Controls Engineer, Virtualized PLCs

Fluidstack; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 197,000 - 227,000; Full time

Job summary

Fluidstack seeks an expert to engineer the virtualized PLC platform, moving control logic to software-defined infrastructure. You will port and validate control applications on virtual runtimes while preserving determinism and safety.

You will build test harnesses to prove virtual controls against hardware and help define the reference architecture for networking, redundancy, and failover across data centers.

Qualifications

• Experience programming PLCs and industrial controls.
• Proficiency in IEC 61131 languages and standards.
• Hands-on with virtualization or software-based runtimes.
• Ability to test control logic with live safety implications.
• Understanding of determinism and scan times in software controls.

Responsibilities

• Engineer the virtualized PLC platform and software-defined infrastructure.
• Port and validate control applications onto virtual runtimes.
• Build test harnesses to prove virtual controls against hardware.
• Define reference architecture for networking, redundancy and failover.

Skills

Industrial controls programming

PLC programming

IEC 61131 languages

Determinism & scan times

Control narratives

Tools

Virtualization

Real-time Linux

Software PLCs

Job description

About Fluidstack

We exist to make humanity more free. For most of human history, you farmed or you starved. Technology gave people more time for the things they wanted to do, instead of things they had to do. Powerful AI will be the biggest lever for human choice we've ever built - but only if models are aligned with what humanity actually wants. There are groups building AI who don't share these goals. Whoever deploys frontier compute infrastructure fastest will decide whether AI expands human freedom or shrinks it.

We're singularly focused on delivering 10 to 100s of GWs of compute faster than anyone else, rethinking every layer of the stack. We acquire power, design and build data centers, and operate them - with teams spanning hardware and software. Speed and scale are our key differentiators. Come be a part of building civilization-scale infrastructure for AI.

We hire people who care deeply about this problem space. If that is you, please apply!

How We Operate

• Extreme ownership. Full autonomy. Own things end to end often taking on scope outside your core role without being asked to get things done.
• Velocity. We drive everything forward as fast as possible.
• First principles. Challenge every assumption. Zero analogy thinking, no egos, the best idea wins.
• Love of the game. The frontier of AI is the most interesting problem of our time. We put in long hours at high intensity to push the frontier forward.

Role Scope

• Engineer the virtualized PLC platform: control logic moving from proprietary boxes to software-defined infrastructure.
• Port and validate control applications onto virtual runtimes without giving up determinism or safety.
• Build the test harnesses that prove virtual controls against hardware behavior before a site sees them.
• Define the reference architecture: networking, redundancy, and failover for controls as software.

What We're Looking For

• The below is a starting point. We always make space for exceptional people, so if you don't fit this role exactly, tell us where you would.
• You've programmed industrial controls professionally: PLC platforms and IEC 61131 languages.
• You've worked with virtualization or software‑based control runtimes.
• You test control logic like lives depend on it, because they can.
• You understand determinism, scan times, and what breaks when controls become software.
• You document control narratives engineers and operators both use.
• Bonus: Codesys or software PLCs. Hypervisors and real‑time Linux. BMS and EPMS applications. Functional safety.

We are committed to pay equity and transparency.

Fluidstack is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Fluidstack will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to applicable law.

Compensation Range: $197K - $227K.