Principal Engineer, Process Control
Job Description
* Quintana, TX, US
* Posted On: **03/16/2026**
* Employment Type: **Full Time**
* Job Class: **Engineering**
**Job Summary**
The Principal Process Control Engineer reports to the Process Control Engineering Supervisor, and is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing process control systems to improve process safety, reliability, throughput and production efficiency. The role will provide technical expertise in regulatory control design and performance, Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) lifecycle activities, Advanced Process Control (APC), and troubleshooting of control and safety systems.
**Location/Travel Information:**
This position is currently based in Freeport, TX, with plans to relocate to our headquarters in Downtown Houston in Q2 2026\. It will also require frequent travel to company facilities in Freeport and other off\-site locations as needed. This position requires the incumbent to hold a valid, unexpired driver license at all times in order to perform the essential functions of the job.
**Responsibilities**
* Display expert knowledge of process control principles (basic and advanced regulatory loop control and tuning, sequence logic, discrete control) and use them to assess/support area/plant automation performance.
* Have strong understanding of the impact of process control performance on company profitability, and be able to communicate that message across all parts of the organization.
* Collaborate with operations and process engineering teams to drive process improvements, reduce variability through loop tuning, and support other continuous improvement initiatives.
* Develop and implement control strategies to improve plant stability, controllability, and efficiency.
* Design and deploy Advanced Process Control (APC) applications to maximize plant throughput and optimize product recovery and energy usage.
* Troubleshoot complex control system issues, including Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human\-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) and other controls\-related systems.
* Conduct Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and support alarm management and trip investigations.
* Lead SIS lifecycle activities including validation, configuration, modifications, and compliance with functional safety standards.
**Other Duties**
* Participate in HAZOP, HAZID, Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) reviews.
* Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Basic Process Control System (BPCS), APC, SIS, Low\-Integrity Protection Systems (LI\-PL), Burner Management Systems (BMS), Fire \& Gas, Emergency Shutdown (ESD), and related systems.
* Update relevant documentation related to process control and SIS modifications as part of a robust Management of Change process.
* Provide technical expertise for capital projects involving instrumentation and controls. Complete project scopes to hand off to capital for estimating, including P\&ID markup and writing control functional descriptions.
* Complete controls\-related action items identified by hazard analysis, RCFA or other gap identification processes.
* Support preparation for and execution of plant turnarounds.
**Required Qualifications**
**Education**
* Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering.
**Experience**
* 15 years of experience in instrumentation or process controls in LNG, petrochemical, or related heavy process industries.
* Extensive DCS (or BPCS) experience/proficiency.
* Hands\-on expertise with process control and instrumented protective systems.
* Experience with Advanced Process Control (APC) application and deployment.
**Skills \& Competencies**
* Excellent troubleshooting, analytical, and organizational abilities.
* Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills.
* Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while prioritizing multiple demands.
* Ability to effectively collaborate and work with all levels of the organization, including operations, technical, plant management, contractors and vendors.
* Possess strong organizational and time management skills.
* Ability to prioritize in order to meet deadlines.
* Intermediate knowledge of ANSI/ISA 61511 and the SIS lifecycle.
* Possesses knowledge of engineering fundamentals in a particular discipline.
* Possesses basic knowledge of cross\-functional project execution.
* Proficiency with MS Office and SAP PM (or equivalent).
* Demonstrated ability to apply Continuous Improvement Tools
**Preferred Qualifications**
* Master’s degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering (ABET\-accredited).
* 15\+ years of process control engineering experience in LNG facilities.
* Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Texas.
* ISA 84 SIS Expert, TUV FS Engineer, or Certified Functional Safety Professional (CFSP) certificate holder.
* Experience with Honeywell DCS and Safety Systems.
* Familiarity with government agencies such as ERCOT, FERC, DOT/PHMSA, TCEQ, and OSHA and
* Posted On: **03/16/2026**
* Employment Type: **Full Time**
* Job Class: **Engineering**
**Job Summary**
The Principal Process Control Engineer reports to the Process Control Engineering Supervisor, and is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing process control systems to improve process safety, reliability, throughput and production efficiency. The role will provide technical expertise in regulatory control design and performance, Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) lifecycle activities, Advanced Process Control (APC), and troubleshooting of control and safety systems.
**Location/Travel Information:**
This position is currently based in Freeport, TX, with plans to relocate to our headquarters in Downtown Houston in Q2 2026\. It will also require frequent travel to company facilities in Freeport and other off\-site locations as needed. This position requires the incumbent to hold a valid, unexpired driver license at all times in order to perform the essential functions of the job.
**Responsibilities**
* Display expert knowledge of process control principles (basic and advanced regulatory loop control and tuning, sequence logic, discrete control) and use them to assess/support area/plant automation performance.
* Have strong understanding of the impact of process control performance on company profitability, and be able to communicate that message across all parts of the organization.
* Collaborate with operations and process engineering teams to drive process improvements, reduce variability through loop tuning, and support other continuous improvement initiatives.
* Develop and implement control strategies to improve plant stability, controllability, and efficiency.
* Design and deploy Advanced Process Control (APC) applications to maximize plant throughput and optimize product recovery and energy usage.
* Troubleshoot complex control system issues, including Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human\-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) and other controls\-related systems.
* Conduct Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and support alarm management and trip investigations.
* Lead SIS lifecycle activities including validation, configuration, modifications, and compliance with functional safety standards.
**Other Duties**
* Participate in HAZOP, HAZID, Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) reviews.
* Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Basic Process Control System (BPCS), APC, SIS, Low\-Integrity Protection Systems (LI\-PL), Burner Management Systems (BMS), Fire \& Gas, Emergency Shutdown (ESD), and related systems.
* Update relevant documentation related to process control and SIS modifications as part of a robust Management of Change process.
* Provide technical expertise for capital projects involving instrumentation and controls. Complete project scopes to hand off to capital for estimating, including P\&ID markup and writing control functional descriptions.
* Complete controls\-related action items identified by hazard analysis, RCFA or other gap identification processes.
* Support preparation for and execution of plant turnarounds.
**Required Qualifications**
**Education**
* Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering.
**Experience**
* 15 years of experience in instrumentation or process controls in LNG, petrochemical, or related heavy process industries.
* Extensive DCS (or BPCS) experience/proficiency.
* Hands\-on expertise with process control and instrumented protective systems.
* Experience with Advanced Process Control (APC) application and deployment.
**Skills \& Competencies**
* Excellent troubleshooting, analytical, and organizational abilities.
* Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills.
* Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while prioritizing multiple demands.
* Ability to effectively collaborate and work with all levels of the organization, including operations, technical, plant management, contractors and vendors.
* Possess strong organizational and time management skills.
* Ability to prioritize in order to meet deadlines.
* Intermediate knowledge of ANSI/ISA 61511 and the SIS lifecycle.
* Possesses knowledge of engineering fundamentals in a particular discipline.
* Possesses basic knowledge of cross\-functional project execution.
* Proficiency with MS Office and SAP PM (or equivalent).
* Demonstrated ability to apply Continuous Improvement Tools
**Preferred Qualifications**
* Master’s degree in Chemical or Electrical Engineering (ABET\-accredited).
* 15\+ years of process control engineering experience in LNG facilities.
* Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Texas.
* ISA 84 SIS Expert, TUV FS Engineer, or Certified Functional Safety Professional (CFSP) certificate holder.
* Experience with Honeywell DCS and Safety Systems.
* Familiarity with government agencies such as ERCOT, FERC, DOT/PHMSA, TCEQ, and OSHA and
Posted: 2026-03-16