Hiring instrumentation technicians from India
To hire instrumentation technicians from India, specify the instruments, control systems and hazardous-area work involved, then test candidates practically on calibration, loop checking and fault-finding under a permit-to-work. Look for an ITI Instrument Mechanic qualification or a diploma in instrumentation, and refinery, petrochemical or power-plant experience you can verify.
What to specify
- Field instruments: pressure, temperature, flow and level transmitters, analysers, and control valves with positioners.
- Control systems: the DCS, PLC or safety instrumented systems on site, and the brands where that matters.
- Work type: routine maintenance and calibration, shutdowns and turnarounds, or construction and commissioning, which calls for loop checking and pre-commissioning experience.
- Hazardous areas: whether the technician will work on explosion-protected (Ex) equipment, and which certification you expect.
- Documents: reading P&IDs, loop diagrams, hook-up drawings and instrument datasheets.
Qualifications and experience
In India, instrumentation technicians usually hold an ITI certificate in the Instrument Mechanic trade or a diploma in instrumentation engineering. For Gulf oil, gas and process plants, ask for three or more years in refineries, petrochemical plants, fertiliser plants or power stations. India’s refining and petrochemical centres, such as Jamnagar, Vadodara and Bharuch, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai and Visakhapatnam, are where this experience is built.
A practical test
A good practical test for an instrumentation technician takes about two hours and covers:
- Permit and isolation: preparing the instrument for safe work, isolating and proving it, and completing the permit.
- Calibration: calibrating a transmitter against a reference, with a HART communicator where used, and recording as-found and as-left values.
- Fault-finding: tracing a deliberately introduced fault in a loop methodically, using instruments to confirm it.
- Repair and verification: correcting the fault, proving the loop and completing the work record.
- Safety: correct PPE and awareness of hydrocarbon and confined-space hazards.
We arrange practical trade tests for technical roles, and your engineer is welcome to witness them in India or by video.
Verify experience
Plant experience is easy to overstate. Our due diligence checks employment history, the plants and systems a candidate has worked on, and references from previous supervisors, before you interview.
Our recent experience
We recently recruited instrumentation technicians for Salam Petroleum in Qatar, and recruit drilling, refinery, pipeline and power-plant staff for oil, gas and energy employers. See oil, gas and energy recruitment, or send us your requirement.
Hiring from India? Send us your requirement and a consultant responds within one business day.