Job Overview
This position is based in our Powerstar Offices in Sheffield.
This is a contract position suitable for PSC for an immediate start.
We are also looking to recruit a Staff based person to cover this role long term on a permanent basis.
We are seeking a Senior Control Systems & SCADA Engineer/PLC to design and integrate ultra-reliable microgrid control solutions for mission-critical infrastructure (Defence, Pharma, Semiconductor, and 24/7 continuous-runtime facilities).
You will unify generators, renewables, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) into high-availability automation platforms where downtime is not an option.
This role spans the full project lifecycle, from writing high-integrity design philosophies to ensuring seamless, 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.
Required Qualifications
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree.
Required in Electrical, Automation, Control Systems, or Electronic Engineering.
7+ years experience.
Proven track record in control systems engineering, with at least 3 years focused on critical environments (e.g., data centres, cleanrooms, defense sites, continuous-process pharma).
Lead engineering background.
Demonstrated success owning the complete FDS and control philosophy creation process for hybrid power systems.
Technical 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.
Redundancy mastery.
Practical experience configuring hot-standby PLCs, redundant SCADA servers, and ring network topologies (PRP/HSR/MRP).
Power systems engineering.
Strong grasp of generator synchronization, automatic voltage regulators (AVRs), and inverter-based resource (IBR) grid-forming controls.
Platform proficiency.
Broad experience with top-tier industrial platforms (e.g., Siemens S7-1500H, Rockwell ControlLogix, AVEVA/Wonderware, Ignition, or Emerson Ovation).
Preferred Skills & Attributes
Hybrid asset integration.
Practical field experience troubleshooting complex interaction loops, active/reactive power sharing issues, or hunting effects between generator sets and battery inverters.
Simulation testing.
Experience utilizing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing or digital twins to validate control logic and asset co-ordination before site deployment.
Validation experience.
Familiarity with commissioning protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ) within strictly regulated, validated environments.