Senior Electrical Engineer, Controls

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and commission PLC-based control systems for ORC power plant processes
• Design and implement HMI and SCADA applications for process visibility and alarm management
• Develop control strategies for key process loops including pressure, flow, and heat source management
• Specify, select, and integrate field instrumentation such as pressure, flow, and temperature transmitters
• Design industrial electrical control panels compliant with NEC, NFPA 79, and UL 508A
• Implement and maintain safety instrumented functions per IEC 61511 principles
• Integrate plant devices across industrial communication protocols including EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, and OPC-UA
• Support factory acceptance testing (FAT) and field commissioning of control systems

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Mechatronics Engineering
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing, programming, and commissioning industrial control systems
• Demonstrated PLC programming experience (Beckhoff, Allen-Bradley, or Siemens)
• Proficiency in Structured Text (ST) or similar IEC 61131-3 standard languages
• Experience developing HMI and SCADA applications from scratch
• Proficiency reading and producing electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs
• Experience with industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, OPC-UA, or equivalent)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ORC, geothermal, Rankine-cycle, or other power generation systems
• Experience with VFD-driven motor systems, including tuning and integration
• Familiarity with IEC 61511 safety instrumented systems and SIL classification
• Python experience for data acquisition or PLC/SCADA integration
• Experience with AutoCAD Electrical or EPLAN
• Experience supporting hardware bring-up, FAT, SAT, and field commissioning

Benefits

• Base salary range of $140k - $200k per annum plus equity options
• 100% company-covered medical (Platinum or HD/HSA), dental, and vision
• 401k retirement options and Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Daily catered lunch and free EV charging
• Annual social and team building outings

About the Company

Critical Energy is an innovative, venture-backed cleantech company on a mission to accelerate the global energy transition. Founded by an ex-SpaceX engineer, we design and manufacture modular power plants that convert heat into electricity using a closed-loop thermodynamic cycle. We provide high-efficiency, 24/7 power for geothermal applications and waste heat recovery.