacts and participate in the identification of mitigations. Ensure trends of cost and schedule are identified, manage change management process and communicate and suggest corrective actions.* Coordinate with cross functional team in project setting, ensure project controls team members are interfacing with engineering, procurement, contracts and construction on concepts and relationships to the scope of work and ensure adherence to safety and quality standards.* Oversees project baseline process for cost, schedule and progress and ensure all project systems are implemented according to process and company standards and procedures. * Ensure full implementation of company processes and procedures as well as industry best practices with regards to project controls on the project following the company project stage gate process. * Establish risk management protocol which includes identification, documentation, mitigation and tracking of potential risks on the project. Determine potential cost and schedule/progress impacts of potential risks as they are identified. * Ensure the accuracy of reported progress percentage based on the rules of credit established within the project. Develop progress measurement process for required scopes of work.* Establish and manage project schedule development, review and update processes and to ensure accuracy and alignment with the overall master schedule.* Manage and ensure all project required reporting is pared and submitted as per approved reporting schedule for the project.* Mentor and lead a large staff of project controls team members, ensure project is staffed appropriately, conduct regular staff performance reviews and manage any staffing issues that may arise.
Common control engineer responsibilities
A control engineer is responsible for performing a range of important engineering tasks. Responsibilities may include:
- Analyzing processes and systems for areas of optimization with controls for continuous improvement;
- Designing, developing, and implementing controls using algorithms and technical tools and approaches;
- Managing and maintaining controls in larger systems and processes to facilitate smooth and safe operations;
Troubleshooting control system issues to fix them to ensure high productivity; - Developing software and hardware for controls, guiding installation as needed;
- Implementing solutions using robotic process automation (RPA) as required;
- Drafting technical documentation and reports on control systems;
- Creating technical drawings using computer-aided design (CAD) software;
- Collaborating with customers, engineers, managers, and specialists to develop and deploy the controls in products;
- Tracking progress and delivering control systems engineering results in line with agreed project timelines and budgets;
- Ensuring compliance with relevant requirements, codes, and certifications, and in line with customer needs and demands;
- Leading trainings on system or process controls and equipment as needed;
- Assuring the safety and security of team members.
Qualifications for control engineers
Control engineers should have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or related. In some countries, an engineering license may also be required
Additional supporting skills and experience include:
- 2-4+ years of engineering experience;
- Solid understanding of construction methods; materials, forces;
- Excellent applied physics, math, and design skills;
- Proficiency in using diverse computer software, including the latest design, modeling, and calculation software like AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Matlab/LabView, or similar;
- Experience in project management;
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to be able to work easily with customers, engineers, technicians, and other team members;
- Some work experience gained through an apprenticeship or in a relevant role is an advantage.
