Lead Automation Engineer – Wellsite Autonomous Operations
bp
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Denver • Colorado • Texas • United States
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Salary
💰 $200,000 - $235,000 per year
Job Level
About the role
- Serve as the single enterprise authority for automation, controls, and related electrical standards supporting autonomous and semi‑autonomous wellsite operations.
- Own the enterprise automation, controls, and electrical standards that underpin autonomous and semi‑autonomous operations.
- Ensure automation strategies enable production uptime, restart reliability, and operational stability across all business units.
- Act as the automation counterpart to Production Engineering, Facilities Engineering, and Operations leadership within the autonomy governance model.
- Partner with WAO leadership to define success criteria, KPIs, and OKRs for automation‑enabled autonomous operations.
- Lead or support root cause failure analyses (RCFAs) for material automation, controls, electrical, or restart‑related events.
- Define, steward, and maintain automation and control standards including PLC / RTU control philosophies and operating modes, alarm management, and fail‑safe behavior.
- Deliver measurable uptime, reliability, and restart performance improvements through scaled deployment of standardized automation.
- Capture positive and negative outcomes from automation and autonomy deployments and convert lessons learned into updated standards, logic refinements, and deployment constraints.
- Act as the trusted automation authority for Business Unit teams, Production Engineering Leads, Facilities Engineering, and Operations leadership.
Requirements
- 10+ years of Automation, Controls, or Electrical Engineering experience in US onshore oil and gas operations
- Demonstrated enterprise or multi‑asset influence.
- Recognized internally as a technical authority in automation and controls.
- Deep experience with PLC‑based control systems, RTUs, and wellsite automation architecture.
- Hands‑on experience supporting gas lift facilities, compression, ESPs, and pad‑level automation.
- Strong understanding of restart sequencing, control system failure modes, and abnormal situation management.
- Working knowledge of NEC requirements, hazardous area classification, motor control centers, VFDs, and wellsite power distribution.
- Ability to evaluate electrical design impacts on automation reliability and safety.
Benefits
- Health, vision, and dental insurance
- Flexible working schedule
- Paid time off policy
- Discretionary annual bonus program
- Long-term incentive program
- Generous 401(k) matching program
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
automation engineeringcontrols engineeringelectrical engineeringPLC-based control systemsRTUswellsite automation architecturegas lift facilitiescompression systemsESP systemsrestart sequencing
Soft Skills
leadershipinfluencecommunicationcollaborationproblem-solvinganalytical thinkingroot cause analysisstakeholder engagementstrategic planninglesson learned documentation