Senior Controls / Automation Engineer

Dale Johnson

Hawthorne, California 704-***-**** ********@*****.***

Senior Controls / Automation / Functional Safety Engineer

Professional Summary

Controls and Instrumentation Engineer with more than 30 years of experience delivering automation, DCS, PLC, SIS, industrial networking, and process control solutions across refining, petrochemical, nuclear, water/wastewater, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and themed entertainment industries. Experienced leading brownfield modernization projects, control system migrations, refinery turnarounds, safety instrumented system implementations, and lifecycle reliability improvement programs. TÜV Rheinland Certified Functional Safety Engineer (CFSE) with extensive experience supporting Honeywell Experion PKS, Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix, Triconex SIS, Emerson DeltaV, Modicon, Siemens, and industrial Ethernet network architectures.

Core Expertise

Distributed Control Systems (Honeywell Experion PKS, TDC2000/3000, Emerson DeltaV, Foxboro, Provox)

PLC & SIS Platforms (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix, Triconex, Modicon Quantum, Siemens S7)

Functional Safety / IEC 61508 / IEC 61511 / SIL Verification

Industrial Networking / Ethernet / Fiber Optics / Control System Architecture

Refinery & Petrochemical Projects / Turnarounds / Brownfield Upgrades

Instrumentation Specification & Design

FAT / SAT / Commissioning / Startup Support

Alarm Rationalization / Cause & Effect / HAZOP Participation

Engineering Leadership / Contractor Coordination / Vendor Reviews

Engineering Data Management & Instrument Databases (Hexagon Smart Instrumentation / INtools / SPI)

Engineering Document Control Platforms (JPI, Egnyte)

SCADA / HMI / VFDs / MCCs / Power Distribution

Professional Experience

Universal Studios Hollywood

Senior Control Systems Engineer 01/2026 – 05/2026

Supported modernization efforts for attraction control systems involving ride safety systems, show control systems, industrial networking, AV integration, and facility infrastructure.

Reviewed Ride Safety System (RSS) and Ride System Network (RSN) architectures supporting attraction modernization.

Supported integration reviews involving Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and GuardLogix systems, industrial Ethernet networks, and fiber optic communications.

Participated in vendor design reviews involving AV, lighting, networking, and ride safety systems.

Reviewed network segmentation, industrial switch infrastructure, and control room architecture.

Supported multidisciplinary coordination involving controls, safety systems, lighting, audio, and networking vendors.

Gekko Engineering

Controls / I&C Engineer (Contract) 10/2025 – 12/2025

Supported refinery engineering activities for Marathon Wilmington refinery projects.

Assisted with refinery modernization and controls integration activities.

Supported engineering reviews, documentation development, and coordination activities.

Participated in instrumentation and controls design reviews and project support activities.

Chevron El Segundo Refinery

Lead Electrical Instrumentation & Controls Engineer 2022 – 2025

Led instrumentation and control system upgrades and improvement projects supporting refinery operations.

Supported projects in Isomax, DPD, and Coker process units.

Developed Engineering Work Orders, Management of Change (MOC) packages, risk assessments, logic diagrams, and installation details.

Prepared instrumentation datasheets, loop drawings, wiring diagrams, control narratives, and maintained engineering deliverables using instrumentation database and document management systems including Hexagon Smart Instrumentation (INtools/SPI), JPI, and Egnyte.

Supported refinery reliability, lifecycle upgrades, and modernization initiatives.

Coordinated with operations, maintenance, contractors, and vendors during project execution activities.

Supported SIS analysis, shutdown planning, startup readiness, and field implementation activities.

Fluor

Principal Instrumentation & Control Systems Engineer 2021 – 2022

Supported Marathon Carson/Wilmington LAR2 AMP Automation Modernization Program.

Migrated Honeywell TDC 2000 and TDC 3000 systems to Honeywell Experion PKS with C300 controllers.

Supported migration of several thousand analog and discrete I/O points.

Supported upgrades involving control rooms, rack rooms, field instrumentation, wired/fiber networks, and Triconex SIS systems.

Participated in startup planning, implementation support, and vendor coordination activities.

Worley

Control Systems Engineering Lead 2018 – 2021

Led controls engineering activities for refinery modernization and turnaround projects.

Managed engineering teams and coordinated multi-discipline engineering deliverables.

Developed network architecture diagrams, I/O lists, instrument indexes, loop diagrams, and control system deliverables.

Supported alarm rationalization sessions, HAZOP participation, and vendor document reviews.

Developed project estimates, scopes of work, and engineering execution strategies.

Coordinated instrumentation and electrical installation activities with contractors and vendors.

Supported startup activities, loop checks, commissioning, and as-built documentation.

Recipient — ISA Project of the Year Award (2020–2021 Hydrocarbon Processing Category).

HDR Engineering

Senior E&I Engineer 2016 – 2018

Supported water and wastewater treatment modernization projects.

Worked with Schneider Electric Modicon Quantum and M580 PLC systems.

Supported GE iFix SCADA/HMI systems and power monitoring network implementations.

Supported Cause & Effect matrices, alarm matrices, startup planning, and field implementation activities.

Participated in instrumentation specification, networking reviews, and VFD integration activities.

Jacobs Engineering Group

Principal Controls Engineering Lead 2013 – 2016

Supported refinery modernization, flare gas recovery, and SIS implementation projects.

Migrated Honeywell TDC3000 systems to Honeywell Experion PKS DCS platforms.

Developed SIS logic using Schneider Electric Modicon Quantum safety PLCs.

Developed Cause & Effect diagrams, alarm matrices, and control narratives.

Supported SIL evaluations, refinery shutdown planning, and startup readiness activities.

URS / Bechtel

Control Systems Lead 2010 – 2013

Supported U.S. Department of Energy nuclear facility projects.

Supported DeltaV DCS and SIS implementations.

Developed Foundation Fieldbus, DeviceNet, and industrial network architectures.

Participated in HAZOP reviews, nuclear safety compliance activities, and startup support.

Earlier Career Experience

Held senior controls and instrumentation engineering roles with Fluor, Mustang Engineering, Duke Cogema Stone & Webster, Jacobs Engineering, Dial Corporation, Ethyl Petroleum, CPI Plants, Sverdrup Corporation, MK Ferguson, Chemical Waste Management, and Fisher Controls.

Supported refining, petrochemical, nuclear, pharmaceutical, brewing, specialty chemical, and hazardous waste processing facilities.

Worked with Honeywell, Fisher, Foxboro, Emerson, Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Modicon, and Wonderware systems.

Developed P&IDs, loop diagrams, wiring diagrams, I/O lists, instrumentation specifications, and SIS documentation.

Supported startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, maintenance planning, and reliability improvement activities.

Participated in HAZOP reviews, alarm rationalization, control system upgrades, and lifecycle modernization projects.

Education

MS, Electrical Engineering & Engineering Management — Missouri University of Science and Technology

BS, Engineering Physics — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Certifications & Affiliations

TÜV Rheinland Certified Functional Safety Engineer (CFSE)

Board Member / Program Chair — ISA Los Angeles Section

ISA — International Society of Automation

IEEE — Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

SME — Society of Manufacturing Engineers

Expanded Career Experience

Additional Senior Experience

Senior Instrumentation, Controls, and Automation Engineering roles supporting refinery, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear, brewing, specialty chemical, municipal water/wastewater, and hazardous waste processing facilities.

Companies and organizations supported include Fluor, Mustang Engineering, Duke Cogema Stone & Webster, Jacobs Engineering, URS / Bechtel, Dial Corporation, Ethyl Petroleum, CPI Plants, Sverdrup Corporation, MK Ferguson, Chemical Waste Management, Fisher Controls, and St. Louis Community College.

Technical responsibilities included:

• Honeywell Experion PKS, Honeywell TDC2000/TDC3000, Emerson DeltaV, Fisher Provox, Foxboro IA, Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix, Siemens S7, Modicon Quantum, and Triconex SIS systems.

• Development of P&IDs, loop diagrams, wiring diagrams, instrument indexes, I/O lists, control narratives, cause & effect diagrams, alarm matrices, and SIS documentation.

• Functional Safety / IEC 61508 / IEC 61511 implementation, SIL verification, HAZOP participation, and Safety Instrumented System design.

• Industrial networking including Ethernet, DeviceNet, Foundation Fieldbus, fiber optic communications, and SCADA/HMI architectures.

• Instrumentation specification for pressure, temperature, flow, level, analyzers, vibration monitoring, compressor anti-surge systems, burner management systems, and turbine controls.

• Startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, TAR support, maintenance planning, lifecycle modernization, reliability improvement, and field implementation support.

• Leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams, contractor coordination, vendor reviews, estimating, scope development, and refinery turnaround execution.

Representative industries and facilities included:

• Chevron, Marathon, Phillips 66, Tesoro, Shell, BP, SIPCHEM, and ADNOC refinery and petrochemical projects.

• U.S. Department of Energy nuclear and enrichment facilities.

• Municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities.

• Pharmaceutical and FDA-regulated manufacturing facilities.

• Brewing and specialty chemical production facilities.

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