Job Title: Senior Instrumentation Technician (Water Treatment)
Job Summary:
The Senior Instrumentation Technician (Water Treatment) is responsible for the advanced installation, calibration, maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of instrumentation systems used in water treatment plants. This role involves leading the maintenance and operation of complex water quality monitoring and control systems, ensuring their efficiency, accuracy, and compliance with regulatory standards. The Senior Technician will also mentor junior technicians, manage projects related to instrumentation systems, and work closely with engineers to improve system performance and enhance water treatment processes. This role demands deep technical expertise in instrumentation systems, process control, and water treatment operations.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership and Supervision:
- Lead a team of instrumentation technicians, providing guidance, mentorship, and training on best practices for installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting instrumentation systems.
- Manage day-to-day activities, ensuring that all tasks related to instrumentation are carried out safely, efficiently, and according to established standards.
- Supervise and prioritize the maintenance schedules, ensuring timely completion of preventive maintenance tasks and ensuring system reliability.
- Act as the primary point of contact for instrumentation-related issues, providing technical expertise and troubleshooting support to the team.
Advanced System Installation and Calibration:
- Oversee the installation, calibration, and commissioning of new instrumentation systems in water treatment plants, including flow meters, pressure transmitters, pH analyzers, chlorine analyzers, turbidity sensors, and chemical dosing systems.
- Lead the calibration and validation of water quality monitoring equipment to ensure they meet required operational and regulatory standards.
- Develop and implement calibration procedures and troubleshooting protocols to maintain the performance and accuracy of instrumentation systems.
Troubleshooting and System Optimization:
- Provide advanced troubleshooting and diagnostic support for complex instrumentation systems, including addressing issues with SCADA, PLCs, sensors, control systems, and communication systems.
- Lead efforts to optimize instrumentation system performance, identifying opportunities to improve system efficiency, reduce downtime, and enhance data accuracy.
- Work closely with engineers to improve water treatment processes through advanced control systems, automation, and new technology integration.
Project Management and System Upgrades:
- Manage and oversee projects related to instrumentation upgrades, new installations, and automation system integrations.
- Ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required specifications, coordinating with cross-functional teams such as operations, maintenance, and engineering.
- Lead the installation and commissioning of new instrumentation or control systems to enhance water treatment process performance or to meet changing regulatory requirements.
- Ensure that new systems are fully integrated with existing infrastructure, including SCADA and PLCs, and thoroughly tested before being brought online.
Compliance and Regulatory Standards:
- Ensure all instrumentation systems and associated maintenance activities comply with regulatory standards, including local, state, and federal water quality regulations.
- Support internal and external audits, ensuring that accurate documentation of calibration, testing, and maintenance activities is maintained for compliance purposes.
- Collaborate with environmental and regulatory compliance teams to ensure water treatment instrumentation meets all standards for environmental protection and safety.
- Maintenance and Troubleshooting:
- Perform preventive and corrective maintenance of all types of pressure, flow, temperature, and level instruments.
- Conduct calibration, validation, and verification of instruments, including MOVs, FTs, PTs, WQAs, and LTs.
- Diagnose, troubleshoot, and rectify faults in field instrumentation and control systems.
- Handle cable laying, glanding, and termination of instrumentation cables.
- Team Leadership and Coordination:
- Lead the maintenance team to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and safely.
- Coordinate with the client’s water operation department for site-related activities.
- Respond to emergency calls and provide technical support for dewatering works.
- Assign and manage risks associated with maintenance activities.
- Safety and Compliance:
- Ensure adherence to safety protocols and maintain proper housekeeping at the site.
- Conduct risk assessments and enforce compliance with client safety standards.
- Support and participate in toolbox talks and other safety initiatives.
- Reporting and Communication:
- Prepare and submit activity reports to the client’s engineers or Project Manager.
- Communicate effectively with the team and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operations.
Key Focus Areas:
- Instrumentation System Optimization and Troubleshooting: Lead the optimization, calibration, and troubleshooting of instrumentation systems to ensure optimal performance and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Team Leadership and Development: Manage, mentor, and train a team of technicians, fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Regulatory Compliance and Reporting: Ensure that all instrumentation work adheres to industry standards and environmental regulations, and that performance data is accurately documented and reported.
- Project Management: Oversee instrumentation projects, including system upgrades, new installations, and automation system integrations, ensuring on-time and on-budget completion.
- Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Drive innovation and process optimization initiatives within instrumentation systems and water treatment operations.
Skills and Knowledge Required:
- Extensive experience in the installation, maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of instrumentation systems used in water treatment, including pH meters, chlorine analyzers, turbidity sensors, flow meters, and pressure transmitters.
- Expertise in SCADA systems, PLCs, and automation technologies used in process control and water treatment operations.
- Strong understanding of water treatment processes and how instrumentation systems are used to monitor and control these processes.
- In-depth knowledge of industry safety standards, environmental regulations, and water quality compliance requirements.
- Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to diagnose and address complex instrumentation and control system issues.
- Strong leadership, mentoring, and team management skills, with experience overseeing and developing technical teams.
- Proficiency in data analysis, performance monitoring, and generating detailed technical reports.
Educational Qualifications:
- Diploma in Instrumentation & Controls Engineering Bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Certifications in instrumentation, process control, SCADA systems, or water treatment technologies are highly desirable.
Experience:
- I have 5+ years of experience in the UAE/Middle East in troubleshooting, preventive, and corrective maintenance of process field instruments, process control, or water treatment systems, with a focus on maintaining and optimizing complex instrumentation systems.
- Proven experience with SCADA, PLC systems, and water quality monitoring instrumentation in a water treatment or industrial setting.
- Experience managing projects related to instrumentation upgrades, system integrations, or new installations.
Tools and Technologies:
- Expertise with SCADA platforms (e.g., Siemens WinCC, Wonderware, Ignition), PLC systems (e.g., Siemens, Allen-Bradley), and industrial instrumentation.
- Familiarity with water quality monitoring instruments (e.g., pH meters, chlorine analyzers, turbidity sensors).
- Proficiency in data analysis and performance monitoring tools (e.g., Power BI, SQL, Excel).
- Experience with industrial safety and environmental regulations in water treatment systems.
Other Requirements:
- Strong leadership skills, with the ability to manage projects, mentor junior staff, and collaborate across multiple teams.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with engineers, operators, maintenance teams, and senior management.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and ensuring deadlines are met.
- Willingness to travel for troubleshooting, installations, or system upgrades.