Empower Your Future: At MetOx International, we’re pioneering the next era of energy security and abundance through breakthrough superconducting technology. As a Manager of Controls Engineering, you’ll join a dynamic team committed to strengthening the world’s energy systems to make them more resilient, efficient, and reliable.
Based at our global headquarters in Houston, TX, the Manager of Controls Engineering leads the team responsible for the architecture, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of industrial automation and control systems across MetOx's HTS wire manufacturing operations, including MOCVD deposition, buffer-layer coating, lamination, and related vacuum process equipment. This position owns controls engineering strategy for new capital equipment integration, including imported tools such as MGO buffer coating systems, while directing the team's day-to-day sustaining engineering, troubleshooting, and reliability improvement work. The Manager of Controls Engineering owns and enforces MetOx's Instrumentation, Electrical, and Control Systems engineering standard, represents Controls Engineering in capital planning and vendor negotiations, and builds team capability through coaching, hiring, and development planning, ensuring MetOx's automation infrastructure scales reliably alongside production ramp. This is a hands-on technical leadership role that combines active involvement in designing, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting control systems with leading and developing the team.
Key Responsibilities
Controls Engineering & Automation Strategy
Owns the controls engineering architecture strategy across MetOx's manufacturing equipment fleet, including PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial networks, and associated automation technologies.
Personally designs, programs, and reviews PLC and HMI/SCADA code for the most technically complex systems, setting the technical bar through hands-on contribution rather than oversight alone.
Owns, maintains, and enforces MetOx's Instrumentation, Electrical, and Control Systems engineering standard (ITC-EQS-001), ensuring internal teams, OEM vendors, and system integrators design and commission equipment in compliance with MetOx's approved architecture, components, and documentation requirements.
Enforces MetOx's standardized control system architecture, including Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix PLCs programmed in Studio 5000 Logix Designer, Inductive Automation Ignition for HMI/SCADA, and EtherNet/IP as the primary communication protocol across new equipment, while maintaining support for existing Siemens and Beckhoff platforms already deployed in the fleet.
Ensures all equipment incorporates independent, hard-wired safety systems separate from the process control PLC, including properly designed Emergency Shutdown (ESD) circuits, in compliance with MetOx's safety architecture standards.
Serves as the final escalation and decision-making authority for the most complex controls-related equipment issues, including faults, communication failures, and systemic performance limitations.
Identifies and prioritizes automation investments that enhance equipment monitoring, process control, data collection, and manufacturing efficiency.
Equipment Integration & Capital Project Leadership
Leads controls engineering strategy and resourcing for new capital equipment acquisition, including specification review, vendor controls audits, and commissioning of imported and domestically built tools (e.g., MGO buffer coating systems, deposition tools).
Owns technical requirements and specifications for capital equipment controls in partnership with internal stakeholders and external equipment suppliers.
Directs the team's most technically complex controls engineering projects end-to-end — scope, schedule, resourcing, and budget — while personally participating in programming, wiring checkout, and commissioning activities.
Oversees controls-related design reviews,…