Automation Specialist - Operations

Automation Specialist (OT/ICSS)

Pacific Energy Canada · Squamish, Canada · Full-time · Posted 2026-05-25

Salary: CAD 110,000–140,000

Workplace: on_site

Department: Operations

Description

Project

The Woodfibre LNG Project is located approximately 7 km west-southwest of Squamish, British Columbia. It involves the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility on the previous Woodfibre pulp mill site, which would have a storage capacity of 250,000 m3 and would produce approximately 2.1 million tons per year of LNG.

Woodfibre Management Ltd. is a privately held Canadian company based in Vancouver and a subsidiary of Pacific Energy Corporation Limited.

Position

The Automation Specialist is an integral part of Woodfibre LNG's dynamic team. Reporting directly to the Electrical & Instrumentation Maintenance Supervisor, the successful candidate will work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and other stakeholders to ensure the uptime, reliability, and availability of ICSS and related automation systems. This role is critical in supporting the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible operation of the Woodfibre LNG Plant. This position plays a key role in ensuring system integrity, operational continuity, and overall site reliability through effective automation support, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of control systems and related infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

The successful applicant will:

• Own the day‑to‑day availability, uptime, and operational health of plant automation and control systems, including ICSS, and packaged PLC systems.
• Provide hands‑on troubleshooting and technical support to resolve automation‑related issues during commissioning, start‑up, operations, outages, and turnarounds.
• Execute approved control system changes and upgrades in compliance with the Management of Change (MoC) process and applicable technical authority approvals.
• Configure, maintain, and support automation systems, including control logic, graphics, alarms, system interfaces, and operating parameters.
• Support the integration and ongoing operation of packaged PLC systems within the ICSS environment, ensuring reliable and consistent plant control.
• Be accountable for the operational health and maintenance of automation infrastructure, including control servers, virtual machines, automation networks, backups, patches, and disaster‑recovery readiness.
• Carry out OT cybersecurity activities, corporate policy and framework.
• Maintain and support historian and automation data systems, ensuring accurate tag configuration, data quality, and reliable data flows.
• Provide technical execution support for control philosophy implementation, including alarm management and advanced control initiatives (Advanced Process Control, Model Predictive Control, Advanced Regulatory Control).
• Support execution and troubleshooting of safety systems, including SIS, Fire & Gas, and automation field interface systems (PRM, HART multiplexers).
• Collaborate with multi‑disciplinary teams to diagnose and resolve instrumentation, electrical, and control‑related plant issues.
• Act as a technical interface between Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, IT, and vendors for automation‑related matters.

HSSE

• 100% compliance with company HSE policies and guidelines.
• Champion HSE as a member of the LNG Operations Team.
• Lead HSE Shift Meeting/ safety walks/audits if and when required.
• Timely intervention to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of personnel and plant.
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to influence overall safety behavior in the plant.
• Safeguarding systems check lists are implemented/completed by Shift Operations to agreed frequencies and standards.
• Execute plant wide operations hazards awareness program.
• Initiate inputs for plant risk register and mitigation tracking process for operations.

Requirements

Required Experience:

• Minimum 10+ years of relevant hands-on DCS/PLC plant automation experience
• Technical diploma or degree in Automation, Instrumentation, Electrical, or related disciplines. Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• OEM control system training/certification is considered an asset
• Previous Yokogawa ICSS experience is considered an asset
• Previous LNG or Gas Processing experience is considered an asset
• Experience with Industrial Instrumentations, Electrical, Control domain is considered an asset
• Must be able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in industrial programming
• Previous Commissioning, Start-up, and Turnaround experience an asset

Additional Requirements:

• Energetic in pursuit of continuous improvement processes.
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams, and contractors in a multicultural environment is an asset.
• Communication/interpersonal skills – to be able to interact with front line workers through to management and all hierarchical levels.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Motivated and willing to take ownership of tasks.
• Ability to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks, targets and changing priorities within tight time frames.
• Shares knowledge readily and encourages personal development.
• Demonstrated computer knowledge with experience in SAP, Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, etc.
• A valid driver’s license (with abstract) and passport.
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• This role will be a site-based role.
• The position is based in Squamish, BC (Project Site), and work in the Company’s Vancouver Office as required
• The position is primarily site-based in Squamish, BC (Project Site), with an initial stay period at the Vancouver Office, and involves a combination of indoor warehouse and outdoor yard work, potential exposure to heavy equipment, industrial noise, and varying weather conditions, and may require extended working hours depending on operational needs.

Only qualified candidates legally entitled to work in Canada will be contacted.

Woodfibre Management Ltd. is an equal opportunity employer.

Benefits

Salary range: CAD 110,000 - 140,000/yr

Apply

Apply at Pacific Energy Canada

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