Principle Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

|Industrial & Energy - Electrical & Energy|Hamilton

Principal Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Engineer – Heavy Industry
Lead the control systems, automation, and instrumentation strategy for a rugged mining operation based on the stunning and remote Waikato West Coast. Monday to Friday, 9-day fortnight, and real opportunity to modernise plant systems.

The Role
We’re recruiting for a Principal Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Engineer to take ownership of automation, SCADA, and instrumentation on a major mineral processing and export site located on the remote west coast of the Waikato.

This is a site-based, Monday to Friday role working a 9-day fortnight (10-hour days). The plant is a mix of legacy and modern equipment, and many processes are still run manually – we need someone who can lead the transition to automated, optimised performance as the site ramps up with a second processing plant, new dredge, and modern mobile systems.

You’ll be the hands-on expert for tuning, troubleshooting, commissioning, and driving smarter controls. The site is remote, but the role is well-supported – you’ll work closely with planning, trades, and leadership to make genuine change.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Lead site-wide automation, instrumentation, and SCADA reliability projects
  • Own control system performance and integration – design through to commissioning
  • Commission and optimise new plant systems and control loops
  • Tune and optimise PID loops, VSDs, and instrumentation
  • Troubleshoot SCADA/PLC systems (Citect/Schneider), HMIs, and process networks
  • Provide documentation and oversight for backups, testing, and FAT/SAT
  • Train and support techs in instrumentation, diagnostics, and change management
  • Review PMs, spares strategies, and support plant-wide reliability uplift

The Environment

  • SCADA/PLC: Citect, Schneider, HMI graphics and system design
  • Instruments: flow, level, weight, radioactive – all plant-critical
  • Power: HV and LV systems, UPS, VSDs, battery support
  • CMMS: MEX
  • A unique, coastal, remote mining environment – no two days are the same
  • Low bureaucracy, practical team culture, high visibility across the site
  • What You’ll Need
  • Background in electrical, instrumentation, or controls engineering
  • Practical experience commissioning, tuning, and supporting automation systems
  • Solid understanding of PLCs, SCADA, loop tuning, and industrial networks
  • Familiarity with reliability, RCA, critical spares and PM review
  • Confidence working hands-on with site teams and trades
  • Experience in mining, heavy industry, utilities or manufacturing
  • Comfortable working full-time in a remote coastal location

What’s On Offer

  • $170,000 – $180,000 salary, depending on experience
  • Company vehicle for site and commuting use
  • Southern Cross health insurance, 3% KiwiSaver
  • Monday–Friday, 9-day fortnight (10-hour days), no shift work
  • Long-term role with autonomy and visibility across a growing operation
  • Based at a remote but beautiful coastal mining site, 2 hours from Hamilton
  • Live onsite during the week or commute from nearby towns – options available

If you’re ready for a senior role where you can see the impact of your work daily — and you’re up for a bit of sand, problem-solving, and autonomy — this could be your next move.

If you would like to join this growing company, then please apply for the role. If you would like some more information, then please reach out to me: Luke Atkinson on 04 333 0383 or luke@trs.co.nz

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