Overview

A Shift Engineer (Operation & Maintenance) for a power plant is responsible for the safe, efficient, and continuous operation of power generation equipment—such as boilers, turbines, generators, and balance of plant (BOP)—during their assigned shift. They oversee control room operations, monitor plant parameters, troubleshoot malfunctions, and supervise field technicians to ensure maximum uptime and safety.

Here is a detailed job description based on typical industrial standards for power plants (Thermal, Gas, or Captive).

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Operational Control & Monitoring: Independently manage the Distributed Control System (DCS) and SCADA in the control room to control, monitor, and optimize equipment parameters (e.g., pressure, temperature, steam flow).
• Startups & Shutdowns: Competently lead the startup, shutdown, and synchronization of turbines, boilers, and auxiliary systems.
• Emergency Handling: Act as the first responder to equipment trips, abnormalities, or emergencies, taking corrective actions per Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Maintenance Coordination: Oversee both routine preventive maintenance (PM) and emergency breakdown maintenance. Raise work orders in systems like SAP and coordinate with maintenance technicians.
• Safety & Compliance: Enforce Permit-to-Work (PTW) systems, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures, and ensure adherence to environmental and statutory safety norms.
• Reporting & Documentation: Maintain detailed shift logbooks, prepare daily generation reports, and analyze data to improve plant performance.
• Team Supervision: Guide operators and technicians in the field, ensuring they follow safety procedures and efficient operation practices.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (B.E./B.Tech) in Mechanical, Electrical, or Instrumentation Engineering.
• Experience: Minimum 8+ years of relevant experience in operation and maintenance of thermal/gas power plants.
• Certifications: Boiler Operation Engineer (BOE) certification is often highly preferred or required.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of boiler‑turbine‑generator (BTG) operations, BOP systems, and protective interlocking systems.
• Skills: Proficiency in DCS/SCADA operation, SAP PM module, and root cause analysis (RCA) techniques.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Willingness to work rotating 12‑hour shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to work under high‑pressure situations and potentially in extreme temperatures.
• Capable of performing field inspections, which may require climbing and moving around heavy machinery.

Performance Indicators (Key Result Areas)

• Unit Uptime & Reliability.
• Reduced breakdown time during shifts.
• Compliance with environmental emission standards.
• Zero safety incidents (LTIs - Lost Time Injuries).