Process Automation Technician

At Oregon Steel Mills LLC, our strength starts with our people! As a team we collaborate to solve problems, contribute ideas and challenge each other to ensure growth and ultimately success for the business and our employees.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide24/7/365 maintenance and operational support and resolution of mill control system problems; responsible for first-line troubleshooting and problem resolution
• Assist other departments with troubleshooting equipment and/or process problems using SCADA, PLC, and other control system software tools as required for problem resolution
• Perform routine daily equipment inspections and operational verifications of product gauging systems and various data acquisition systems deployed throughout the mill
• Maintain and support mill information systems and network infrastructure
• Use mill Maintenance Management System (MMS) to document daily and project activity on all planned and unplanned work; communicate to relevant personnel including next shift and Process Automation Engineers
• Assist vendors and/or field service technicians with annual and semi-annual inspections and calibration of product thickness and width gauging systems
• Assist Process Automation Engineers with projects requiring installation and commissioning of new equipment that include new control strategies and software solutions to improve productivity, product quality and yield, and reliability of the mill
• Generate red-line drawing markups as required for control system equipment modifications
• Review and revise existing job procedures including Visual Standard Work (VSW) and generate new procedures and VSW's as required
• Utilize training tools and opportunities to increase expertise in existing control system technologies and gain expertise in newer technologies to be deployed in the future
• Assist in training operations personnel in function and use of newly installed equipment and systems as required, particularly in user interface equipment (HMI)
• Participate in and contribute to Continuous Improvement (CI) projects throughout the mill as necessary
• Perform other duties as they might be assigned

• Two-year Associate Degree in Electronic Engineering Technology or equivalent experience
• Experience required with system configuration and programming on the following platforms: Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation Control Logix and Compact Logix PLC's, Siemens S7 and TI-505 PLC's, and Rockwell Factory Talk and TI/Siemens WinCC HMI software
• Excellent trouble-shooting skills in equipment, process control, and gauging systems
• Ability to read and interpret electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic schematics and use technical manuals

• Able to read through complicated algorithms and/or source code to identify problems or areas for improvement and propose solutions
• Able to follow standards in automation and control software discipline
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively individually and in multidisciplinary groups with members from all levels of the organization
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to deal with opposing opinions and make decisions based on data
• Good documentation, written, and oral communication skills
• Willing and able to work in a Steel Mill environment and support the 24-hour operation through variable shifts and/or on-call
• Preferred:
  • Rockwell / Allen-Bradley Control Logix PLCs and Studio 5000
  • Experience with Ignition HMI/SCADA platform by Inductive Automation
  • Experience with iba DAQ and visualization software
  • Experience with Siemens S7 PLC Hardware and Software
  • Hydraulic theory and hydraulic system control
  • Programming skills advantageous (C#, VB, .Net, C, and Python preferred)
  • Operating systems (OpenVMS, Unix, Windows, and Windows Server)
  • Supporting Servers, PCs, and Networks
  • Experience with logical circuitry and troubleshooting logical circuits
  • Database interaction and query language experience
  • Lean training and experience
  • Understanding of Industrial Networking and topology

• Typical administrative / office environment: no exposure to adverse environmental conditions
• Environmental conditions: protected from weather conditions but not from temperature changes
• Outside environmental conditions: no effective protection from the weather
• Hazardous: includes such physical conditions as proximity to moving mechanical parts/vehicles, electrical current, exposure to high heat or to chemicals

• Light work: exerting up to 20 lb of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lb frequently

• Competitive wages and bonus opportunities
• Family medical, dental, and prescription coverage at minimal employee cost
• Short and long term disability programs
• Competitive retirement plans
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Employer-provided and Voluntary Life Insurance options
• Paid vacation and recognized statutory holidays
• Apprenticeship and career advancement within the company
• Tuition reimbursement
• Wellness program