Senior Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Engineer

Location: Santa Clara, CA
Employment Type: Contract-to-Hire
Work Schedule: Onsite

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Engineer for a contract-to-hire opportunity with our client in Santa Clara, CA. This position will lead a local team of engineers, technicians, and programming specialists supporting critical semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in industrial automation, PLC/HMI programming, SCADA systems, and engineering team leadership. This role involves overseeing system design, integration, troubleshooting, and commissioning while ensuring projects meet technical requirements, schedules, and budgets.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage an onsite team of engineers, technicians, and automation programming specialists.

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for instrumentation, controls, and automation projects supporting semiconductor manufacturing operations.

• Develop and implement automation solutions involving PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial networks, and field instrumentation.

• Oversee the design, programming, integration, and commissioning of facility management, gas life safety, and gas cabinet monitoring systems.

• Lead HMI/SCADA development with an emphasis on system reliability, performance, and usability.

• Troubleshoot complex automation and control system issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.

• Coordinate with project leadership and internal and external engineering teams to establish project scopes, schedules, budgets, and deliverables.

• Ensure engineering designs and system integrations meet client requirements and applicable industry standards.

• Support team recruitment, hiring, training, performance evaluations, and professional development.

• Establish team responsibilities, provide mentorship, resolve personnel issues, and oversee resource allocation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related discipline from an accredited U.S. institution.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant instrumentation, controls, and automation engineering experience.

• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams and managing technical project deliverables.

• Advanced PLC programming experience with Allen-Bradley (Studio 5000, RSLogix), Siemens (TIA Portal, S7), and Emerson (Machine Edition).

• Strong proficiency with SCADA platforms such as Ignition, FactoryTalk, WinCC, and CIMPLICITY.

• Experience designing and integrating PLC, HMI, SCADA, industrial communication networks, and field control systems.

• Knowledge of motion control, robotics, and high-speed industrial automation systems.

• Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), SQL databases, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies.

• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting semiconductor manufacturing facilities or data center environments.

• Knowledge of industrial cybersecurity principles and best practices.

• Extensive experience with system troubleshooting, field verification, testing, and commissioning.

• Familiarity with AutoCAD and engineering design documentation.

• Experience with facility monitoring, gas life safety systems, and gas cabinet controls.

• Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams in fast-paced operating environments.