Automation & Controls Specialist

Automation & Controls Specialist

Location: Texas or Louisiana (Hybrid/Remote Considered)

Travel: Up to 30% travel to client sites throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Gulf Coast region

Experience: 7-15 Years

About Lauren

At Lauren, we believe the best work happens when people are motivated to do what they do best. That means creating an environment where team members work together, take ownership, and see their hard work all the way through to success.

We're into doing the right thing, even when it's hard. We value people who speak up, stay accountable, and look for better ways forward. We leverage each other's strengths, sweat the details, and take pride in the results we deliver.

If you're looking for a place where your judgment matters and your hard work actually pays off, you'll feel at home at Lauren.

The Opportunity

Lauren is seeking an Automation & Controls Specialist to support automation, controls, instrumentation, and safety system projects across the Oil & Gas, Midstream, LNG, Pipeline, Petrochemical, Manufacturing, and Industrial sectors.

This role is ideal for an experienced automation professional who enjoys working directly with PLCs, control systems, field instrumentation, and commissioning activities. You'll be involved throughout the project lifecycle, from design and programming through startup, troubleshooting, and optimization, while working closely with clients and operations teams.

What You'll Do

• Design, develop, configure, and troubleshoot industrial automation and control systems.
• Program and support PLC systems using Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation) and Siemens platforms.
• Configure and support HMI and SCADA systems, including AVEVA solutions.
• Develop control narratives, I/O lists, instrument specifications, loop drawings, and control system documentation.
• Participate in LOPA (Layers of Protection Analysis) and functional safety reviews.
• Support Safety Instrumented System (SIS) design, implementation, and testing for SIL 1, SIL 2, and SIL 3 applications.
• Perform system integration, FATs, SATs, commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting activities.
• Support brownfield and greenfield automation projects.
• Travel to operating facilities and project sites across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and surrounding Gulf Coast regions.
• Work collaboratively with operations personnel, maintenance teams, vendors, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, process efficiency, safety, and operational performance.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• 7-15 years of experience in Automation, Industrial Controls, Instrumentation, PLC Programming, Control Systems, or related disciplines.
• Strong hands-on experience with:
  • Allen-Bradley / Rockwell PLCs
  • Siemens PLCs
  • HMI and SCADA platforms
  • Industrial networking and communications
• Experience in Oil & Gas, Midstream, LNG, Pipeline, Petrochemical, Industrial Manufacturing, or related industries.
• Working knowledge of:
  • Functional Safety
  • LOPA studies
  • Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS)
  • SIL 1, SIL 2, and SIL 3 applications
• Experience supporting commissioning, startup, troubleshooting, and field execution activities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently in client-facing environments.
• Ability and willingness to travel to client sites as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, Instrumentation Technology, Automation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Certified Engineering Technologist (CET), EIT, or equivalent professional designation.
• TÜV Functional Safety certification is an asset. 
• Experience with AVEVA, Wonderware, FactoryTalk, WinCC, Ignition, or similar platforms.
• Previous EPC/EPCM project experience.
• Experience supporting both operations and project execution environments.

Why Lauren?

• Work on challenging automation and controls projects with leading industrial and energy clients.
• Direct exposure to PLC, SCADA, SIS, Functional Safety, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Opportunity to broaden your technical expertise across multiple industries and facilities.
• Collaborative team environment with strong technical leadership and mentorship.
• Competitive compensation, career development opportunities, and meaningful project work.

Ready to build smarter, safer, and more reliable industrial systems? We'd love to hear from you.