Senior Data Center PLC Technician - Field Lead

ABB Inc.; Colorado; Remote; USD 114,616,000 - 186,692,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Life & Disability benefits

401(k) and Employee discounts

Parental leave and holidays

Job summary

ABB is seeking a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician to provide independent technical leadership in pre-startup, startup, commissioning, and maintenance of paralleling switchgear and PLC/relay systems for mission-critical power applications.

The role requires extensive travel across the United States and on-site coordination with customers, contractors, and project teams. The successful candidate will mentor junior staff, deliver high-quality field service, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with 7+ years of relevant field experience, or an associate or bachelor degree with 5+ years in a related field.
• Independent field capability for highly complex assignments.
• Advanced experience with low- and medium-voltage switchgear, circuit breakers, protective relays, generator controls, PLC-based controls, HMIs/ACS, industrial networking, and mission-critical power systems.
• Hands-on experience leading startup and commissioning activities, coordinating energization and switching, troubleshooting under schedule pressure, and directing multi-person site teams.
• Ability to read, interpret, and redline complex electrical and control drawings and to apply approved engineering methods in the field.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, customer communication, technical reporting, and field leadership skills.
• Ability to travel extensively within the United States and remain at customer sites for extended assignments based on project demand.
• Ability to meet ABB and customer site access, electrical safety, training, and personal protective equipment requirements.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute complex field assignments involving Paralleling Switchgear and PLC/Relay transfer schemes during pre-startup, startup, commissioning, modifications, preventive maintenance, and emergency troubleshooting.
• Lead functional and integrated testing of emergency/standby power systems, including open-transition and closed-transition sequences, hard and soft transfers, load add/shed, and paralleling.
• Configure, verify, and troubleshoot generator controls, generator load-sharing systems, protective relays, switchgear controls, meters, breakers, PLCs, HMIs/ACS platforms, and communications.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and authorized modifications of PLC ladder logic, PLC I/O, communications, sequencing, and ACS parameters using approved documentation.
• Establish and troubleshoot Modbus, PLC-to-PLC, remote PLC, PLC-to-ACS, and BMS/EPMS/SCADA communications.
• Interpret one-line diagrams, schematics, interconnection drawings, sequence-of-operations documents, and commissioning procedures.
• Lead on-site technical execution, coordinate daily work, communicate status and risks, manage punch-list closure, and support on-time completion.
• Direct and mentor junior field engineers and technicians, assign work within competencies, and provide coaching on safety and customer communication.
• Act as a senior escalation resource for high-level remote and on-site troubleshooting, including emergency response where assigned.
• Complete accurate field service reports, startup checklists, test documentation, and customer-facing status updates.
• Protect ABB and customer assets, control job costs, and identify opportunities to improve quality and service delivery.
• Build effective customer relationships by translating complex technical findings into clear actions and recovery plans.

Skills

MV/LV switchgear

Circuit breakers

Protective relays

Generator controls

PLC controls

HMIs/ACS

Industrial networking

Field leadership

Startup experience

Electrical drawings

Education

Associate or Bachelor degree

Tools

ABB Energy Commander

Proficy Machine Edition

AC500

Automation Builder

CP600 HMI

Job description

ABB is seeking a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician to provide independent technical leadership in pre-startup, startup, commissioning, and maintenance of paralleling switchgear and PLC/relay systems for mission-critical power applications.

The role requires extensive travel across the United States and on-site coordination with customers, contractors, and project teams. The successful candidate will mentor junior staff, deliver high-quality field service, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance