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Kent

Designs, constructs, and maintains energy assets

Principal Instrumentation and Control Engineer

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's
United States
In PersonBased in Deer Park, Texas; travel required per project requirements.
Electrical EngineeringControls & Automation Engineering

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in engineering is required.
  • Fifteen or more years of relevant experience in refining and petrochemicals facilities are required.
  • A P.E. license, preferably in Texas, is required or must be obtainable by comity; an NCEES license is also required.
  • Site-visit experience and working knowledge of measurements for level, flow, pressure, temperature, density, and control valves are required.
  • Broad experience sizing and specifying instruments including flow, level, pressure, temperature, control valves and regulators, and relief devices is required.
  • Experience with flow elements such as orifice plates, Coriolis meters, venturi, wedge, vortex, and ultrasonic meters, including proper application, is required.
  • Experience with DCS, SIS, ICSS, and PLC is required.
  • Technical support experience with loops, complex loops, alarm management, operator stations, engineering stations, redundancy options, fiber and CAT6 connections, local/remote I/O, hardwired/wireless I/O, RIE, traditional and electronic marshalling, HART configurations, motor control relay templates, MOV templates, and third-party serial connections is required.
  • Documented support experience for block diagrams, system architecture, specifications, philosophies, MRQs, and TBEs is required.
  • Basic proficiency, or the ability to develop proficiency, is needed in reviewing and analyzing P&IDs, data sheets, loop drawings, termination details, and cable schedules.
  • Basic proficiency, or the ability to develop proficiency, is needed in sizing, installation, and specification of control valves and instruments, including FT, PT, TT, and gauges.
  • Basic proficiency, or the ability to develop proficiency, is needed in understanding DCS/SIS and fire and gas systems, FAT and SAT procedures, and coordination of multidisciplinary team members in piping, process, and electrical disciplines.
  • Knowledge of instrumentation QA/QC systems and global standards including IEC 61511, IEC 61508, ISA 5.1, ISA 5.4, ATEX, and NFPA 70E is needed.
  • Oral, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills are needed to work effectively as a team member and coordinate processes.
  • Strong interpersonal leadership skills are needed to communicate complex issues across the organization, mentor others, and build consensus.
  • The candidate must be results-oriented and able to drive technically sound decisions.
  • The candidate must demonstrate commitment to safety, personal integrity, and ethical business conduct.
  • Understanding of business drivers, management-of-change requirements, project management processes, and construction workflow is required.
  • The employee must observe the company's, clients', and host country's health, safety, sustainability, environmental, and quality rules.
Responsibilities
  • Provide project discipline engineering support on assigned project teams to achieve project objectives.
  • Work with internal and external design resources to produce cost-effective, technically sound designs that meet project objectives and are operable.
  • Collaborate with other disciplines, process operators and engineers, control systems engineers, and operations and maintenance superintendents to complete projects.
  • Follow the capital project process and Delegation of Authority policy, complete the Capital Project Checklist, and document all project phases to support audit criteria and site compliance.
  • Coordinate subcontract engineers and designers, check their work, and ensure it meets applicable standards, guidelines, quality expectations, and customer requirements.
  • Prepare, review, or approve specifications for purchasing materials and equipment.
  • Perform periodic design reviews and ensure IEA engineering drawings, technical specifications, calculations, and programs comply with specifications, codes, regulations, and contract requirements while maintaining technical and quality standards.
  • Design, develop, and implement basic regulatory and advanced process control applications, emphasizing single-output control technology, and assist the Control Systems Engineer with multivariable predictive controls.
  • Document communications that affect technical decisions.
  • Assist in reviewing estimates of probable construction costs at various design stages.
  • Participate in developing criteria for and evaluating equipment, technical material suppliers, and technical service providers.
  • Consult with peers at the site and across the company.
  • Support development of control logic functional specifications for integrating automation and operator control logic into DCS systems for capital projects.
  • Support review of alarm-rationalization aspects of capital automation projects.
  • Support development of factory acceptance test and pre-startup acceptance test procedures for project-installed or modified SIS.
  • Support function tests, PSAT, FAT, PSSR, and startup activities, and ensure proper documentation and data integrity for function testing, FAT, PSAT, redlines, and related records.
  • Perform other duties as assigned, including reasonable ad hoc tasks within the scope of the role.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with fire and gas detection is a plus.
  • Experience with analyzers is a plus.

About the company

Kent PLC is a global engineering firm that designs, constructs, and maintains energy assets for the oil, gas, and renewable-energy sectors. Its offerings cover the full project lifecycle—from initial engineering and construction through ongoing maintenance—delivered via a mix of project-based contracts and long-term service agreements. The company differentiates itself through a strong emphasis on safety and sustainability, supported by a track record that includes industry awards such as the Gold award at the ExxonMobil Safety Excellence Awards, and a large, skilled workforce of about 13,000 people capable of delivering complex projects worldwide. Kent’s goal is to meet today’s energy needs while preparing for the future by applying advanced technologies and best practices to deliver reliable, safe, and efficient energy assets.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Founded

1919

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Kent Data Centres entered the UK market in 2026, expanding into AI infrastructure demand.
  • Kent won the Prinos Carbon Storage FEED and Orica hydrogen hub mandate in 2026.
  • Jaime Sedano’s May 2026 Colombia appointment strengthens Latin America growth and regional delivery.

What critics are saying

  • Aramco LTAs only place Kent on bid panels, not guaranteed revenue, into 2027.
  • Exceed integration and Sudlows execution strain management while Kent pursues Saudi, UK, and Americas expansion.
  • Nesma & Partners owns Kent outright; any Saudi capital allocation shock threatens strategic independence.

What makes Kent unique

  • Kent spans advisory, EPC, commissioning, O&M, and decommissioning across the energy lifecycle.
  • Kent closed 2025 with a record backlog exceeding $3 billion.
  • Kent won Aramco brownfield EPC and PMC LTAs on July 13, 2026.

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Benefits

  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

8%

1 year growth

17%

2 year growth

17%
Kent plc
Jul 13th, 2026
Kent Data Centres enters strategic agreement with Aurora Energy Valley to become lead design and development team for its Nordic projects

Kent Data Centres enters strategic agreement with Aurora Energy Valley to become lead design and development team for its Nordic projects

Kent plc
May 8th, 2026
Kent appoints Jaime Sedano as VP of Colombia operations.

Kent appoints Jaime Sedano as VP of Colombia operations. Kent Plc is pleased to welcome Jaime Sedano as Vice President for its Colombia operations. Jaime brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across the energy and industrial sectors, with a strong track record of delivering growth, leading complex operations, and expanding businesses across Latin America and the Caribbean. His appointment reflects the strategic importance of its South American operations, established in 1990. Today, its Bogotá team not only supports key regional projects, but also serves as an engineering centre of excellence, contributing to Kent projects across the world. With deep regional expertise and a focus on value creation, partnerships and sustainable growth, Jaime will play a key role in strengthening its presence across the Americas and supporting its clients' ambitions.

Business Insider
Aug 21st, 2025
Kent Acquires Aberdeen's Exceed Company

Energy services firm Kent is acquiring Aberdeen-based Exceed, a decommissioning engineering services provider. Exceed, with operations in over 40 countries, enhances Kent's capabilities in offshore well projects and energy transition initiatives like carbon capture and hydrogen storage. This acquisition positions Kent to lead in a market expected to double in size over the next decade. The transaction is set to complete later this year, following Kent's recent purchase of Sudlows Consulting.

Scottish Financial News
Aug 21st, 2025
Kent acquires Aberdeen decommissioning specialist Exceed

Global integrated energy services partner Kent, has signed a binding agreement to acquire Aberdeen-based Exceed (XCD) Holdings Limited, a provider of well management, sub surface and decommissioning engineering services.

Digital Infra Network
Feb 27th, 2025
Kent completes acquisition of Sudlows Consulting | Digital Infra Network

Kent acquires Sudlows Consulting, expanding global data center expertise to meet AI, cloud, and sustainability demands.