Senior Data Center PLC Technician – Remote, Travel-Heavy

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

Benefits offered by this job

Remote in the US

Travel opportunities

Per diem provided

Parental leave

Job summary

ABB Inc. is seeking a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician in the United States to lead startup, commissioning, and maintenance of paralleling switchgear and controls in mission-critical power applications.

The role requires coordinating on-site activities, mentoring junior engineers, and serving as a trusted technical interface for customers and project teams. The position involves extensive nationwide travel, with emphasis on safety, timely delivery, and clear communication of risks and progress.

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.
• Demonstrated independent field capability on 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.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and execute complex field assignments involving Paralleling Switchgear and other PLC/Relay transfer schemes during pre-startup, full 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, utility-generator paralleling, import/export, and baseload applications.
• Configure, verify, and troubleshoot generator controls, generator load-sharing systems, protective relays, switchgear controls, meters, breakers, PLCs, HMIs/ACS platforms, and associated communications.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and authorized modifications of PLC ladder logic, PLC I/O, communications, sequencing, and ACS parameters using approved engineering documentation and change-control practices.
• Establish and troubleshoot Modbus, PLC-to-PLC, redundant PLC, remote PLC, PLC-to-ACS, and customer BMS/EPMS/SCADA communications.
• Interpret one-line diagrams, elementary schematics, interconnection drawings, sequence-of-operations documents, coordination studies, settings files, and commissioning procedures.
• Lead on-site technical execution, coordinate daily work, communicate status and risks, manage punch-list closure, and support on-time, on-budget completion of complex or high-profile projects.
• Direct and mentor junior field engineers and technicians, assign work within demonstrated competencies, and provide practical coaching on safe execution, troubleshooting, documentation, 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, redlines, test documentation, software backups, time entry, expense reporting, and customer-facing status updates.
• Protect ABB and customer assets, control job costs and expenditures, and identify opportunities to improve quality, productivity, and service delivery.
• Build effective customer relationships by translating complex technical findings into clear actions, recommendations, risks, and recovery plans.

Skills

Paralleling switchgear

PLC controls

Generator controls

Field leadership

Travel extensively

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

ABB Energy Commander

Proficy Machine Edition

AC500

HMI/Panel Builder

Job description

ABB Inc. is seeking a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician in the United States to lead startup, commissioning, and maintenance of paralleling switchgear and controls in mission-critical power applications.

The role requires coordinating on-site activities, mentoring junior engineers, and serving as a trusted technical interface for customers and project teams. The position involves extensive nationwide travel, with emphasis on safety, timely delivery, and clear communication of risks and progress.