Senior Power Gen & Microgrid Controls Engineer

OpenAI, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI, Inc. is seeking a senior Controls Engineer to design, program, integrate and commission on‑site power generation and microgrid control systems for large AI data center campuses.

You will own control architecture across generation packages, balance‑of‑plant systems, protection, and data center monitoring. You will work from concept through factory testing, site commissioning, performance validation and operational improvement, with 50% travel.

Qualifications

• 8+ years designing, programming, integrating and commissioning industrial controls for power generation or mission‑critical infrastructure.
• Hands‑on with PLC, DCS, SCADA, historian, industrial networks and control‑system integration.
• Experience in plant power control, synchronization, load sharing and islanding schemes.
• Experience integrating controls with power generation equipment, protective relays and SCADA/EPMS.
• Ability to develop functional specs, sequences, I/O, alarms, graphics and test procedures.
• Ability to troubleshoot across software, instrumentation, electrical and mechanical domains.
• Understanding of industrial cybersecurity, redundancy, failover and change control.

Responsibilities

• Design, program and commission plant power controllers and microgrid controls.
• Develop control sequences for grid-connected, islanded and transition modes.
• Coordinate active/reactive power, voltage and frequency controls with assets.
• Define responses to trips, loss of utility power and large load changes.
• Review interconnection requirements and translate to control, protection and testing needs.
• Develop real‑time simulation and HIL tests using RTDS and RSCAD.
• Execute FAT/SAT, assist site commissioning and handover to operations.

Skills

PLC & DCS programming

SCADA systems

Electrical power control

System integration

Real-time testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in controls, electrical, mechanical, chemical, or computer engineering

Tools

RTDS

RSCAD

Electrical CAD tools

Job description

OpenAI, Inc. is seeking a senior Controls Engineer to design, program, integrate and commission on‑site power generation and microgrid control systems for large AI data center campuses.

You will own control architecture across generation packages, balance‑of‑plant systems, protection, and data center monitoring. You will work from concept through factory testing, site commissioning, performance validation and operational improvement, with 50% travel.