Senior Controls Engineer - Data Center Thermal System

Alloy Enterprises; New Freedom (York County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Conference attendance

Continuing education

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Johnson Controls International plc. is seeking a Senior Controls Engineer to lead design and optimization of data center cooling control systems.

You will collaborate with mechanical engineers and customers to translate thermal requirements into robust control solutions, and you will mentor junior engineers while advancing AI/ML optimization and sensor integration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Controls or related field.
• 7+ years in controls engineering with at least 4 years in data centers or mission-critical facilities.
• Expert-level PLC and DDC programming experience (Tridium Niagara, Siemens, Allen-Bradley or equivalent).
• Strong knowledge of chiller plant optimization, psychrometrics, and hydronic system design.
• Experience with BACnet, Modbus, SNMP, OPC-UA.
• Familiarity with ASHRAE guidelines for data centers (TC 9.9, 90.4).
• Ability to read P&IDs, control diagrams, and electrical schematics.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop control sequences for chiller plants, CDUs, CRAHs, and liquid cooling loops.
• Design control strategies to optimize energy efficiency and maintain setpoints with redundancy.
• Develop logic for variable-speed pumps/fans, valve sequencing and load balancing.
• Integrate controls with BMS, DCIM platforms, and facility monitoring systems.
• Oversee commissioning: I/O checkout, loop tuning, FAT/SAT testing, sequence verification.
• Develop and execute FAT and SAT test protocols.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor junior engineers.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineers and customers to translate thermal requirements into control solutions.
• Evaluate AI/ML optimization and sensor integration for innovation.
• Contribute to standardized control sequences and reusable libraries.
• Support R&D for next-gen cooling including direct liquid cooling and immersion.

Skills

PLC/DDC programming

Chiller optimization

Psychrometrics

Hydronic design

BACnet/Modbus/OPC-UA

ASHRAE data centers

P&ID reading

Structured Text

Ladder Logic

Python scripting

Metasys familiarity

Niagara familiarity

Desigo familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Controls

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Tridium Niagara

Siemens / Allen-Bradley PLCs

Desigo CC

Metasys

Ignition/SCADA

Job description

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Controls Engineer to lead the design, development, and optimization of control systems for data center cooling infrastructure. This role is critical to delivering intelligent, efficient thermal management solutions that support high-density computing environments, including advanced GPU clusters and liquid cooling systems. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in building automation and industrial controls with a strong understanding of HVAC systems, chiller plants, and the unique operational demands of mission-critical facilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Controls System Design & Development Architect and develop control sequences for chiller plants, cooling distribution units (CDUs), computer room air handlers (CRAHs), and liquid cooling loops


• Design control strategies that optimize energy efficiency, maintain precise temperature and humidity setpoints, and ensure redundancy for Tier III/IV data center environments


• Develop logic for variable-speed pump and fan control, valve sequencing, and thermal load balancing across cooling infrastructure


• System Integration & Commissioning Lead integration of controls with Building Management Systems (BMS), Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) platforms, and facility monitoring systems


• Oversee commissioning activities including I/O checkout, loop tuning, functional performance testing, and sequence verification


• Develop and execute test protocols for factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT)


• Technical Leadership Serve as subject matter expert for controls engineering on complex data center projects


• Mentor junior engineers and technicians on controls best practices, programming standards, and troubleshooting methodologies


• Collaborate with mechanical engineers, project managers, and customers to translate thermal requirements into robust control solutions


• Continuous Improvement & Innovation Evaluate emerging technologies including AI/ML-based optimization, predictive maintenance algorithms, and advanced sensor integration


• Contribute to the development of standardized control sequences and reusable code libraries


• Support R&D initiatives for next-generation cooling solutions including direct liquid cooling and immersion systems

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related field


• 7+ years of experience in controls engineering with at least 4 years focused on data center or mission critical facility applications


• Expert-level proficiency in PLC and DDC programming (Tridium Niagara, Siemens, Allen-Bradley, or equivalent platforms)


• Strong understanding of chiller plant optimization, psychrometrics, and hydronic system design


• Experience with industrial communication protocols: BACnet, Modbus, SNMP, OPC-UA


• Familiarity with ASHRAE guidelines for data centers (TC 9.9 Thermal Guidelines, Standard 90.4)


• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret P&IDs, control diagrams, and electrical schematics

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related discipline


• Experience with liquid cooling systems including rear-door heat exchangers, direct-to-chip cold plates, and immersion cooling


• Knowledge of power monitoring, PUE optimization, and energy management strategies


• Professional Engineer (PE) license


• Certifications: Niagara 4 Technical Certification, Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or equivalent


• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) or AI/ML training cluster thermal requirements


• Familiarity with cybersecurity best practices for operational technology (OT) networks

Technical Environment

Building automation platforms: Metasys, Tridium Niagara, Desigo CC Programming: Structured Text, Function Block Diagram, Ladder Logic, Python for scripting/analytics Visualization: Ignition, Grafana, or similar SCADA/HMI platforms Networking: TCP/IP, VLANs, firewall configuration for controls networks

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge thermal solutions for hyperscale and enterprise data centers


• Collaborative environment with industry-leading engineers and researchers


• Professional development support including conference attendance and continuing education


• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package

Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law. To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.