Control Systems Lead

Position Summary

The Control Systems Lead provides leadership, direction, and accountability for the Control Systems team, supporting all three Methanex Geismar plants. The role is responsible for building and maintaining a capable, engaged, and high-performing team that safely and effectively supports plant operations, maintenance, reliability, projects, outages, turnarounds, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The position establishes team priorities, assigns resources, manages workload, sets performance expectations, and ensures clear accountability for the delivery of Control Systems activities. The Control Systems Lead coaches and develops team members, identifies capability and succession needs, supports recruitment and onboarding, and promotes a collaborative culture aligned with Methanex values, site priorities, and expected leadership behaviors.

Working closely with the Technical Manager, other Technical Leads, Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, Engineering and Projects, and site leadership, the Control Systems Lead provides strategic and technical leadership in the areas of instrumentation, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), process controls, automation, and associated electrical and control infrastructure.

The role leads the evaluation, prioritization, planning, and execution of applicable Plant Change Requests (PCRs), Technical Service Requests (TRs), and small OPEX modifications. The Control Systems Lead ensures that work is properly scoped, resourced, risk assessed, and completed safely, cost-effectively, within approved budgets and schedules, and in accordance with applicable technical standards and site requirements.

The position ensures full compliance with the Management of Change process for all modifications affecting the DCS, SIS, instrumentation, automation, and related systems. The Control Systems Lead also serves as the site subject matter expert for Control Systems-related capital projects, providing technical guidance, design assurance, review, and support throughout project development, construction, commissioning, and startup.

A core responsibility of the role is to lead Control Systems planning and execution support for major outages, pit stops, and turnarounds across all three Geismar plants. This includes defining and validating scope, establishing resource requirements, coordinating internal and external technical support, managing Control Systems deliverables, supporting pre-outage readiness, and providing leadership during shutdown, execution, commissioning, startup, and post-outage closeout activities. The Control Systems Lead ensures that outage and turnaround work is safely executed, technically sound, properly documented, and aligned with the overall site schedule and business objectives.

The role is accountable for the Control Systems team budget, contractor and service-provider performance, cost-control measures, and the effective use of internal and external resources. The position monitors team performance, engineering program effectiveness, system reliability, and delivery against agreed objectives, escalating risks and resource constraints when required.

The Control Systems Lead oversees strategic reliability and risk-reduction initiatives, including the completion of the G3 DCS and SIS Vulnerabilities Project. The role establishes clear plans, milestones, ownership, and reporting expectations, and provides the Technical Manager with regular updates on progress, risks, resource needs, and corrective actions.

The position is also responsible for maintaining and continuously improving Control Systems technical standards, procedures, configurations, critical drawings, P&IDs, and other relevant documentation. The Control Systems Lead ensures that Instrument and Electrical drawings and records are accurately maintained, stored, controlled, and distributed by the I&E Designers in accordance with established procedures and standards.

Through strong people leadership, technical governance, lifecycle management, cybersecurity practices, and cross-functional collaboration, the Control Systems Lead ensures the safety, reliability, availability, security, and long-term performance of the instrumentation and control systems used to operate the Methanex Geismar production facilities.

Position Responsibilities

• Ensures all assigned DCS OPEX projects and modifications are managed such that the safety, quality, cost and schedule targets are achieved.
• Provides expert knowledge, advice and direction to management and co-workers on configurable control systems within Methanex USA.
• Provides technical advice and assistance to the I&E Supervisor, I&E Technicians and the Operations Department on I&E systems.
• Communicates complex I&E and Control engineering issues to non-experts in a clear and concise fashion.
• Ensures assigned OPEX projects and all plant modifications are implemented in accordance with the Methanex Management of Change (MOC) Standard procedures and are in compliance with all regulations.
• Manages the Control project work list to meet customer requirements.
• Ensures all scope of work for assigned Control projects covering detailed design, preparation of purchase specifications and preparation of construction packages are accurate, sufficient and clear.
• Oversees the completion of the DCS / SIS G3 Vulnerabilities project, in collaboration with the team members assigned to this effort. Leads the reporting of the progress for this initiative to be delivered to the Technical Manager on a monthly basis
• Develops engineering briefs, as well as provides technical advice and assistance as required to the Projects and Engineering group to allow the development of detailed engineering scope of work and design.
• Ensures any Control System modification on site follows a thorough review and risk assessment from the site SME on electrical systems.
• Supports the Engineering and Projects team on Control System modifications for Capital projects.
• Ensures all contractors undertaking assigned project work on the Methanex Geismar site are effectively supervised such that safety, quality, costs and schedule targets are achieved.
• Ensures all DCS drawings and documentation are controlled according to the Methanex Geismar procedures and standards.
• Provides project support during the engineering, construction and start-up phases of Capital projects on the plant.
• Ensures the assigned projects are implemented in compliance with our MOC and MCMP processes, procedures and are in compliance with all regulations.
• Upholds Process Control technical excellence for the Methanex USA operations.
• Advises and assists in the development of plant control systems to include DCS and PLC.
• Able to provide guidance on Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) calculations. Ensures appropriate hazard and risk reviews are conducted and all issues identified are actioned.
• Leads, supervises and contributes to the Control Systems team ensuring provision of effective Engineering support to the business.
• Ensures the performance management system is competently applied to all assigned staff to maximize each individual’s contribution to Methanex.
• Improves individual and organizational performance through coaching for success.
• Ensures employee and contractor compliance with Methanex policies, procedures and applicable standards.
• Involves the team in developing and actioning the annual department plan. Ensures alignment with the Methanex USA business plan and Corporate Strategy.
• Effectively communicates current activities and policies.
• Ensures implementation of and compliance with all Methanex HR policies and procedures, including performance optimization.
• Work closely with team members, local or remote, on assignments to coach and mentor progress and performance against set goals
• Ensures execution and delivery of the relevant components applicable to Control Systems Engineering in the Methanex USA Business Plan and the Technical Department Plan as developed each calendar year.
• Is a member of the Global I&E Engineering sub team.
• Ensures a high level of technical skills and plant knowledge within the I&E and Control Engineering team is maintained.
• Manages external Consulting Engineering Services.
• Contributes to the organizational vision of Global Methanol Leadership and as a team member demonstrates the core values of integrity, trust, respect and professionalism.
• Conducts all business in a manner which supports the Responsible Care® ethic.
• Networks with other Methanex sites to the mutual benefit of all sites.
• Contributes to the ‘operational excellence’ for Methanex USA as an effective member of the Technical Department.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution required; Chemical or Electrical Engineering preferred.
• 10+ years experience in Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical Engineering or Instrumentation/Control Systems Engineering (DCS) preferably in the Oil&Gas, Refining and/or Petrochemical industries.
• 5+ years proven leadership experience preferred.
• Experience level of Mechanical/Piping engineering and design knowledge.
• Strong diagnostic/fault finding skills.
• Excellent computer / programming skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• In depth knowledge of standards and procedures and industry best practice.
• Flexible and Innovative.
• Desired previous experience in:
  • Management of Change
  • Project Management
  • Plant Reliability
  • Codes and Standards Use
  • Procurement and Expediting
  • Contract Management
  • Cost Estimating/Management
  • Statutory Requirements
  • Drafting and Document Control
  • DCS systems
  • Low, Medium and High Voltage systems