Principal Control Systems Engineer

Description

Zutari designs transport systems that connect people, enable trade, and unlock economic growth across Africa and the Middle East.

Our work spans roads, rail, transit, and integrated mobility systems that are safe, efficient, and future-ready.

We are seeking individuals passionate about mobility solutions that go beyond infrastructure and help shape the way cities and regions move.

Role Purpose

The Principal Control Systems Engineer will lead the control systems engineering scope for a major street lighting project in Dubai, with specific responsibility for the design review, validation, testing, and commissioning support of the PLMS, CMS, control centre integration, and associated lighting control systems. The role requires a highly experienced engineer capable of ensuring that system architecture, control logic, dimming strategies, fail-safe operations, and gateway/network deployment are technically robust, compliant, and fit for purpose in a large-scale urban infrastructure environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and provide technical oversight on the design of PLMS components, CMS, including the control centre, and associated lighting control systems.
• Assess and validate network planning for PLMS gateway deployment across the street lighting network.
• Witness and evaluate PLMS and CMS functional testing to ensure systems perform in line with project requirements and operational expectations.
• Validate logic sequences, dimming functions, and fail-safe operations for PLMS and CMS platforms.
• Ensure integration between field devices, gateways, central monitoring systems, and control centre platforms is reliable and maintainable.
• Support design coordination with electrical, ICT/communications, commissioning, and operations teams.
• Identify design risks, integration gaps, and operational issues early, and recommend mitigation measures.
• Review contractor and vendor submittals, method statements, test procedures, FAT/SAT documentation, and commissioning records.
• Provide technical leadership during installation, testing, commissioning, and handover phases.
• Ensure solutions align with project specifications, client requirements, local authority standards, and relevant international engineering practices.
• Participate in technical meetings with client, contractors, suppliers, and multidisciplinary stakeholders.
• Support preparation of technical reports, review comments, punch lists, and close-out documentation.
  
  
  

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in control systems engineering, with strong exposure to street lighting, smart lighting, urban infrastructure, or related public realm systems.
• Demonstrated experience in lighting control systems, PLMS, CMS, and centralised control/monitoring environments.
• Proven track record in technical design review, systems validation, functional testing, and commissioning support.
• Experience with network planning and gateway deployment for distributed control systems.
• Strong background in reviewing and validating control logic, dimming strategies, and fail-safe system behaviour.
• Previous experience on large municipal, transport, or infrastructure projects is strongly preferred.
• Middle East and/or Dubai/UAE project experience is highly desirable.
  
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Control Systems Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree is advantageous.
• Professional registration or chartership is preferred.
• Relevant training or certifications in control systems, SCADA/CMS platforms, networking, or intelligent transport/public lighting systems would be beneficial.
  
  
  

• Deep understanding of:
• PLMS (Power Line Management Systems / applicable project lighting management systems)
• CMS (Central Management Systems)
• Street lighting control architectures
• Gateway and communications network deployment
• Functional test procedures and witnessing
• Logic sequence validation
• Dimming controls and schedules
• Fail-safe design principles
  
• Ability to review detailed technical documentation, interface matrices, cause-and-effect logic, and test scripts.
• Strong systems integration mindset across hardware, software, and communications layers.
• Good understanding of commissioning and operational readiness requirements.
  
  

• Strong technical leadership and engineering judgement.
• Excellent stakeholder coordination and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary, client-facing project environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• High attention to detail, quality, safety, and reliability.
  
  
  

• Design review comments and approvals for PLMS/CMS and lighting control systems.
• Network planning and gateway deployment review outputs.
• Functional test witnessing reports.
• Validation records for logic sequences, dimming functions, and fail-safe operations.
• Commissioning support documentation and technical close-out inputs.
• Risk and issue logs relating to control system performance and integration.