Lead Control Systems Engineer

City:
Stone
Department:
Energy
Employment Type:
Permanent
Job Ref:
0572
Posted:
7 October 2026

With a focus on operational technology and digital transformation, Capula, part of the Dalkia Group, has been a leader in advanced system integration for decades; optimising efficiency & delivering performance on a massive scale. But with continuous innovation at the heart of our business, we've always got our sights set on the future. We work in some of the most highly regulated and challenging industrial environments, and have delivered critical projects across energy, water, renewables and manufacturing.

At Capula, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where diversity is celebrated in all its forms. We actively encourage applications from individuals of minority backgrounds, underrepresented groups, and those with disabilities. Our goal is to create a supportive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives.

With a focus on operational technology and digital transformation, Capula, part of the Dalkia Group, has been a leader in advanced system integration for decades, optimising efficiency and delivering performance at scale. We work in highly regulated and challenging industrial environments across energy, water, renewables and manufacturing.

At Capula, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where diversity is celebrated. We encourage applications from people of minority backgrounds, underrepresented groups and those with disabilities, creating a supportive environment in which everyone can thrive and contribute their perspective.

Summary of Role

Capula is seeking an experienced Lead Control Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership and organise the delivery of process control and automation solutions for complex energy-industry projects. The role will lead the development of safe, secure, reliable and maintainable systems using Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation and Siemens PLC platforms, together with standard SCADA and HMI solutions, from requirements capture and architecture through detailed design, software configuration, integration, testing, commissioning support and handover.

Working closely with Project Managers, process engineers, electrical and hardware engineers, customers, suppliers and site teams, you will set the technical direction, organise engineering activities and coordinate multidisciplinary resources. You will ensure that architectures, software, documentation and test evidence satisfy contractual, functional safety, cybersecurity, regulatory and quality requirements, while controlling interfaces, priorities, technical change, delivery risks and engineering standards. You will also coach engineers and promote consistent, right-first-time delivery across the team.

Key Responsibilities

Provide accountable technical leadership for the end-to-end delivery of process control, automation, SCADA and HMI systems across energy generation, storage, transmission, distribution and associated utility applications.
Translate customer, process and operational requirements into coherent control philosophies, system architectures, functional design specifications, software design specifications, cause-and-effect schedules, I/O schedules, interface definitions and test specifications.
Lead and technically assure PLC application development, establishing appropriate software structures, reusable standards, coding practices, diagnostics and configuration controls.
Lead the engineering and integration of standard SCADA and HMI solutions, including operator graphics, alarms, events, trends, historian interfaces, reports, recipes, user access, redundancy and interfaces to plant, remote and enterprise systems.
Define and assure industrial communications and integration using relevant protocols and technologies, including Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, OPC UA, IEC 60870-5-101/104, DNP3, MQTT and industrial Ethernet, as applicable to the solution.
Organise engineering work packages, resource priorities, technical reviews and delivery interfaces across control systems, process, electrical, networks, cybersecurity, safety and site disciplines, ensuring ownership and design boundaries are clear.
Plan and lead design reviews, software reviews, technical checking, configuration management, simulation, internal testing, Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, commissioning support and customer acceptance.
Identify and manage technical risks, assumptions, dependencies and opportunities; support estimates, programmes, procurement and change control; and provide accurate progress and forecast information to the Project Manager.
Provide coaching, task leadership and constructive technical review to engineers, promoting standardisation, knowledge sharing, succession planning and continuous improvement.

Candidate Profile

The requirements below distinguish the core capability needed to perform the role from experience that would add further value.

Essential Requirements

Proven experience leading the technical delivery of complex process control, industrial automation or operational-technology projects in the energy or a similarly regulated industry through the full engineering lifecycle.
Ability to produce and assure high-quality engineering deliverables, including control philosophies, architectures, functional and software design specifications, cause-and-effect schedules, I/O schedules, interface documents, configuration records and test specifications.
Proven ability to lead and organise multidisciplinary technical teams, set priorities, allocate work according to capability and capacity, monitor progress, review outputs, resolve issues and maintain delivery against scope, programme and quality expectations.
Strong understanding of engineering lifecycle controls, technical assurance, configuration management, industrial cybersecurity, formal change control and safe delivery within operational environments.
Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the credibility to engage customers, suppliers and technical stakeholders and to explain complex technical decisions.
Willingness to travel and work at customer or operational sites when required, together with a full UK driving licence.

Desirable Requirements / Experience

Degree, HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in control systems, automation, electrical, electronic or a related engineering discipline.
Professional registration, or demonstrable progress towards IEng or CEng status.
Advanced experience with Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Control Expert, Rockwell Studio 5000, and/or Siemens TIA Portal and associated controller families.
Experience with established SCADA and HMI platforms such as AVEVA System Platform or Plant SCADA, Rockwell FactoryTalk View, Siemens WinCC, Ignition, Copa data Zenon or equivalent solutions.
Working knowledge of industrial protocols and data interfaces including Modbus TCP/RTU, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, PROFIBUS, OPC UA, IEC 60870-5-101/104, DNP3 and MQTT.
Understanding of industrial Ethernet, resilient network architectures, managed switches, VLANs, redundancy, time synchronisation, virtualised infrastructure and system diagnostics.
Knowledge of IEC 61131-3 programming practices, IEC 62443 principles, secure remote access and cybersecurity requirements for operational technology environments.
Experience applying functional safety principles or delivering safety-related control systems in accordance with IEC 61508, IEC 61511 or relevant sector standards.
Experience of energy generation, battery energy storage, renewables, grid-support systems, balance-of-plant controls or other critical energy infrastructure.
Experience of brownfield upgrades, staged migrations, live-plant constraints, outage planning and integration with customer control centres, historians or enterprise systems.
Experience supporting tenders, technical estimates, solution development, supplier evaluation and delivery planning.

Personal Qualities

Visible and accountable technical leader who sets clear standards, makes sound decisions and takes ownership of delivery outcomes.
Structured and analytical, with the ability to simplify complex problems, identify root causes and implement practical solutions.
Collaborative and credible when working across engineering disciplines, customers, suppliers and project teams.
Quality-focused and commercially aware, balancing technical integrity with programme, cost and customer priorities.
Calm and decisive under pressure, with the resilience to manage competing priorities and delivery risks.
Committed to coaching others, sharing knowledge and building sustainable technical capability within the team.

In return Capula offers the following benefits to permanent employees