Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF)

Senior Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) Reliability Engineer

Reports To: Manager, Reliability 
Direct Reports: None
Location: Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE

Job Summary

Provide specialist reliability engineering support for Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF), Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), and critical protection layers across the refinery to ensure personnel safety, environmental protection, regulatory compliance, and operational reliability.

Support the implementation and maintenance of functional safety programs, SIF performance monitoring, proof test optimization, lifecycle management activities, reliability improvement initiatives, and compliance with IEC 61511 and refinery functional safety requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Safety & SIF Reliability Management

• Develop and maintain SIF reliability and performance monitoring programs.
• Support implementation of functional safety lifecycle requirements in accordance with IEC 61511.
• Monitor Safety Integrity Level (SIL) performance and verify compliance with design requirements.
• Identify and manage reliability risks affecting critical safety instrumented functions.

SIF Performance Monitoring & Analysis

• Monitor SIF demand rates, spurious trips, proof test results, and failure data.
• Analyze SIF performance trends and identify opportunities for reliability improvement.
• Review bypasses, overrides, and impairments impacting SIS availability.
• Support performance benchmarking for critical protection systems.

Proof Testing & Maintenance Optimization

• Develop and optimize proof test intervals based on reliability data and risk assessments.
• Review proof test effectiveness and recommend improvements where required.
• Support maintenance strategies for safety-critical instrumentation and final elements.
• Collaborate with maintenance and operations teams to improve SIF availability and reliability.

Failure Analysis & Root Cause Investigation

• Lead investigations involving SIS failures, SIF demands, spurious trips, and near misses.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for functional safety-related incidents.
• Identify corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.
• Support implementation and tracking of investigation recommendations.

Functional Safety Lifecycle Support

• Participate in Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP), Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), and SIL assessments.
• Support development and review of SIF specifications and performance requirements.
• Review Management of Change (MOC) proposals affecting SIS and safety-critical controls.
• Ensure lifecycle documentation remains current and compliant.

Asset Reliability & Risk Management

• Support integration of SIF reliability data into overall asset reliability programs.
• Participate in criticality assessments for safety-critical equipment and systems.
• Evaluate common cause failures and systemic reliability risks.
• Support risk reduction initiatives across refinery operations.

Compliance & Functional Safety Assurance

• Ensure compliance with IEC 61511, IEC 61508, refinery standards, and corporate functional safety requirements.
• Support internal and external functional safety audits.
• Participate in regulatory inspections and compliance reviews.
• Assist in development and continuous improvement of functional safety procedures and standards.

Documentation & Reporting

• Prepare technical reports covering SIF performance, SIL verification, proof testing, and reliability assessments.
• Maintain functional safety lifecycle records and supporting documentation.
• Develop KPIs and performance dashboards for SIF reliability.
• Provide technical input to management, asset integrity, and process safety reporting.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Instrumentation, Electrical, Electronic, Control Systems, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 10 years relevant refinery, petrochemical, oil & gas, or process industry experience, including significant exposure to SIS and functional safety systems.
• Strong knowledge of IEC 61511 functional safety lifecycle requirements.
• Experience in SIF performance monitoring, SIL verification, reliability analysis, RCA, HAZOP, and LOPA.
• Experience supporting safety-critical instrumentation and process control systems.

Preferred Certifications

• TÜV Functional Safety Engineer (IEC 61511)
• Functional Safety Professional Certification
• Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE)
• RCM Certification or Training
• ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP)
• CMMS/ERP System Proficiency (SAP PM, Maximo, or equivalent)