Texas, United States of America
Job Family Group:
Discipline Engineering
Worker Type:
Regular
Posting Start Date:
October 28, 2026
Business Unit:
Downstream and Renewables
Experience Level:
Experienced Professionals
Job Description:
What’s the role
The Electrical & Automation Specialist will serve as the subject matter expert for electrical power systems, instrumentation, and control systems at Shell Technology Center Houston. This role provides technical support, troubleshooting leadership, reliability improvements, and field quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for new and existing facilities while ensuring compliance with industry standards, Shell DEP's, and regulatory requirements.
The Electrical & Automation Specialist will work closely with maintenance, operations, I&E technicians, project engineering, contractors, and external vendors to maintain safe, reliable, and compliant operation of electrical and control system assets. The role will also provide technical oversight of engineering design packages, commissioning activities, SIS maintenance programs, and gas detection system lifecycle management.
What you’ll be doing
Technical Expertise & Troubleshooting
- Lead advanced troubleshooting of LV and MV electrical systems including motors, switchgear, MCCs, VFDs, UPS systems, power transformers, and protective relays.
- Provide technical support for instrumentation and control systems including process instruments, analyzers, PLC-based systems, networked control devices, and associated field equipment.
- Support troubleshooting and performance improvement of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and fixed gas detection systems.
- Perform root cause analysis (RCA) for electrical, instrumentation, and control system failures; develop corrective and preventive actions.
- Provide SME support for electrical safety issues, arc-flash studies, protection coordination, and control system reliability concerns.
- Mentor technicians and contractors in troubleshooting methods, maintenance best practices, and safe work practices.
Reliability & Maintenance
- Develop and optimize preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for electrical, instrumentation, SIS, and gas detection assets.
- Manage and track SIS proof testing, inspection schedules, corrective actions, and documentation to ensure lifecycle compliance.
- Manage and track maintenance, calibration, testing, and reliability activities for fixed gas detection systems.
- Support condition monitoring programs including infrared thermography, motor testing, insulation resistance testing, instrument diagnostics, and system health monitoring.
- Review maintenance, testing, proof-test, and inspection reports to identify reliability risks and improvement opportunities.
- Support development of reliability improvement plans and maintenance strategies for critical electrical and control system assets.
Projects, QA/QC & Engineering Support
- Serve as the field QA/QC representative for electrical, instrumentation, and control system scope during project execution.
- Review engineering design packages, electrical drawings, control narratives, loop diagrams, SIS documentation, P&IDs, vendor documentation, and technical specifications for compliance with facility requirements and applicable standards.
- Provide electrical and instrumentation engineering input for capital and expense projects from design through commissioning and startup.
- Participate in factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance tests (SAT), commissioning activities, and system turnover processes.
- Lead or support project commissioning, functional testing, acceptance testing, and energization procedures.
- Verify installed equipment and systems conform to approved designs, specifications, and quality requirements.
- Evaluate and approve electrical, instrumentation, and control system upgrades, modifications, and equipment replacements.
Compliance & Standards
- Ensure facility electrical systems comply with NFPA 70/70E, IEEE, API, and NEC requirements.
- Support compliance with ISA, IEC, API, and corporate standards governing instrumentation, SIS, and gas detection systems.
- Participate in audits, safety reviews, PHA, HAZOP, LOPA, SAFOP studies, and Management of Change (MOC) processes.
- Support Functional Safety Management (FSM) activities and ensure SIS documentation, testing, and maintenance records remain current and compliant.
- Provide technical guidance for hazardous area electrical and instrumentation installations.
What you bring
- Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
- Minimum 10 years of experience in electrical engineering, instrumentation and controls, maintenance, reliability, or project support within the petrochemical, refinery, laboratory, or other industrial sector.
- Skill Level knowledge of LV and MV power systems (480V to 15kV), protective relays, motor control equipment, and industrial power distribution networks.
- Demonstrated experience with instrumentation and control systems including field instrumentation, PLCs, process controls, SIS, and gas detection systems.
- Proven experience leading RCAs, equipment failure analyses, reliability improvement efforts, and maintenance program development.
- Knowledge of SIS lifecycle requirements, proof testing practices, and functional safety concepts.
- Ability to read and interpret electrical drawings, single-line diagrams, schematics, loop drawings, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, P&IDs, and vendor specifications.
- Experience reviewing engineering design packages and supporting project execution, commissioning, and startup activities.
- Strong understanding of electrical safety practices and applicable industry standards.
- Strong communication skills and ability to interface effectively with operations, maintenance, project teams, contractors, and leadership.
Preferred Qualifications
- Licensed Electrician
- Degree or other industry-recognized certifications in electrical, instrumentation, control systems, or equivalent discipline.
- Experience with SIS platforms, PLC systems, DCS systems, and industrial communication networks.
- Experience with electrical system modeling tools (ETAP, SKM, EasyPower).
- Familiarity with functional safety standards such as IEC 61511 and ISA 84.
- Experience managing fixed gas detection systems and associated maintenance programs.
- Certifications related to electrical safety, functional safety, instrumentation, thermography, or reliability engineering.
- Experience working in/with hazardous area (Class I Div I/II) facilities.
- Familiarity with reliability methodologies (RCM, FMEA) and CMMS systems (SAP).
- Experience supporting multidisciplinary projects involving electrical, instrumentation, controls, and automation systems.
What we offer
The base salary range for this position is $124,000 - $186,000 per year. Individual pay will be based on various factors, such as relevant work experience, education, certifications, skill level, seniority, and internal equity.
For regular full-time or regular part-time employees of the Company (participating companies as listed in the Summary Plan Description), insurance coverage options include medical, dental, vision coverage, life Insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs. Employees also participate in a company pension plan and a 401(k) plan. Paid leave includes up to 6 weeks of paid vacation time, up to 11 paid holidays, and parental leave offering 16 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents, and 8 weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents.
Additionally, employees are eligible for short-term disability leave for up to 26 weeks at 100% or 50% of base pay as well as Long-Term Disability insurance. Shell also offers other compensation such financial reimbursement for adoption, wellness, education, and personal learning expenses, and some roles are eligible for discretionary long-term incentives. For interns, eligible benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs; participation in a 401(k) plan; and paid leave for up to 11 paid holidays. Additional information on Shell’s US benefit programs can be found at https://www.shell.us/careers/about-careers-at-shell/rewards-and-benefits.html.
- Progress as a person as we work on the energy transition together
- Continuously grow the transferable skills you need to get ahead
- Work at the forefront of technology, trends, and practices
- Collaborate with experienced colleagues with unique expertise
- Achieve your balance in a values-led culture that encourages you to be the best version of yourself
- Benefit from flexible working hours, and the possibility of remote/mobile working
- Perform at your best with a competitive starting salary and annual performance related salary increase – our pay and benefits packages are considered to be among the best in the world.
- Take advantage of paid parental leave, including for non-birthing parents
- Join an organization working to become one of the most diverse and inclusive in the world. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation, and life experiences to apply
- Grow as you progress through diverse career opportunities in national and international teams
- Gain access to a wide range of training and development programs
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