Instrumentation and Controls Engineer (Senior/Principal)

Company Overview:

Found Energy is building clean energy delivery platforms capable of replacing fossil fuels for heavy industries ranging from aluminum production (4% of global CO2 emissions) to fertilizer production (2% of global CO2 emissions) to maritime shipping (3% of global CO2 emissions). Building off technology developed at MIT that enables metallic aluminum to split water, our energy delivery systems safely generate hydrogen and industrial heat on-site at >5x the volumetric energy density of liquid hydrogen and >3x that of methanol and ammonia. By integrating storage, transport, and generation into a single package, our technology solves some of the biggest pain points in renewable energy transportation and storage.

At Found Energy, we believe in securing a livable and equitable future for our planet, and we are looking for partners who are motivated by this goal to join us. For more information, visit https://found.energy.

Benefits Overview:

Excellent Health, dental and vision plans. 20 days PTO, 11 holidays, unlimited sick days, 12 weeks parental leave, matching 401K plan, paid life insurance,  stock options, professional development budget, and more.

Job Overview:

We are seeking an Instrumentation & Controls Engineer to join our Automation & Controls team. This role is ideal for someone with a strong electrical engineering background who also brings hands-on experience in PLC programming and industrial automation systems. The engineer will be responsible for designing, integrating, and commissioning instrumentation, electrical panels, and control systems across our pilot-scale and commercial systems.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Design, specify, and integrate instrumentation for temperature, pressure, flow, and level measurement in pilot and commercial systems.
• Develop electrical wiring diagrams, panel layouts, and schematics for control and instrumentation systems.
• Program, test, and debug PLCs (Beckhoff/TwinCAT, Siemens, or Allen-Bradley preferred) for automation of complex processes.
• Support the design and implementation of SCADA and HMI systems for monitoring and control.
• Commission, troubleshoot, and maintain instrumentation and control systems in the lab and at customer sites.
• Ensure compliance with relevant safety codes and standards (NEC, NFPA, ISA, Class I Div 2/ATEX).
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, process, and software engineers to ensure reliable system integration.

Qualifications:

Required:

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related fields.
• 3+ years of experience in instrumentation and controls engineering in an industrial or R&D environment.
• Proficiency in PLC programming (TwinCAT preferred).
• Strong understanding of industrial instrumentation (pressure transmitters, thermocouples, flowmeters, level sensors, etc.).
• Experience with electrical design software (e.g., AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or similar).
• Knowledge of wiring practices in industrial environments (Class I Div 2 experience strongly preferred).

Preferred:

• Experience with SCADA/HMI development (Ignition, Wonderware, TwinCAT HMI).
• Familiarity with communication protocols (OPC UA, Modbus, MQTT, EtherCAT).
• Experience with system commissioning in hazardous locations.
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across electrical and software domains.