Controls Engineer Palo Alto, CA

LFGroup.ai; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Discretionary bonuses

Job summary

LFG designs, builds and manages power infrastructure for compute systems and utility providers. The Controls Engineer designs and supports the building management, electrical power monitoring and automation systems that run each site. If the controls are wrong, the best power and cooling design will not keep the site running.

You will work on new sites, expansions and upgrades, from sequence of operations through commissioning, and you will support Facility Operations after handover.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical or controls engineering
• 5+ years designing or commissioning controls for data centers, industrial plants or other critical facilities
• Experience programming PLCs or BMS controllers (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Johnson Controls, Honeywell or Tridium Niagara)
• Strong knowledge of BACnet, Modbus and SNMP, and controls network design
• Experience writing sequences of operations for HVAC and electrical distribution equipment
• Experience with functional and integrated systems testing on live equipment
• Experience with AutoCAD or Revit for control drawings

Responsibilities

• Design and review the building management system (BMS), electrical power monitoring system (EPMS) and plant control systems for each site
• Write sequences of operations for chillers, cooling towers, air handlers, loops, generators, ATS, UPS and switchgear
• Design controls network, points lists, select controllers, sensors and instrumentation
• Program and configure PLCs and BMS controllers, and build operator graphics and alarms
• Write equipment and controls specifications and review supplier and integrator submittals
• Manage outside controls integrators and review their work
• Lead functional testing and integrated systems testing during commissioning
• Apply cybersecurity practices to OT network (segmentation, access control, patching)
• Work with Software Engineer to expose BMS/EPMS/meter data via Modbus, BACnet, SNMP
• Investigate faults, tune control loops, support Facility Operations after handover
• Keep control drawings, points lists and sequences current

Skills

Electrical engineering

Controls design

Data center experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Allen-Bradley

Siemens

Schneider Electric

Johnson Controls

Tridium Niagara

AutoCAD

Job description

LFG designs, builds and manages power infrastructure for compute systems and utility providers. The Controls Engineer designs and supports the building management, electrical power monitoring and automation systems that run each site. These systems decide how the cooling plant responds to load, how generators and switchgear transfer during a utility outage, and what the operations team sees when something goes wrong. If the controls are wrong, the best power and cooling design will not keep the site running.

You will work on new sites, expansions and upgrades, from sequence of operations through commissioning, and you will support Facility Operations after handover.

What you will do

• Design and review the building management system (BMS), electrical power monitoring system (EPMS) and plant control systems for each site.
• Write sequences of operations for chillers, cooling towers, air handlers, liquid cooling loops, generators, automatic transfer switches, UPS systems and switchgear.
• Design the controls network and points lists, and specify controllers, sensors, meters and instrumentation.
• Program and configure PLCs and BMS controllers, and build operator graphics and alarms.
• Write equipment and controls specifications and review supplier and integrator submittals.
• Manage outside controls integrators and review their work.
• Lead functional testing and integrated systems testing during commissioning, including failure scenarios such as utility loss and chiller failure.
• Apply cybersecurity practices to the operational technology network, including segmentation, access control and patching.
• Work with the Software Engineer to expose BMS, EPMS and meter data over Modbus, BACnet and SNMP for monitoring, billing and reporting.
• Investigate control faults and nuisance alarms, tune control loops and support Facility Operations after handover.
• Keep control drawings, points lists and sequences current.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical or controls engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 5 or more years designing or commissioning controls for data centers, industrial plants or other critical facilities.
• Experience programming PLCs or BMS controllers, for example Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Johnson Controls, Honeywell or Tridium Niagara.
• Strong knowledge of BACnet, Modbus and SNMP, and of controls network design.
• Experience writing sequences of operations for HVAC and electrical distribution equipment.
• Experience with functional and integrated systems testing on live equipment.
• Experience with AutoCAD or Revit for control drawings.

Preferred qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or Certified Automation Professional (CAP).
• Experience with generator paralleling and switchgear automation.
• Experience with liquid cooling or direct-to-chip cooling controls.
• Scripting experience, for example Python, for data collection and testing.
• Knowledge of OT cybersecurity standards such as IEC 62443 or NIST SP 800-82.

Additional Requirements

• Willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
• Must be willing to travel to other LFG locations
• Office-based
• Frequent travel to construction and operating sites

Pay Range: $150,000.00 - $210,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at LFG. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

LFG is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with LFG is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of LFG's Affi­mative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail]