Automation Control Systems Engineer Jobs in California

Come build your career at Castle Mountain & Mesquite Mines.

Mesquite Mines is Equinox Gold's first-ever operating mine and a proud cornerstone of our story since 2018. Nestled in the sunny desert of Imperial County, California, this open-pit gold mine has been running strong since 1986 and has produced over five million ounces of gold and counting. With production expected to continue for years to come, Mesquite offers the stability of a proven operation alongside real opportunities to grow, learn, and make your mark

Castle Mountain is Equinox Gold's exciting 100%-owned gold expansion project in California and one of our most promising growth opportunities in a tier-one jurisdiction. Castle Mountain is poised to become a cornerstone asset in our portfolio as a long-life, low-cost mine producing around 200,000 ounces of gold annually over a 14-year life.  Join our team at this pivotal stage and help shape the future of a mine from the very beginning, with real opportunities to grow your career as the project comes to life.

Equinox Gold is a growth-focused gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, operating a diversified portfolio of high-quality, long-life mines across the Americas. Guided by our core values of integrity, excellence, accountability, and teamwork, we foster a safe, inclusive, and rewarding workplace where a talented, experienced team works together to deliver reliable operations, responsible mining, and long-term value to its shareholders and host communities.

Job Summary: 

The Senior Control Systems Engineer is the technical authority for PLC, SCADA/HMI, and related control applications across U.S. operations, leading the design, development, optimization, and lifecycle management of plant process-control systems. The role establishes technical standards and change-control practices, leads complex troubleshooting, commissioning, and site integrations, and provides technical direction to site personnel, contractors, and system integrators

Primary Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Design and develop control strategies, PLC logic, sequencing, interlocks, permissives, alarms, operator interfaces, and system integrations that support safe and efficient plant performance.
• Lead the technical review, testing, approval, documentation, and implementation of process-control changes in accordance with management-of-change and change-control requirements.

• Lead complex troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and resolution of control-system issues affecting safety, reliability, production, or product quality; provide after-hours technical escalation for critical incidents, planned outages, and commissioning activities as required.
• Lead or provide technical oversight for plant startups, shutdowns, commissioning, expansions, equipment upgrades, platform migrations, acquisitions, and new-site integrations; identify and drive control-system improvements and optimization opportunities in partnership with Plant Operations, Metallurgy, Electrical/Instrumentation, and Maintenance.
• Establish and maintain programming, documentation, backup, configuration-management, and lifecycle standards across supported sites; evaluate control-system technologies and recommend architecture, platform standards, upgrades, and replacement strategies for current and future operations.
• Maintain technical ownership of process-control applications; provide technical direction for work performed by contractors, vendors, and system integrators; and coordinate with IT on shared infrastructure and cybersecurity requirements.

• Provide regular updates to the IT Manager on control-system performance, risks, incidents, planned changes, and lifecycle priorities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience designing, programming, integrating, commissioning, and supporting industrial process-control systems in mining, mineral processing, manufacturing, utilities, or another continuous-process environment. Experience serving as a senior technical resource across multiple sites, platforms, projects, migrations, or acquisitions is strongly preferred.
• Advanced expertise in PLC programming, SCADA/HMI development, and control-system integration, with strong working knowledge of control strategies, sequences, interlocks, alarms, and operator interfaces. Rockwell Automation (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk) strongly preferred; ability to evaluate and support multiple platforms as standards evolve.
• Leads complex troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and control-system changes in live production; working knowledge of industrial Ethernet and control protocols for integration design and IT coordination; experience establishing programming, documentation, configuration-management, MOC, and lifecycle standards.
• Reviews contractor and system-integrator designs, programs, test plans, and commissioning deliverables for technical acceptability; provides technical direction across Operations, Metallurgy, Electrical/Instrumentation, Maintenance, IT, and vendors without direct supervisory authority; available to travel between U.S. sites and support outages, commissioning, urgent incidents, and after-hours callouts.
• Preferred: Rockwell Automation or equivalent platform certification; ISA CCST, ISA CAP, or equivalent; mining or mineral-processing experience.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, Automation, Computer Engineering, Instrumentation, or a related discipline is preferred. An associate degree combined with substantial progressively responsible industrial-controls experience may be considered.

Working Conditions: 
Work is performed at an active mine site that may include open pit mining, processing facilities, leach pads, maintenance areas, and office environments. Employees may be exposed to extreme weather conditions associated with a desert climate, including high heat, cold temperatures, wind, dust, and occasional precipitation or flash flooding. Depending on the role, work areas may involve proximity to large mobile equipment, moving mechanical parts, blasting activities, noise, vibration, diesel exhaust fumes, chemicals, fuels, oils, airborne particles, or other industrial hazards typical of mining operations. Outdoor work on uneven or rough terrain is common for many roles. Employees may encounter desert wildlife and native plant life. Required personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn as determined by job duties, task hazards, and work location. PPE includes, but is not limited to, hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, safety footwear, and other PPE as determined by job task and location. 

Physical Demands: 
Manual dexterity; handling and grasping; fingering and fine motor skills; speaking clearly; hearing in speech, radio, and environmental ranges; seeing, reading, and comprehension; near and distant vision; depth perception. While performing job responsibilities, employees must be able to communicate effectively and maintain situational awareness in an active mining environment. Physical activities may include standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, climbing, kneeling, crouching, or working on uneven surfaces. Use of hands and fingers to operate tools, equipment, controls, or computer systems is required. Specific physical demand requirements will be provided during the interview process. Employees may be required to work while wearing the required PPE, including respiratory and hearing protection. These requirements are representative, but not all‑inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required of the employee. 

The salary range for this position is from $107,416.00 to $130,000.00.

Key Benefits Provided:

• Career Advancement Opportunities: Unlock potential for growth and progression with a top mining company
• Competitive Compensation: Attractive pay coupled with bonus incentives
• 401(k) Retirement Plan: Benefit from a company-matched program designed to support your long-term financial security
• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage: Access extensive medical, dental, and vision plans for your health and well-being
• Paid Time Off: Maintain a healthy work-life balance

We thank all candidates for their applications, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

EOE: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.