Process & Chemical Engineer vs SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer: what energy employers ask for
As of 29 October 2026, Plutarch tracked 579 open Process & Chemical Engineer postings and 939 open SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer postings at energy employers.
Skills and tools
Share of the postings we could read in full that name each skill: 454 for Process & Chemical Engineer, 753 for SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer.
| Skill or tool | Process & Chemical Engineer | SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| PLC programming | not listed | 53% |
| SCADA | not listed | 45% |
| P&IDs | 29% | 16% |
| DCS | not listed | 27% |
| Cybersecurity | not listed | 22% |
| Excel | 16% | not listed |
| Lean / Six Sigma | 15% | not listed |
| Root-cause analysis | 14% | 12% |
| Power systems / grid | not listed | 13% |
| Python | not listed | 13% |
| Statistics | 13% | not listed |
| AutoCAD / MicroStation | 12% | 11% |
Certificates and licences
A mention is what employers ask for; it does not mean a law requires it.
| Certificate or licence | Process & Chemical Engineer | SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Engineer licence (PE / P.Eng) | not listed | 11% |
Where the postings are
| Country | Process & Chemical Engineer | SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 47% | 56% |
| Canada | 10% | 7% |
| India | 6% | 8% |
| Malaysia | 4% | not listed |
| United Kingdom | 3% | 3% |
| Germany | not listed | 2% |
How many postings state pay
- Process & Chemical Engineer: 119 of 343 postings whose pay we could read (35%)
- SCADA, Controls & Automation Engineer: 255 of 625 postings whose pay we could read (41%)
Pay levels are not compared here: each role's figures come from different countries and currencies. They are on each role's own page. Pay disclosure tracks local pay-transparency law more closely than employer policy, so the two rates partly reflect where each role is advertised.
“Not listed” means the skill, credential or country is not among those shown on that role's own page, not that no posting names it. This compares what employers ask for in the two roles; it does not count how many people hold those skills or say that one role can do the other.
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