Principle Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls Engineer
Technical Recruitment Solutions
- Hamilton
- $170,000-180,000 per year
- Permanent
- Full-time
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
- 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
- $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
All our jobs are listed at www.trs.co.nz
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