Control room engineer
You’ll manage and monitor equipment in a control room to ensure smooth and safe operations.
Also known as: control room specialist, control room technician, control room operator
About the job
What it's like
As a control room technician, you could work in a variety of industries. These include manufacturing, energy, telecommunications or utilities.
In offshore, you’ll monitor, control and optimise the operations of offshore wind turbines. And you’ll do it all from an onshore control centre. It can be fast-paced in this role, especially if there are faults or emergencies.
Your tasks might include:
monitoring systems and equipment, including pumps, turbines, compressors and process lines
analysing data from sensors and control systems to detect trends and issues
operating Distributed Control Systems (DCS) or Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) to control plant equipment
identifying faults and fixing them remotely or by instructing technicians on site
responding to emergencies
ensuring all operations follow industry safety standards
reporting and documenting maintenance and incidents
collaborating with other departments, such as field technicians or operation teams
training and mentoring new technicians
Green job
In this job, you could be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Other careers that you might like
Offshore drilling worker Water and wastewater engineer
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Transport Digital technologies Energy Engineering and manufacturing
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- ancillary medical services
- computing platforms
- supervisory control and data acquisition (scada)
- electromechanics
- renewable energy
- wholesaling
- electrical systems
- balancing (ledger/billing)
- support services
- regulatory compliance
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- working with technology
- verbal communication
- time management
- taking responsibility
- resilience
- reliable
- problem solving
- observation
- attention to detail
- analysing
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Computing Science
Design and Technology
Engineering Science
Information and Communications Technology - ICT
Maths (Mathematics)
Physics
Practical Electronics
Applications of Mathematics
Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
Skills for Work: Engineering Skills
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
University
You’ll need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject, such as:
Electrical or Electronic Engineering
Computer Science
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find work or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Electrical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Computer Science
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Some employers look for you to hold a Senior Authorised Person (SAP) authorisation.
For some jobs, you may need to have a full driving licence to travel to sites.
You may need to hold a UK passport depending on you’re working for, to pass security clearance requirements.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Control room engineer'
