The Chief Engineering Officer – Instrumentation and Controls is responsible for leading the strategic vision, design, standardization, and execution of all instrumentation and control (I&C) systems across the organization. This executive role ensures engineering excellence in process control, functional safety, and automation integration to drive operational reliability, compliance, and innovation in manufacturing and industrial operations.
Define and implement the global engineering strategy for instrumentation and control systems.
Lead the design and deployment of advanced control architectures (PLCs, DCS, SCADA, HMI) across all facilities.
Establish and enforce engineering standards, specifications, and best practices for I&C systems.
Ensure compliance with industry regulations and safety standards (e.g., IEC 61511, NFPA, ISA, API).
Direct multidisciplinary engineering teams in capital projects, system upgrades, and greenfield/brownfield developments.
Drive integration of control systems with enterprise platforms (MES, ERP, CMMS, IIoT).
Oversee lifecycle management of field instrumentation including calibration, reliability, and asset optimization.
Collaborate with operations, IT, quality, and maintenance functions to align engineering solutions with business needs.
Mentor engineering talent and foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and high performance.
Strategic Engineering Leadership:
Define the technical roadmap for instrumentation and controls, aligned with digital transformation and operational goals.
Control Systems Architecture:
Design and govern robust, scalable control system architectures that support real-time monitoring, safety, and automation.
Instrumentation Reliability:
Lead programs to improve field instrumentation reliability, accuracy, and performance through advanced diagnostics and maintenance strategies.
Functional Safety & Compliance:
Ensure all I&C systems meet international safety standards (e.g., SIL ratings per IEC 61508/61511), including HAZOP/SIL studies and safety lifecycle management.
Integration & Interoperability:
Champion seamless integration of I&C systems with IT/OT platforms, ensuring data consistency and process efficiency.
Innovation & Advanced Technologies:
Promote adoption of smart instrumentation, wireless sensing, analytics, and IIoT technologies to enable intelligent operations.
Engineering Governance:
Develop engineering policies, documentation standards, and audit mechanisms to maintain technical integrity and traceability.
Talent Development & Succession:
Build and lead a world-class engineering organization by nurturing talent, establishing training frameworks, and planning leadership succession.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Instrumentation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or related discipline.
15+ years of engineering leadership experience in I&C, preferably in process industries (e.g., oil & gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals).
Deep knowledge of control systems (DCS, PLC, SCADA), field instrumentation, and automation protocols.
Strong understanding of safety systems design, process control strategy, and regulatory compliance.
Proven success in leading large, cross-functional engineering teams and capital projects.
Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.