Controls Engineer PLC and SCADA Development

Overview

American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) provides technical development and commercialization of domestic, sustainable sourcing of critical battery materials through lithium-ion battery recycling and battery metal extraction technologies for use in batteries that power electric cars, grid storage applications, and consumer electronics and tools. Our first of kind systems produce commercial-scale battery materials that are sold into the battery manufacturing supply chain. 

About The Job

As our Controls Engineer, you will design and implement best-in-class control systems for the chemical process systems of our proprietary lithium-ion battery recycling facility and primary resource extraction technologies. This candidate will collaborate with our R&D team, plant operations team, and various internal and external experts to ensure our facilities' successful design, construction, and operations. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the research & development, design, installation, commissioning, and operations of first-of-kind facilities. They should be passionate about designing, implementing, and maintaining efficient automation systems for chemical manufacturing processes, ensuring quality control of outputs, specifying equipment, and crafting and deploying monitoring protocols.  The candidate will be a problem-solver with a keen interest in scaling processes proven at the bench scale up to pilot- or pre-commercial scales. This should include constantly evaluating current processing steps and proposing and developing next-generation solutions to improve system performance and operability. This position will report to our Automation Engineering Lead. 

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the in-house engineering team to provide input on the process and facility design.

• Architect, write, and debug PLCs in standard languages, emphasizing generating organized, structured, documented, maintainable, and reusable code that involves state machines, PID loops, data acquisition, and fault-tolerant systems with error handling and recovery.  PLC code will interact with subsystems and ancillary equipment, Manufacturing Execution System (MES), utility systems, and 3rd party equipment PLC hardware

• Provide input on instrument specification and selection

• Developing specifications for procurement of controls-related hardware and software

• Coordinate and ensure the quality installation, start-up, and commissioning of Instrumentation and Controls systems on the projects you are assigned to

• Support operations and R&D teams by providing technical feedback and test plans for continuous improvement

• Support and/or lead PLC and SCADA development teams throughout the lifecycle of a project

• Provide input on sequences of operations and/or control narratives

• Direct outside resources on the implementation and commissioning of factory control systems

• Generate aesthetically simple HMI screens for complex machinery while providing sufficient feedback for troubleshooting

• Select and size electrical and electromechanical components such as servos, VFDs, and disconnects

• Occasional weekend support may be required for this position

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Background in Electrical/Mechanical/Controls Engineering or equivalent experience

• 2+ years of experience focusing on industrial automation systems

• Able to interpret and produce Process Flow Diagrams (PFD) and Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID)

• In-depth knowledge of object-oriented programming languages.  ISA-88, IEC61131-3

• Exposure to a variety of automation hardware (Siemens, Allen Bradley, Wago)

• Experience with a variety of industrial communication protocols (ProfiNet, Modbus, BACnet, Ethernet IP)

• Human Machine Interface (Ignition, PanelView, Simatic HMI)

• Proficiency with PID tuning for continuous processes

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Autodesk CAD programs (AutoCAD, ePlan)

• Experience with database systems (MSSQL, MySQL, PostcreSQL)

Location Onsite

- Reno, NV  

Job Type 

- Full-Time Exempt 

What We Offer

·       Competitive salary

·       Company-sponsored health, dental, vision, and life insurance

·       Company-sponsored Employee Assistance Program

·       Restricted Stock Units (RSU)

·       401(K)

·       Flexible paid time off

·       Monthly phone stipend

Equal Opportunity Employer

American Battery Technology Company is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Americans With Disabilities Act

American Battery Technology Company does not discriminate based on disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with the ADA Title I employment regulations. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability or a particular need, don't hesitate to get in touch with Human Resources.