Senior SCADA and Controls System Engineer

Job Purpose:

The Senior Control Systems & SCADA Engineer is responsible for designing and integrating ultra-reliable microgrid control solutions for mission-critical infrastructure across Defence, Pharma, Semiconductor, and 24/7 continuous-runtime facilities. The role is responsible for unifying generators, renewables, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) into high-availability automation platforms where downtime is not an option. The role spans the full project lifecycle, from developing high-integrity design philosophies through to ensuring seamless and secure multi-interface interoperability using advanced PLC platforms, including Beckhoff systems.

Key Responsibilities:

Functional Design & Philosophy

• Write Functional Design Specifications (FDS). Author detailed engineering documents mapping automation logic for fault-tolerant operations.
• Develop control philosophies. Define sequence-of-operations for seamless islanding, black-start recovery, and uninterruptible power transitions.
• Incorporate high-availability logic. Design N+1 and 2N redundant control topologies to eliminate single points of failure.
• Ensure regulatory compliance. Align control documentation with strict GAMP5 (Pharma), defence security standards, and semi-fab power quality guidelines (e.g., SEMI F47).

Interoperability & Integration

• Bridge multi-vendor interfaces. Ensure deterministic data exchange between disparate OEM controllers, microgrid controllers, and SCADA systems.
• Standardize industrial protocols. Align communication channels across Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, IEC 61850, and OPC UA.
• Manage interface registers. Coordinate complex memory maps with third-party BESS inverters, generator governors, and active power filters.
• Enforce OT cybersecurity. Design secure network architectures compliant with IEC 62443, NIS 2, or Defence-specific cyber frameworks.

SCADA & Control Development

• Program high-reliability PLCs. Develop logic for dynamic load shedding, peak shaving, and millisecond-level spinning reserve deployment using standard IEC 61131-3 languages.
• Utilise advanced PC-based control. Apply Beckhoff TwinCAT ecosystems for fast, high-performance processing and high-speed data acquisition where required.
• Design mission-critical SCADA. Build intuitive, high-performance HMI displays focused on situational awareness and rapid alarm triage.
• Implement automated dispatch. Optimize real-time balancing between BESS, renewables, and backup diesel generators to protect critical facility busbars.
• Architect historian configurations. Set up robust data logging and failover databases for audit trails, compliance tracking, and post-incident root-cause analysis.

Skills and Qualifications:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree. Required in Electrical, Automation, Control Systems, or Electronic Engineering.

Experience:

• 7+ years’ experience. Proven track record in control systems engineering, with at least 3 years focused on critical environments (e.g., data centres, cleanrooms, defence sites, continuous-process pharma).
• Lead engineering background. Demonstrated success owning the complete FDS and control philosophy creation process for hybrid power systems.

Skills:

• Multi-asset orchestration. Expert knowledge in orchestrating the concurrent operation of solar inverters, battery energy storage controllers, and generator governors to manage grid stability, frequency, and voltage control.
• Beckhoff PLC expertise. Strong familiarity with Beckhoff hardware, TwinCAT 3 development environments, EtherCAT networking, and real-time PC-based control architectures.
• Interoperability expert. Deep technical understanding of protocol translation, network topologies, and industrial gateways to link disparate generation assets.

Disclaimer:

The duties and responsibilities outlined in this job description are intended to provide an overview of the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. The role holder may be required to perform other duties as assigned, which are not listed here but are necessary to meet the business needs of the company.