Instrumentation & Controls Engineer 3

Job Overview & Responsibilities

The Instrumentation & Control Systems Engineer 3 will support the design, development, implementation, and sustainment of mission‑critical control systems and associated instrumentation for ULA’s Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) that fuels, monitors, and launches the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle. This role focuses on developing modernized control & instrumentation systems that will integrate with ULA’s legacy control & instrumentation systems. This individual will bring an innovative mindset, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary ground systems and vehicle design and operations teams to develop requirements and systems that meet modularity, extensibility, reliability, and performance requirements.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and maintain instrumentation and control (I&C) system architectures and engineering, including redundancy and resiliency schemes appropriate for mission‑critical applications.
• Integrate modernized I&C systems into legacy ULA I&C systems, ensuring minimal impact to recurring launch operations while positioning ULA’s ground electrical architecture for future extensibility and capability.
• Specify, select, and integrate field instrumentation & control devices such as transmitters, sensors, analyzers, actuators, and control valves.
• Support design and development of PLC, DCS, SCADA‑based, or other control solutions, including creating functional requirements, developing control schemes & architectures, and I/O definitions.
• Produce and interpret engineering documents such as interface control documents, loop sheets, wiring diagrams, system architecture diagrams, and I&C installation details.
• Participate in hazard analyses, failure modes assessments, and reliability reviews to ensure safe and robust system operation.
• Support development and execution of commissioning, verification, and validation procedures for new and upgraded control systems.
• Support technical staff in troubleshooting and resolving complex instrumentation and control system issues in critical operational environments.
• Ensure designs comply with applicable codes, standards, and customer requirements, including documentation and traceability
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, systems, operations, and safety engineering teams throughout project lifecycle
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to controls performance, reliability, and maintainability
• Support configuration management, change control, and documentation processes for I&C systems

Required Education

Bachelor

Required Years of Experience

Minimum of 4 years of related work experience

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or related technical field from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in instrumentation & control engineering within critical, mission-essential, or high-reliability environments such as Aerospace, Utility, Data Center, Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Medical Facilities industries.
• Direct experience designing and implementing industrial control schemes (PLC, DCS, SCADA) and interfacing using common communication protocols.
• Hands‑on experience selecting and integrating industrial instrumentation (sensors, transmitters, analyzers, valves, actuators).
• Experience implementing redundancy and resiliency strategies, such as redundant controllers, failover schemes, and diverse instrumentation paths.
• Familiarity with industry standards (ISA, IEEE, NFPA, etc.) relevant to instrumentation and control design.
• Experience with electrical drafting tools (AutoCAD, Zuken, Capital, or equivalent).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Excellent communication, writing, and oral skills and demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of team members, customers, and subcontractors.
• Experience developing & managing system, subsystem, and component-level requirements through the product development lifecycle. 
• Familiarity with SSCMAN 91‑710 requirements, verification/validation processes, and compliance expectations.
• Proven proficiency with interpreting and developing P&IDs, loop diagrams, I/O lists, wiring diagrams, and control narratives.
• Demonstrated strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving capabilities for operational I&C systems.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate modernized COTS hardware solutions into legacy systems.
• Experience working in R&D and innovation-centric programs.
• Ability to move forward with engineering design decisions in absence of defined requirements.
• Experience with requirements & product lifecycle management tools (DOORS, Teamcenter, etc.)
• Experience in aerospace, launch facilities, defense programs, or other highly regulated/high‑consequence technical environments.
• Exposure to safety‑instrumented systems (SIS) and standards such as ISA/IEC 61511 or 61508.
• Experience performing or supporting commissioning, verification, and validation of I&C systems.
• Understanding of cybersecurity considerations for operational technology (OT) systems.
• Experience with reliability engineering methodologies such as FMEA, FTA, RBD, or RCM.
• Experience with control system modeling or simulation tools (MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent).
• Familiarity with telemetry, telecommunications, and timing standards such as IRIG 106, IRIG-B, NTP, PTP, etc.
• Ability to work with classified and export-controlled (ITAR) material.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, if required.