Electrical & Automation Specialist

Role Summary

A project-focused engineering role responsible for providing electrical and automation expertise for the Integrated Steel Plant (ISP) project in Iowa. The position will support the development, review, coordination, and execution of electrical power distribution, plant electrical systems, instrumentation, process automation, and control-system packages across the plant. The role will work closely with project management, engineering consultants, technology providers, equipment suppliers, EPC/EPCM contractors, and construction and commissioning teams to ensure that electrical and automation systems are safely designed, integrated, installed, tested, and handed over in accordance with project specifications, schedule, budget, and applicable standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide electrical and automation engineering support throughout the project lifecycle, from engineering and design development through procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Review electrical and automation design deliverables, including design philosophies, single-line diagrams, load lists, power distribution drawings, cable schedules, layouts, instrument indexes, control philosophies, and technical specifications.
• Support development and review of the plant-wide electrical power distribution architecture, including incoming power interfaces, substations, transformers, switchgear, motor control centres (MCCs), drives, and distribution systems.
• Review electrical load calculations, short-circuit studies, protection coordination, arc-flash assessments, grounding and lightning protection, cable sizing, and other relevant engineering studies.
• Coordinate electrical interfaces between plant process areas and major equipment packages, including EAF and steelmaking, casting, rolling mills, material handling, utilities, and other ISP facilities.
• Review automation and control-system architecture, including PLC, DCS, SCADA, HMI, drives, process control networks, instrumentation, and supervisory systems, as applicable to each plant package.
• Review control narratives, functional design specifications, cause-and-effect matrices, interlock philosophies, alarm management, and instrumentation and control-system documentation.
• Coordinate integration of package-level automation systems with the plant-wide control and monitoring architecture, ensuring consistency of interfaces, communication protocols, and data exchange requirements.
• Review technical specifications, equipment datasheets, requisitions, vendor drawings, and engineering documents for electrical, instrumentation, and automation equipment and systems.
• Participate in technical bid evaluations, vendor assessments, design reviews, and technical clarification meetings for electrical and automation packages.
• Coordinate with technology licensors, engineering consultants, OEMs, system integrators, and EPC/EPCM contractors to resolve design issues, technical deviations, and interface-related matters.
• Monitor engineering progress and ensure timely review and closure of technical comments, vendor document submissions, technical queries, and project action items.
• Identify design gaps, constructability and maintainability concerns, system integration risks, and opportunities for standardization and value engineering.
• Provide technical support during construction and installation, including review of field changes, resolution of site queries, and verification of installation against approved engineering documents.
• Support inspection, testing, and commissioning activities, including factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance tests (SAT), loop checks, motor solo runs, protection testing, interlock testing, and integrated system testing, as applicable.
• Coordinate with commissioning and future operations teams to develop commissioning plans, test procedures, operating documentation, maintenance requirements, and training needs.
• Support start-up and performance testing by coordinating timely resolution of electrical, instrumentation, automation, and control-system issues.
• Ensure electrical and automation designs address applicable codes, standards, electrical safety, functional safety, cybersecurity, and environmental requirements.
• Participate in HAZID, HAZOP, design safety reviews, constructability reviews, and project risk assessments, ensuring relevant actions are tracked and closed.
• Maintain technical documentation, design review registers, interface registers, technical query logs, vendor document trackers, and progress reports for electrical and automation packages.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Control Systems, or a related Engineering discipline.
• 10–20 years of relevant experience in electrical and automation engineering for large-scale industrial, steel, metals, mining, or heavy manufacturing projects.
• Experience in engineering, design review, procurement support, construction, commissioning, or project execution of electrical and automation systems for an integrated steel plant or comparable industrial facility.
• Strong understanding of industrial power distribution systems, substations, transformers, switchgear, MCCs, motors, variable-frequency drives, electrical protection, grounding, and plant electrical infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of industrial automation and control systems, including PLC, DCS, SCADA, HMI, instrumentation, industrial networks, and process control integration.
• Ability to review and interpret electrical single-line diagrams, load lists, cable schedules, layouts, control narratives, P&IDs, instrument indexes, and functional design specifications.
• Experience coordinating electrical and automation interfaces for major process equipment and technology packages.
• Knowledge of relevant US electrical codes and standards, including applicable NEC, NFPA 70E, IEEE, IEC, and ISA requirements, as relevant to the project.
• Understanding of industrial safety, electrical safety, functional safety, control-system cybersecurity, and project quality requirements.
• Experience working with engineering consultants, EPC/EPCM contractors, OEMs, system integrators, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong technical problem-solving, planning, communication, coordination, and stakeholder-management skills.

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience in a greenfield integrated steel plant project, preferably covering EAF steelmaking, continuous casting, rolling mills, and material handling.
• Experience in electrical and automation engineering for steelmaking and rolling mill systems, including large drives, process automation, and equipment package integration.
• Exposure to project execution from basic and detailed engineering through procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Experience with major automation platforms, drive systems, PLC/DCS suppliers, and industrial system integrators used in steel manufacturing.