Senior I&C Engineer: Data Center Controls Expert

Jacobs; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 233,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a senior subject matter expert in instrumentation and controls for its Data Center team. You will lead I&C engineering efforts across data center projects, including new builds and retrofits, guiding technical direction and ensuring robust, code-compliant designs.

You will mentor I&C leads, coordinate with interdisciplinary teams, and communicate project status to clients and management, shaping execution strategies and design standards for future high-performance facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• 15+ years of professional experience in instrumentation, controls, or automation engineering.
• 5+ years of demonstrated depth in mission-critical and/or data center facility design.
• Registered Professional Engineer (PE) required.
• Proficiency with controls platforms such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Aveva/Wonderware, Ignition, Tridium Niagara.
• Knowledge of industrial and building communication protocols including BACnet, Modbus TCP/IP, OPC UA, EtherNet/IP, DNP3, SNMP, and MQTT.
• Knowledge of CAD and BIM platforms including Revit.
• Knowledge and application of NFPA 70 (NEC), NFPA 72, NFPA 110, ISA-5.1, ISA/IEC 62443, ASHRAE Guideline 36, ASHRAE TC 9.9, Uptime Institute guidance, and other data center standards.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite and Bluebeam for drawings and submittals.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality reviews of complex projects spanning BAS, ICS, SCADA, EPMS, and monitoring platforms for hyperscale data center facilities.
• Lead complex controls architecture evaluations and guide selection of control methodologies, networks, instrumentation strategies, and automation platforms.
• Develop and validate advanced control sequences, network architectures, and system integration strategies; establish controls design standards and mentor team members.
• Oversee instrumentation sizing, control valve applications, sensor accuracy, network capacity, alarm management, and controls integration; provide governance for schedules and documentation.
• Drive operational performance through advanced monitoring, analytics, automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD), energy optimization controls, and data-driven insights.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, and commissioning disciplines to ensure seamless integration throughout project lifecycle.

Skills

Controls engineering

Automation architecture

Systems integration

Leadership

Client communication

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

M.S. in Electrical/Controls Engineering

Tools

Siemens

Schneider Electric

Johnson Controls

Honeywell

Rockwell Automation

Aveva/Wonderware

Ignition

Tridium Niagara

Job description

Jacobs is seeking a senior subject matter expert in instrumentation and controls for its Data Center team. You will lead I&C engineering efforts across data center projects, including new builds and retrofits, guiding technical direction and ensuring robust, code-compliant designs.

You will mentor I&C leads, coordinate with interdisciplinary teams, and communicate project status to clients and management, shaping execution strategies and design standards for future high-performance facilities.