Senior Control Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Senior Control Engineer jobs in Tennessee are concentrated in automotive and advanced manufacturing, chemical processing, and defense systems, with openings at every level from process controls specialist through principal engineer. Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville anchor the largest share of hiring, with major employers such as Eastman Chemical, Volkswagen Group of America, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory maintaining a consistent presence in the state. The most in-demand specialties are PLC and DCS programming, SCADA system integration, and functional safety engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Senior Control Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 7+ Senior Control Engineer jobs











Job ID: 518762
Location: CHATTANOOGA, TN
Regular/Temporary: Regular
External - Posting Description
Senior Program Manager, Project Process & Control - 518762
Organization: Finance
Department: Project Process and Controls
Work Location: Chattanooga, Knoxville, or Nashville, Tennessee
Relocation: Relocation benefits are not offered for this position.
Posting Open: 08/13/2026
Posting Close: 08/26/2026 at 11:59 PM EST
Salary: Competitive
This posting supports multiple roles within the TVA Project Management Office:
Analytics Focused Role: The ideal candidate would have experience analyzing large data sets, identifying trends, and building forecasts. Power BI and/or Tableau proficiency and strong executive‑level communication are highly preferred.
Process & Leadership Focused Role: The ideal candidate would have strong leadership and communication skills, experience developing project management and estimating processes, leading meetings and trainings, and working confidently with management to challenge and improve project execution.
POSITION PURPOSE:
Responsible for collaborating across the enterprise to assess and improve TVA project performance, ensuring that TVA projects are executed in a manner that meet or exceed stakeholder expectations; satisfying all safety, environmental, scope, cost, schedule and quality goals. Supports the TVA project processes, tools, training, and reporting. Analyzes project performance, identifies opportunities for improvement, and guides TVA project executing organizations in implementing best practices and project performance improvement initiatives, tools, and processes.
JOB DIMENSIONS:
Supervisory Responsibility — None directly or full time but will be required to temporarily and indirectly supervise others when leading an assessment team.
Budget Responsibility — None directly or full time but will be expected to identify budget/spend plan gaps in projects, determine the extent of condition, recommend corrective actions, and propose measures to prevent recurrence.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:
The incumbent reports to the Sr Manager and interfaces with key stakeholders such as SVPs, VPs, GMs, Plant Management, Engineering, Finance, and Information Technology to assess and improve project performance across TVA.
- Provides strategic direction for the centralization of TVA’s project and portfolio process and controls to achieve identified Enterprise Transformation operating model shifts and the desired future state of the capital planning process.
- Develops, implements and provides continuous improvement insight for TVA’s enterprise project process, estimating, tools, and training which includes the governance, processes and monitoring of the execution of all capital, O&M and regulatory projects, across the agency from $250k to > $1.0B.
- Collaborate with TVA Enterprise Project personnel to establish and maintain technical and administrative policies, processes, tools, training and reporting that establish the expectations for high standards of project performance consistent with industry best standards and performance.
- Provide project performance oversight for TVA projects to ensure desired outcomes are achieved.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders across project executing organizations to define stakeholder requirements and support implementation of Project Management Tools, Training, and Processes.
- Serve as a consultant to peers relative to alternative solutions to technical, project management, and project controls problems to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of implementation techniques.
- Collaborate across the enterprise to maintain a high level of technical expertise including industry experience to ensure processes are successful, effective, and documented in a robust standardized procedure system and hierarchy.
- Lead the compliance efforts to ensure project executing organizations are adhering to TVA Project Management SPPs.
- Drives accountability throughout TVA project executing organizations for closing gaps to excellence in project performance
- Develop and create project KPIs, project performance metrics, and define project performance reporting requirements.
- Develop and create accountability and performance measurement systems to analyze, monitor, and trend key project performance and cost indicators.
- Leads and/or support the development of automation and/or analytics solutions to advance the usage of data and technology in project reporting.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders across project executing organizations to lead performance improvement initiatives.
- Coordinate with TVA organizations to conduct post-project reviews of significant projects to determine lessons learned and for dissemination and implementation of the best practices into future projects.
- Evaluate and implement project management tools
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education — B.S. degree in a technical, engineering or scientific discipline or business administration; or equivalent education, training and experience.
Experience — Eight years utility or equivalent functional area work experience required. Within that experience, at least five years of increased responsibilities leading project teams and project management, including specialized in-depth knowledge of project management techniques and experience to resolve in-depth problems is preferred. Ability to look beyond existing methodologies and own disciple to define and resolve complex problems
Certification/License, etc — Project Management Institute certification, such as the Project Management Professional or Program Management Professional certificate, or equivalent preferred but none required.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities — Working knowledge of management techniques and human relations skills to enable him/her to guide TVA Projects management toward business goals. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with other TVA organizations and to communicate clearly orally and in writing. Demonstrated ability to interpret broad policy matters and provide guides to Project Management personnel ensuring effectiveness and success of projects. Demonstrated openness to questions, suggestions and concerns, and ability to pursue answer and resolutions. Demonstrated high productivity level, sense of urgency, and respect for meeting deadlines.
Equal Employment Opportunity
TVA is an Equal Opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws and regulations regarding equal employment opportunities. Any applicant or employee who believes s/he has a discrimination claim (including harassment or retaliation) must contact TVA’s Equal Opportunity Compliance office within 45 calendar days of the event or action s/he believes to constitute discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
Drug-Free Workplace
All TVA Non-Nuclear employees are covered by TVA's Federal Drug-Free Workplace Program Plan, in accordance with Executive Order 12564, Public Law 100-71 and the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing. Information regarding the Drug Free Workplace Program can be found at www.samhsa.gov/workplace. TVA Non-Nuclear employees in Testing Designated Positions, including those performing safety-sensitive duties are also subject to random drug testing. TVA Nuclear employees are subject to random alcohol and drug tests in accordance with 10 CFR Part 26 as mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
How to Claim Vet Preference
If you are requesting to be considered as a preference-eligible veteran as outlined in the application process, you must submit your military documents before the posting close date indicated above. Be sure to include all supporting documentation: Form DD214 (member 2 or member 4 copy), a Veterans Disability Rating Letter from the VA (if applicable), and a completed form TVA 3595. If you will not get your DD214 until you are separated or retired, you can request a Statement of Service through your military personnel office. The Statement of Service must list your dates of military service, character of service, expected date of separation and any service-connected disability rating that you have been awarded from your branch of military service. Please submit your military documents each time you apply for a position.
How to Submit Documentation:
- Upload documents in Step 7 of the application process.
- Email documents to careers@tva.gov
More information about preference eligibility and a link to form TVA 3595, can be found at https://www.tva.gov/Careers/Claiming-Veteran-Preference. If you have a question about preference eligibility, please email Careers@tva.gov.
See All 7 Senior Control Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Senior Control Engineer JobsSenior Control Engineer Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Control Engineer Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Automotive
- Electronics & Hardware
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior control engineer jobs across Tennessee.
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the Tennessee Board of Licensing Engineers preferred for senior roles
- Bachelor's degree in electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline required
- Seven or more years of hands-on experience with PLC, DCS, or SCADA systems in an industrial environment
- Demonstrated experience with functional safety standards such as IEC 61511 or ISA 84 in process industries
- Proficiency in control system platforms from Rockwell, Siemens, Emerson, or Honeywell commonly required
- Strong project leadership skills including scope definition, FAT coordination, and startup commissioning oversight
Senior Control Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior control engineer in Tennessee?
The most direct path is a bachelor's degree in electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering followed by progressive controls experience in Tennessee's manufacturing or process industries. Many senior roles prefer or require a Professional Engineer license, issued through the Tennessee Board of Licensing Engineers, which requires passing the Fundamentals of Engineering and Principles and Practice of Engineering exams. Certifications such as ISA's Certified Automation Professional credential also strengthen candidacy at the senior level.
Which companies hire senior control engineers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring senior control engineers in Tennessee right now include DENSO, Hyosung, and Enbridge, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Tennessee's concentration of automotive assembly plants, chemical manufacturers, and federal research facilities means demand for controls expertise runs consistently across both private industry and government-contracted operations.
Which Tennessee cities have the most senior control engineer jobs?
Memphis, Nashville, and Oak Ridge are the Tennessee cities with the most senior control engineer openings. Nashville draws hiring from corporate engineering offices and growing advanced manufacturing operations, Chattanooga is anchored by Volkswagen's assembly plant and a dense automotive supplier network, and Knoxville benefits from its proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Eastman Chemical's large Kingsport complex nearby.
Are there remote senior control engineer jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're rare. Senior control engineering is largely hands-on work tied to physical plant systems, so full-remote roles are uncommon. About 100% of senior control engineer openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to focus on system architecture, documentation, or vendor management rather than on-site commissioning and troubleshooting.
How can I get hired as a senior control engineer in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is a controls or automation technician role at a Tennessee automotive plant or chemical facility, where hands-on PLC work builds the foundational experience employers count toward senior eligibility. Eastman Chemical and Tennessee Valley Authority both run structured early-career engineering programs. Gaining an ISA Certified Control Systems Technician credential while in a junior or associate engineer role signals readiness for senior responsibilities without years of independent project leadership on the resume.
Where can I find and apply to senior control engineer jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to senior control engineer jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to the state. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 7 Senior Control Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Senior Control Engineer Jobs