Principal Process Automation Engineer
Duration:
Long-term assignment
Location:
Artesia, New Mexico
Start date:
August 2026
End date:
N/A
Position Overview
The Principal Process Automation Engineer is a senior technical opportunity focused on delivering automation engineering projects within a refinery environment. This position offers the chance to lead complex project execution across the full automation lifecycle, supporting operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The Principal Process Automation Engineer will work onsite in Artesia, New Mexico, contributing to multidisciplinary project delivery and providing technical leadership across process automation scope. This Principal Process Automation Engineer opportunity is well suited to candidates with strong hands-on delivery experience and the ability to lead teams on technically demanding capital projects.
Role Context
This role sits within the process automation and engineering space, supporting projects across sectors such as petrochemical, oil and gas, LNG, mining, and nuclear. The working environment is a full-time onsite refinery setting in Artesia, New Mexico. The role covers project phases from concept and design through construction support, commissioning, validation, and handover, while working alongside engineering partners, contractors, manufacturers, system integrators, project management, and technical disciplines.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the execution of process automation engineering projects across concept, design, engineering, construction support, commissioning, validation, and handover.
Provide technical leadership for automation project implementation, including programming and configuration of control systems and leading delivery teams.
Coordinate interfaces with engineering partners, construction contractors, equipment manufacturers, system integrators, project management teams, and technical disciplines.
Prepare and support proposals, execution plans, and project budgets.
Produce process automation deliverables including control narratives, cause and effect drawings, Boolean logic diagrams, and functional specifications for DCS, SIS, and PLC systems.
Develop system cabinet layout drawings, wiring diagrams, system card layouts, and loading documentation.
Deliver basic instrumentation and control documentation such as instrument datasheets, instrument indexes, wiring diagrams, and system architecture documents.
Support project success through quality delivery, cost awareness, customer satisfaction, work process improvement, and collaborative teamwork.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
10+ years of experience leading control systems projects and managing teams within relevant industrial environments.
Essential:
Front-end engineering experience including project scope development, control system philosophy, systems architecture, process safety studies, SIL determination, P&ID development, and TIC estimating.
Essential:
Experience programming and configuring Honeywell Experion DCS.
Essential:
Experience programming and configuring PLC platforms, preferably Rockwell.
Essential:
Strong capability in developing Total Installed Cost estimates for capital projects, including material take-offs and use of estimating tools.
Essential:
Ability to produce process automation and basic I&C deliverables, including specifications, indexes, datasheets, cause and effect diagrams, architecture documents, and wiring drawings.
Essential:
Detailed design experience covering selection, specification, and procurement of field instrumentation and BPCS/SIS systems.
Essential:
Field experience supporting construction management, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and handover.
Essential:
Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline such as Electrical, Instrumentation Computer Systems, or Chemical Engineering.
Desirable:
Experience in mining, LNG, petrochemical, oil and gas, or nuclear sectors.
Desirable:
Knowledge of Honeywell TDC and Triconex.
Desirable:
Experience with Cleopatra estimating software.
Desirable:
P.E. licence.
About the Company
This company is an established provider of engineering, procurement, and construction management services, with operations supporting major domestic and international projects. The company has developed recognised capability across refining, sulphur technology, arctic development, subsea systems, deepwater facilities, nuclear power, and renewable energy. This breadth of project exposure offers a technically challenging environment for a Principal Process Automation Engineer seeking complex, high-impact work.
About Airswift
Airswift is an international workforce solutions provider within the energy, process and infrastructure industries. Airswift serves as a strategic partner to our clients, offering a turnkey workforce solution to capture and deliver the top talent needed to complete successful projects by aligning with the unique needs of our clients. With over 1000 employees and 9,000 contractors operating in over 60 countries, our geographical reach and pool of talent available is unmatched in the industry and the level of experience, exposure, and expertise that the organization has is unparalleled. If you would like to be considered for this role and would like further details, please apply now!
#LI-MG1