Electrical Engineer - Controls/Design

Actalent; Woburn (MA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short & long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Time Off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an Electrical Engineer to design, program, and maintain control systems for data center cooling and large electromechanical systems in Woburn, MA. You will split time between controls/software (roughly 60%) and hardware design (40%), driving reliable cooling solutions with sensors, controllers, and mechanical hardware.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and 5+ years of control systems experience, with hands-on PLC and HMI expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years designing, programming, and maintaining control systems.
• 3+ years PLC programming and HMI development.
• 3+ years experience integrating sensor networks with control systems.
• Proficiency with RS-232, RS-485, Ethernet, SNMP, REST APIs.
• Strong communication and teamwork across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop control architectures for data center cooling and electromechanical systems.
• Implement control algorithms using real-time data (temperature, humidity, load).
• Integrate sensors, controllers, actuators, and related hardware.
• Create and maintain electrical schematics and control diagrams.
• Program and configure PLCs and controllers for cooling operations.
• Develop and maintain HMIs for cooling system operations.
• Commission, test, and validate control systems for reliable performance.
• Troubleshoot software, hardware, and communication issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet performance targets.
• Contribute to design reviews and project planning for data center cooling.
• Develop documentation and baselines for control system configurations.
• Provide ongoing support for production cooling systems.

Skills

Control systems design

PLC programming

HMI development

Sensor networks

Electromechanical systems

Electrical schematics

Data center cooling

Industrial communication protocols

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PLM software

MRP software (Oracle Cloud)

Oscilloscopes & DVMs

Job description

Job Title: Electrical Engineer – Control Systems & Data Center CoolingJob Description

This Electrical Engineer role focuses on designing, programming, and maintaining advanced control systems for data center cooling and large electromechanical systems. The position combines roughly 60% controls and software work with 40% hardware design, supporting the expansion of modern data center facilities and manufacturing engineering operations. You will play a key role in developing reliable, efficient cooling solutions by integrating sensors, controllers, actuators, and mechanical systems, while ensuring compliance with industry standards and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop control system architectures for data center cooling and large electromechanical systems.
• Design and implement control algorithms that dynamically adjust cooling capacity based on real-time data such as temperature, humidity, and load.
• Integrate sensors, controllers, actuators, and related hardware to monitor and control cooling systems and associated mechanical components.
• Create, update, and maintain electrical schematics and control diagrams for cooling and control systems.
• Program and configure PLCs and other controllers to support cooling operations and system performance requirements.
• Develop, customize, and maintain HMI interfaces tailored to cooling system operations and data center environments.
• Commission, test, and validate control systems to ensure smooth startup, reliable performance, and adherence to specifications.
• Troubleshoot and resolve control system issues, including software, hardware, and communication problems.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure cooling solutions meet performance, reliability, and efficiency targets.
• Participate in cross-functional design reviews, providing technical insights on cooling control challenges and opportunities.
• Assist in planning, scheduling, and budgeting for data center cooling projects, retrofits, and related electromechanical initiatives.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for control system designs, programming changes, and configuration baselines.
• Provide ongoing support and troubleshooting for production cooling systems and associated control architectures.
• Develop and execute verification test plans to validate control system functionality, performance, and safety.
• Ensure that all cooling control systems comply with relevant industry standards and safety regulations, including UL and CE guidelines.
• Support and optimize the interaction between pumps, VFDs, sensors, controls, and mechanical systems to achieve stable and efficient operation.
• Apply strong electromechanical systems knowledge to analyze system behavior and recommend design and control improvements.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in designing, programming, and maintaining control systems.
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience with PLC programming and HMI development.
• 3+ years of experience integrating sensor networks with control systems.
• Strong understanding of control systems, automation, and cooling fundamentals, including thermal management, airflow, and load balancing.
• Proficiency in creating and interpreting electrical schematics and control logic diagrams.
• Working experience with communication protocols such as RS-232, RS-485, Ethernet, SNMP, and REST APIs.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem‑solving skills for complex control and electromechanical systems.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary engineering and operations teams.
• Working knowledge of PLM software for managing product and design data.
• Working knowledge of MRP software, with experience in Oracle Cloud considered a plus.
• Hands‑on experience using mixed signal oscilloscopes, digital voltmeters (DVMs), and related test equipment.
• Strong electromechanical systems knowledge, including understanding of the interaction between pumps, VFDs, sensors, controls, and mechanical systems.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced degrees in a relevant engineering discipline are beneficial.
• Professional certifications related to HVAC or refrigeration are considered a plus.
• Approximately 60% focus on controls and software and 40% focus on hardware design.
• Preferred 10+ years of experience working with control systems and electromechanical systems.
• Advanced programming capabilities in control system environments.
• Experience supporting large electromechanical systems in industrial or data center settings.
• Exposure to data center cooling systems and infrastructure.
• Experience with HVAC systems is a nice‑to‑have.
• Experience with refrigeration systems is a nice‑to‑have, though not critical.
• Interest in working within a growing organization undergoing data center expansions.

Work Environment

The role is based in a manufacturing engineering environment that supports data center cooling and large electromechanical systems. You will work with modern control technologies, PLCs, HMIs, sensor networks, and industrial communication protocols, as well as test equipment such as mixed signal oscilloscopes and DVMs. The environment emphasizes collaboration across engineering, operations, and project teams, with a focus on reliability, safety, and continuous improvement. The organization is growing through data center expansions, offering opportunities to contribute to cutting‑edge cooling solutions and to develop expertise in both controls/software and hardware design.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Woburn, MA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $130000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Company Benefits Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long‑term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Woburn,MA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 5, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News‑Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.