Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Technician

Job Description

The Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Technician is responsible for supporting the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the plant’s electrical, instrumentation, automation, and process-control systems.

This position performs preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance; troubleshoots equipment and control-system issues; supports plant projects and shutdowns; and recommends improvements that increase equipment reliability and plant performance. The technician works closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, equipment vendors, and outside contractors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Safety and compliance

• Strictly follow and help enforce MAAPW safety, environmental, and operating policies and procedures.
• Perform work in accordance with applicable OSHA requirements, the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70E, Nebraska electrical requirements, and recognized industry standards.
• Follow established lockout/tagout, arc-flash, confined-space, hot-work, and electrical-safe-work procedures.
• Perform only work for which the employee is properly trained, qualified, authorized, and—when required—licensed.
• Participate in job-safety analyses, pre-job planning, incident investigations, and plant safety initiatives.
• Immediately report unsafe conditions and exercise stop-work authority when necessary.

Electrical and control systems

• Safely install, inspect, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair plant electrical, instrumentation, automation, and control equipment.
• Maintain and troubleshoot motors, motor-control centers, variable-frequency drives, starters, relays, transformers, switchgear, control panels, power supplies, and related equipment.
• Troubleshoot PLC, DCS, HMI, input/output, industrial communication, alarm, interlock, and process-control issues.
• Make authorized PLC/DCS programming or configuration changes in accordance with company procedures and management-of-change requirements.
• Install and maintain conduit, wiring, junction boxes, control panels, grounding systems, and related components within the employee’s authorized and legally permitted scope.
• Read, interpret, and effectively use electrical schematics, one-line diagrams, loop drawings, P&IDs, control narratives, equipment manuals, vendor documentation, procedures, and applicable codes.

Instrumentation

• Install, calibrate, maintain, and troubleshoot flow, level, pressure, and temperature transmitters and related instrumentation.
• Calibrate and maintain analyzers, switches, valve positioners, control valves, actuators, and other final control elements.
• Work with 4–20 mA, HART, fieldbus, and other industrial communication protocols used at the plant.
• Properly use multimeters, process calibrators, loop simulators, insulation testers, and other electrical and instrumentation test equipment.
• Maintain complete and accurate calibration and inspection records.

Maintenance and reliability

• Perform preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities as assigned.
• Diagnose electrical, instrumentation, and control-system failures and assist with root-cause analysis.
• Identify recurring equipment problems and recommend reliability, safety, and process improvements.
• Participate in maintenance planning, scheduling, spare-parts management, and equipment-criticality reviews.
• Support mechanical repairs and other maintenance activities when properly trained and assigned.
• Participate in plant shutdowns, startups, commissioning activities, and scheduled outages.
• Maintain clean and orderly equipment, electrical rooms, workspaces, and grounds.

Projects and documentation

• Work with plant personnel, engineers, equipment vendors, and outside contractors to plan and implement new installations and system upgrades.
• Assist with equipment testing, commissioning, startup, and project closeout.
• Create, revise, and maintain reports, electrical records, calibration documentation, drawings, and equipment information.
• Use the computerized maintenance management system to document work orders, preventive maintenance, inspections, calibrations, abnormal conditions, downtime, troubleshooting, and repairs.
• Communicate equipment status, operating concerns, and maintenance activities clearly to Operations, Maintenance, and management.

Technical Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as a plant technical resource for complex electrical, instrumentation, and controls issues.
• Support commissioning, startup, loop checks, and operational readiness for new equipment and plant projects.
• Participate in root-cause investigations and corrective actions involving electrical and control-system failures.
• Review designs, drawings, and equipment selections and provide practical feedback on reliability and maintainability.
• Train and mentor operators and maintenance personnel on I/E/C systems and troubleshooting.
• Help develop plant standards and identify opportunities to simplify systems, improve reliability, and reduce dependence on outside technical support.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Industrial electrical, instrumentation, automation, or controls experience—or an equivalent combination of technical education and relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of industrial electrical systems and electrical-safe-work practices.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, loop drawings, P&IDs, and technical manuals.
• Experience troubleshooting instrumentation and industrial communication systems.
• Experience working with PLC and/or DCS systems.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to safely operate company vehicles and utility vehicles.
• Ability to use a CMMS or learn the plant’s maintenance-management system.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, documentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and take ownership of assigned work.
• Ability to work independently while supporting a team-based operating environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree, technical diploma, or formal training in electrical technology, instrumentation, industrial maintenance, automation, or a related field.
• Three or more years of industrial electrical and instrumentation experience.
• Experience in ethanol, grain processing, food processing, chemical manufacturing, energy, or another continuous-process facility.
• Active Nebraska journeyman electrician license or the ability to obtain the appropriate Nebraska license.
• ISA certification, such as Certified Control Systems Technician, or a comparable industry credential.
• Experience with motor-control centers, variable-frequency drives, industrial networks, and process-control instrumentation.
• Previous reliability-maintenance or predictive-maintenance experience.
• PLC/DCS troubleshooting, configuration, or programming experience.

Work Schedule and Availability

• Must be available for overtime, weekends, holidays, and emergency response when required.
• Must participate in the plant’s off-hours on-call rotation.
• Must participate in scheduled plant shutdowns and outages.
• Regular and reliable on-site attendance is required.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

With or without reasonable accommodation, the employee must be able to:

• Lift and carry up to 60 pounds.
• Climb stairs, ladders, platforms, and equipment structures.
• Work at elevated locations and in confined spaces when properly trained and authorized.
• Bend, stoop, kneel, reach, stand, and walk for extended periods.
• Work indoors and outdoors in varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Work around industrial equipment, noise, dust, chemicals, and other conditions normally present at an ethanol-production facility.
• Wear required personal protective equipment.

Key Competencies

• Commitment to safety
• Electrical and instrumentation troubleshooting
• Sound judgment and problem-solving
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Reliability and follow-through
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Teamwork and cooperation
• Initiative and personal accountability
• Ability to prioritize work in an operating plant

Additional Information

Comprehensive benefit coverage includes:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Paid Vacation
• 401k with company contributions
• Life insurance
• Short-term & Long-term disability

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.