Process Control & Automation Manager
Job Description
Job Summary:
The Process Control & Automation Manager leads the design, operation, optimization, and reliability of all industrial automation systems supporting our large‑scale recirculating aquaculture (RAS) salmon farming operations. The role ensures stable automated control of integrated water treatment, fish culture, life‑support and utility systems using PLC, SCADA, instrumentation, and networked control architecture to maintain optimal water quality, fish health, and production performance.
Job Description:
Core Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage the PLC/SCADA‑based control architecture supporting RAS production systems.
- Maintain and optimize automation controlling oxygen injection, pump sequencing, drum filters, biofilters, degassing, levels and flows, temperature control, water exchange, ozonation and auxiliary utilities.
- Oversee installation, calibration and reliability of critical instrumentation including dissolved oxygen, CO₂, pH, ORP, ammonia/nitrate sensors, flow meters, pressure transmitters, temperature sensors and level transmitters.
- Develop and maintain advanced control strategies (PID loops, pump sequencing, alarm thresholds, redundancy management and flow balancing) to ensure stable water quality and life‑support operations.
- Maintain SCADA visualization and HMI systems to monitor water quality, tank performance, flow rates, energy consumption and alarm conditions.
- Develop dashboards and analytics supporting production KPIs, fish health indicators and system performance.
- Implement preventive maintenance programs, calibration schedules and diagnostic routines for automation equipment.
- Design and manage alarm strategies and escalation protocols for life‑support systems including oxygen, temperature, pump failures and water treatment faults.
- Lead automation and instrumentation staff including controls engineers, automation technicians and instrumentation technicians.
- Support engineering and capital expansion projects including RAS system expansion, new tanks, filtration systems and new instrumentation technologies.
- Manage PLC/SCADA-based control architecture for RAS operations.
- Maintain automation for oxygen injection, pump sequencing, drum filters, biofilters, degassing, temperature control, and water exchange.
- Manage instrumentation calibration and sensor reliability.
- Design alarm management and fail-safe control strategies.
- Lead automation staff including controls engineers and instrumentation technicians.
- Support capital expansion projects and commissioning new process equipment.
Skills, competences, and knowledge to perform the work
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering
- More than 5 years’ experience in IT/automatization.
- Willingness to collaborate with team members
- Ability to work in complex multi-tasking environments
- Strong leadership capabilities
- Willingness to collaborate with team members Ability to think critically and solve problems.
- Ability to speak honestly and voice concerns.
- Strong organizational and scheduling skills
- Ability to make hard decisions and follow through.
- Ability to work in complex multi-tasking environments
Work Environment
This job operates in a combined office and farm/production and manufacturing environment.
Schedule
This job is salary. Standard business hours and supporting direct reports as necessary. The facility is 24 hour and support to teams may include daytime, nighttime, weekend, and holiday shifts.
Physical Demands
☐ Climbing
☒ Kneeling and Crawling
☒ Reaching. Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
☒ Standing. Particularly for sustained periods of time.
☒ Walking
☒ Pushing. Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
☒ Lifting
☐ Repetitive motion.
☐ International and National overnight travel
☐ Travel 25% of time
The physical requirements of this position.
☒ Sedentary work and up to 10 pounds of force/lifting
☐ Light work. Up to 20 pounds of force/lifting
☐ Medium work. Up to 30 pounds of force/lifting
☒ Heavy work. More than 30 pounds of force/lifting