- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Average salary $78,000 to $127,000
Career profile
Instrumentation engineers research, design, develop, test and supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, instrumentation, controls, components and systems. They oversee the operation and calibration of measuring instruments that are used in the design and configuration of the automated systems necessary to safety and efficiency of the complex processes and operations in each sector of the energy industry.
When you start in this occupation activities may include:
- Performing detailed calculations to establish manufacturing, construction or installation standards and specifications
- Defining and inspecting performance measures for control and instrumentation systems to ensure compliance for plant, pipeline and other system performance
- Designing, implementing, maintaining and improving electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products and systems
As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:
- Supervising and inspecting the installation, modification, testing and operation of electrical, electronic and instrumentation systems and equipment
- Supervising technicians, technologists, programmers, analysts and other engineers
Education
- A post-secondary degree in electrical, electronic or instrumentation and controls engineering is typically required.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- H2S Alive®
Licensing
- To obtain a license as a professional engineer (P.Eng) you must obtain a degree from an accredited engineering program, pass a professional practice exam and have three or four years of engineering experience, of which one year must be gained in Canada. You must also have Canadian citizenship or proof of permanent residency in Canada.
- Once licensed, engineers receive a seal to stamp their designs and drawings.
- Unlicensed engineers must work under the supervision of a P. Eng.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours at oil sands and natural gas processing plants
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps for oil sands and natural gas processing plants
You are very precise. You are a planner. You pay attention to details and are hardwired to improve things.
- Engineering and technology
- Design
- Numeracy
- Systems evaluation
- Computers and electronics
- Quality control analysis
- Troubleshooting
- Installation
- Operations analysis
- Judgment and decision making
