Data Center Controls Technician

GCS Recruitment; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

GCS Recruitment is seeking Data Center Controls Technicians / Controls Engineers to deploy, commission, troubleshoot, and maintain BMS and EPMS within mission-critical data centers. The role focuses on cooling, environmental monitoring, field devices, sensors, and control systems in live facilities.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience in building automation, HVAC controls, and commissioning, with preferred exposure to IP-based controls and field device troubleshooting.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in building automation, HVAC controls, instrumentation & controls, electrical controls, commissioning, or critical facilities.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, validate, and troubleshoot BMS/BAS and EPMS controls systems.
• Support startup, commissioning, functional testing, and point-to-point checkout.
• Load software and configurations onto controllers and control-system computers.
• Validate communication between sensors, controllers, HMIs, field devices, and monitoring systems.
• Test and troubleshoot temperature, humidity, pressure, flow, and other field sensors.
• Troubleshoot alarms, incorrect readings, and controls-related issues.
• Support HVAC and mechanical systems including chillers, AHUs, VAVs, pumps, cooling towers, valves, dampers, actuators.
• Support electrical monitoring and controls such as UPS, generators, switchgear, PDUs, VFDs, ATS/STS, and power distribution.
• Read and interpret electrical and mechanical drawings, wiring diagrams, and sequences of operation.

Skills

BMS / BAS

HVAC controls

Controls commissioning

Instrumentation & Controls

Electrical & Instrumentation

EPMS / electrical controls

SCADA / critical facilities

Data center controls

Tools

BACnet

Modbus

MQTT

Niagara/Tridium

Metasys

Job description

Data Center Controls Technician / Controls Engineer

Location: Fredericksburg / Stafford / Louisa, Virginia
Employment Type: 12-Month Contract
Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite
Level: L4-L5 / Technician to Controls Engineer

Overview

We are hiring Data Center Controls Technicians / Controls Engineers to support the deployment, commissioning, troubleshooting, and maintenance of Building Management Systems (BMS) and Electrical Power Monitoring Systems (EPMS) within mission-critical data center environments.

This is a hands-on controls role focused on the systems responsible for cooling, environmental monitoring, electrical power monitoring, field devices, controllers, sensors, alarms, and operator interfaces.

The ideal candidate will come from a background in building automation, HVAC controls, instrumentation & controls, electrical controls, commissioning, or critical facilities and be comfortable troubleshooting systems directly in the field.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, validate, and troubleshoot BMS/BAS and EPMS controls systems
• Support startup, commissioning, functional testing, and point-to-point checkout
• Load software and configurations onto controllers and control-system computers
• Validate communication between sensors, controllers, HMIs, field devices, and monitoring systems
• Test and troubleshoot temperature, humidity, pressure, flow, and other field sensors
• Troubleshoot alarms, incorrect readings, failed communications, and controls-related equipment issues
• SupportHVAC and mechanical systems including:
  • Chillers
  • CRAHs
  • AHUs
  • VAVs
  • Pumps
  • Cooling towers
  • Valves
  • Dampers
  • Actuators
• Support electrical monitoring and controls associated with:
  • UPS systems
  • Generators
  • Switchgear
  • PDUs
  • VFDs
  • ATS / STS equipment
  • Power distribution systems
• Read and interpret electrical drawings, mechanical drawings, wiring diagrams, controls schematics, and sequences of operation
• Perform field verification and redline drawings where installations differ from design
• Support operator graphics, point mapping, alarm validation, and system readiness
• Work with engineers, programmers, contractors, vendors, and commissioning teams to resolve field issues
• Complete work through established MOPs, SOPs, change-management procedures, tickets, and commissioning documentation
• Escalate issues requiring programming or engineering changes

Required Experience

Candidates should have hands-on experience in one or more of the following:

• BMS / BAS / Building Automation
• HVAC controls
• Controls commissioning
• Instrumentation & Controls (I&C)
• Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I)
• EPMS / electrical controls
• SCADA or critical-facility automation
• Industrial controls with strong building-systems or critical-facilities exposure

Experience should include hands-on work with areas such as:

• Controllers
• Sensors
• Relays
• Actuators
• HMIs
• Control panels
• Point-to-point checkout
• Startup / commissioning
• Troubleshooting field-device communications
• Electrical and controls drawings

Preferred Technical Experience

Experience with any of the following is valuable but specific platforms are not required:

• BACnet
• Modbus
• MQTT
• Niagara / Tridium
• Schneider Electric
• Johnson Controls / Metasys
• Siemens
• Honeywell
• Automated Logic
• Ignition
• EcoStruxure / EBO

Preferred Backgrounds

We are particularly interested in candidates coming from:

• Building Automation / BAS / BMS contractors
• HVAC controls
• Controls commissioning
• Data center controls
• Hospitals and other critical facilities
• Nuclear / power-generation facilities
• Utilities
• Water / wastewater
• Oil & gas / pipelines
• Industrial instrumentation and controls
• Electrical controls
• Military electronics, HVAC, power-production or nuclear technical backgrounds

Trade backgrounds, military experience, associate degrees, licenses, and technical certifications are all valued; a four-year degree is not required.

Experience Level

L4: Approximately 1+ years of relevant industrial/HVAC controls experience with an associate degree, trade qualification, or related certification, or approximately 3+ years without one.

L5: Approximately 4+ years of relevant experience with a degree/certification, or approximately 6+ years without one.

Nice to Have

• ISA CCST certification
• Previous data center or critical-facility experience
• BACnet / Modbus / MQTT
• Controls commissioning experience
• Low-voltage controls cabling
• Military technical experience
• Previous hyperscale or large-scale critical-facility experience

Work Environment

This is a fully onsite, hands-on field position supporting multiple nearby data center facilities.

Candidates should be comfortable with:

• Non-standard hours and occasional overtime
• Working from ladders or platforms
• Wearing required PPE
• Lifting up to approximately 50 lbs
• Working in live mission-critical environments where change control and procedure adherence are essential

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidates are people who can say:

"I commission BMS systems, perform point-to-point checkout, troubleshoot controllers and sensors, work with BACnet or Modbus, understand HVAC and electrical systems, read controls drawings, and resolve field-device issues in live facilities."

This role is not primarily focused on server, network, rack-and-stack, routing/switching, or NOC work.

GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.