About Hertha Metals, Inc.:
Hertha Metals is redefining how the world makes steel. We’ve developed a breakthrough single-step steelmaking process that uses gas reductants to convert iron ore of any grade or form, delivering lower production costs and emissions than blast furnaces—while improving product quality and scalability. Having operated the world’s largest single-step steelmaking pilot plant, we’re now scaling toward commercial deployment. Our mission is to redefine the foundation of modern industry by scaling cleaner, more efficient, and more cost competitive metalmaking systems. At Hertha, engineers, metallurgists, and operators work side by side to transform the future of steel making.
Controls Engineer
The Controls Engineer will support the design, commissioning, operation, and continuous improvement of the automation and control systems critical to Hertha’s ironmaking process. This role requires a hands-on engineer who is comfortable working in an industrial, plant-based environment and collaborating closely with operations, maintenance, and cross-functional engineering teams during scale-up. This position reports directly to the Director of Plant Engineering.
Key Responsibilities
Support the design, specification, and implementation of control systems, including PLCs, DCS, HMI/SCADA platforms, safety instrumented systems (SIS), and industrial networks
Develop, test, and maintain PLC and HMI programs, control narratives, functional specifications, cause-and-effect matrices, and I/O lists
Design and implement control strategies for furnace operation, gas handling, material handling, and other process systems, including PID loops, sequencing, interlocks, and permissives
Support factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT), commissioning, and start-up activities
Provide on-site troubleshooting and engineering support for control systems during operations
Lead or assist with root cause analysis (RCA) of control system issues and process upsets, and implement corrective actions
Tune control loops and optimize process performance in collaboration with process engineers and operations
Develop and maintain alarm management, data historian, and process data collection systems to support operations and continuous improvement
Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, and safety requirements (e.g., ISA-88, ISA-18.2, IEC 61131, IEC 61511, ISA/IEC 62443)
Participate in safety reviews, HAZOPs, LOPAs, and incident investigations
Collaborate with process, mechanical, and instrumentation and electrical engineers to ensure integrated system performance
Support controls engineering needs for plant expansions and future facilities, including standardization of control system architecture and programming practices
Your Experience
BS or higher in Electrical, Controls, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering
2+ years of relevant experience in industrial automation and control system design, programming, and commissioning. Experience in steelmaking operations is desirable.
Experience in new plant engineering or plant process engineering with a focus on plant operations and start-ups
Ability to make well-balanced judgments by weighing functionality, reliability, initial investment, and ongoing expenses
Understanding of complex interactions between feedstocks and upstream and downstream processes is highly desirable
Strong analytical skills with the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and implement sustainable improvements
Ability to clearly communicate and present status, actions, recommendations, and other technical information at all levels
Capacity to build strong relationships with and positively influence equipment vendors and system integrators
Additional Skills
Support furnace commissioning, control tuning, and optimization activities
Proficiency with PLC programming platforms (e.g., Rockwell Studio 5000, Siemens TIA Portal) using ladder logic, function block, and…