(C) Marine Electrical Controls & Automation Engineer at TMMG · Houston

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Job Type

Full-time

Description

Background check, US Citizenship, and drug screening are requirments for this position. Travel is 95%. Contingent upon client approval of candidate.

TMMG is seeking an experienced Marine Electrical Controls & Automation Engineer to support an expanding advanced vessel new-construction program Louisiana.

This is a hands-on engineering position supporting the design, integration, construction, commissioning, and testing of highly automated marine vessels and their machinery-control systems. The successful candidate will work closely with engineering, production, software, test, commissioning, and equipment-vendor teams to take shipboard systems from design requirements through installation, controls integration, testing, and final operation.

We are specifically looking for engineers with strong machinery controls, PLC, automation, and electrical integration experience. Experience with Siemens SIMATIC PLCs and TIA Portal is highly desired.

This is not primarily a desk-based electrical design position. The engineer must be comfortable working aboard vessels under construction and troubleshooting systems at the deck-plate level.

Work Environment: Shipyard/ Vessel New Construction/ Engineering & Commissioning

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design, integration, installation, commissioning, and testing of shipboard electrical, automation, and machinery-control systems.

• Translate system requirements, operating sequences, and equipment-response requirements into functional control logic and PLC implementation.

• Develop, review, modify, and troubleshoot PLC logic, including ladder logic, function blocks, interlocks, permissives, alarms, shutdowns, and equipment sequencing.

• Support Siemens SIMATIC PLC and TIA Portal applications and other industrial control platforms.

• Integrate PLCs, HMIs, remote I/O, instrumentation, sensors, actuators, VFDs, MCCs, motor controllers, and equipment controllers.

• Perform I/O checkout, point-to-point verification, loop checks, equipment startup, system activation, and functional testing.

• Troubleshoot system problems across electrical wiring, instrumentation, communications, PLC logic, HMI configuration, equipment controllers, and machinery interfaces.

• Support control and automation of shipboard systems including pumps, valves, cooling systems, fuel systems, ventilation, hydraulics, propulsion auxiliaries, and electrical power systems.

• Troubleshoot industrial communications and networks including Modbus TCP/RTU, Ethernet/IP, CAN bus, and similar protocols.

• Review electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, control drawings, I/O lists, sequence-of-operation documents, equipment specifications, and vendor technical data.

• Work directly with electricians, production personnel, controls/software engineers, system engineers, OEM representatives, and test personnel to resolve integration issues.

• Determine whether system discrepancies originate in wiring, hardware, instrumentation, communications, configuration, PLC/software logic, or equipment operation and drive issues through corrective action and retest.

• Develop, review, and execute commissioning and test procedures.

• Support equipment activation, dockside testing, integrated system testing, discrepancy resolution, acceptance testing, and sea trials.

• Document system changes, test results, deficiencies, corrective actions, and final system configuration.

• Provide hands-on engineering support during vessel construction to resolve design-to-build and installation issues while minimizing impact to production and test schedules.

Required Qualifications

• Hands-on electrical/controls troubleshooting experience in a marine, shipyard, industrial, offshore, manufacturing, or similar environment.

• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, control drawings, logic diagrams, I/O lists, and technical specifications.

• Working knowledge of PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, VFDs, MCCs, motor controls, sensors, actuators, and industrial communication networks.

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot problems involving both hardware and software/control logic.

• Experience supporting system startup, integration, commissioning, or testing.

• Ability to work aboard vessels under construction and in an active production environment.

• Ability to work effectively with engineering, software, production, electrical trades, test personnel, and equipment vendors.

Preferred Qualifications

Strong candidates will have experience in several of the following areas:

• Siemens SIMATIC PLCs and TIA Portal

• Marine Machinery Control Systems (MCS)

• Vessel new construction or major vessel modernization

• PLC programming and troubleshooting

• HMI development and troubleshooting

• Machinery automation and sequencing

• VFD and motor-control integration

• Electrical power and control systems

• Instrumentation and I/O integration

• Industrial/marine communication networks

• Integrated system commissioning

• Dock trials and sea trials

• Shipboard discrepancy troubleshooting and resolution

• Configuration and change control

• Autonomous, remotely operated, or highly automated marine platforms

Physical Job Requirements

• Ability to work in an active shipyard, industrial, and vessel new-construction environment, including exposure to noise, weather, machinery, and ongoing production activities.

• Ability to board and work aboard vessels, including navigating gangways, ladders, stairs, passageways, machinery spaces, and confined work areas.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods while performing ship checks, inspections, system activation, troubleshooting, commissioning, and testing.

• Ability to climb vertical and inclined ladders and access elevated or below-deck equipment locations.

• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, and work in restricted spaces while inspecting or troubleshooting electrical and control equipment.

• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds of test equipment, tools, laptops, drawings, cables, or related materials.

• Ability to safely work around energized electrical equipment, rotating machinery, operating equipment, and active shipboard systems in accordance with established safety procedures.

• Ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, safety footwear, gloves, and other task-specific PPE.

• Ability to use laptops, diagnostic equipment, electrical test instruments, and controls-programming equipment in both office and shipboard environments.

• Ability to distinguish equipment indications, alarms, wiring identification, control-panel information, and HMI displays necessary to perform troubleshooting and testing.

• Ability to work extended or non-standard hours when required during system activation, commissioning, dock trials, sea trials, or critical vessel test periods.

• Ability to travel as required to support shipyard, vessel, vendor, commissioning, and test activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, Marine Engineering, or a related discipline. Significant relevant controls and commissioning experience may be considered in lieu of specific degree requirements.

• Experience with PLC-based machinery-control or industrial automation systems.

The Engineer We Are Looking For

We need someone who can understand both sides of the problem: what the vessel and machinery are supposed to do and how the control system makes it happen.

For example, when a machinery-control HMI commands a pump to start, the engineer should be capable of following the complete control path:

HMI Command • PLC Logic • Network / I/O • Starter or VFD • Motor / Pump • Instrumentation • Feedback • PLC • HMI

If the equipment does not respond correctly, this engineer should be able to determine where the failure occurred and why, then work with the appropriate engineers, programmers, electricians, production personnel, or OEM to correct the problem and verify the repair.

Work Environment

This position will support an active marine vessel design and new-construction environment. Work will include a combination of engineering, shipyard, production, vessel, commissioning, and test activities.

Candidates should expect to spend meaningful time aboard vessels and alongside production and commissioning teams, particularly during system activation, integration, test, and troubleshooting.

Some travel may be required to support equipment vendors, engineering activities, vessel testing, or other program locations.