Senior Data Center PLC Technician — Field Lead

ABB Inc.; Pennsylvania; Remote; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Life & Disability

401k with company contributions

11 paid holidays

Job summary

ABB seeks a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician to lead field assignments for paralleling switchgear and PLC/relay controls across mission-critical power projects in the United States.

You will guide junior engineers, coordinate startup activities, and serve as a senior technical interface for customers, contractors, and design teams. The role requires extensive travel, on-site leadership, and strong skills in generator controls, protective relays, and PLC-based systems to ensure safe, on-time

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.
• Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States without requiring ABB sponsorship, where applicable to the requisition.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and execute complex field assignments involving Paralleling Switchgear and PLC/Relay transfer schemes during various project stages.
• Lead testing of emergency/standby power systems including open/closed transitions and load management.
• Configure, verify, and troubleshoot generator controls, protective relays, PLCs, HMIs, and related communications.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and modifications of PLC ladder logic, I/O, and ACS parameters per engineering docs.
• Establish and troubleshoot Modbus, PLC-to-PLC, remote PLC, PLC-to-ACS, and BMS/EPMS/SCADA communications.
• Interpret one-line diagrams, schematics, and sequence documents for commissioning procedures.
• Lead on-site execution, coordinate daily work, communicate status and risks, manage punch lists.
• Direct and mentor junior field engineers and technicians; provide coaching on safe execution and customer communication.
• Act as a senior escalation resource for high-level remote and on-site troubleshooting.

Skills

Field leadership

Travel willingness

Reading diagrams

PLC basics

Education

HS diploma/GED

Associate/Bachelor in related field

Tools

ABB AC500

Proficy Machine Edition

Modbus/SCADA

PLC/Relay troubleshooting

Job description

ABB seeks a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician to lead field assignments for paralleling switchgear and PLC/relay controls across mission-critical power projects in the United States.

You will guide junior engineers, coordinate startup activities, and serve as a senior technical interface for customers, contractors, and design teams. The role requires extensive travel, on-site leadership, and strong skills in generator controls, protective relays, and PLC-based systems to ensure safe, on-time