Sr Principal Controls Engineer – DCI (FE)

Jabil; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Jabil in Austin, Texas seeks a Sr. Principal Controls Engineer to lead the design, development, optimization, and implementation of advanced control systems for data center infrastructure.

You will own architecture across PLC/IPC, SCADA/HMI, BMS, EPMS, and MES, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability. You will design and deploy SCADA/HMI systems, develop IEC 61131-3 compliant logic, and produce critical documentation such as FDS, SOO, I/O lists, alarm matrices, and interface

Qualifications

• 8+ years of control system design and implementation.
• Deep expertise in PLC/IPC programming (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Beckhoff).
• Experience with SCADA/HMI development across multiple platforms.
• Experience with BMS integration and EPMS.
• Experience with industrial communication protocols (Modbus, BACnet, OPC UA, Ethernet/IP)
• Familiarity with NFPA, IEC, and ISO standards related to control systems and safety.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Define control system architecture across PLCs, IPCs, SCADA, BMS, EPMS, and MES.
• Lead development and implementation of PLC/IPC-based control systems on major platforms.
• Design and deploy SCADA and HMI systems across Ignition, WinCC, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, etc.
• Develop modular control logic using IEC 61131-3 standards.
• Create detailed control system docs including FDS, SOO, I/O lists and alarm matrices.
• Review electrical schematics, control diagrams, and BOMs.

Skills

PLC programming

IPC programming

SCADA development

BMS integration

EPMS experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (preferred)

Professional Engineer (PE) license (preferred)

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD

Windchill

SolidWorks

Job description

About the Data Center Infrastructure (DCI) Team:

At Jabil (NYSE: JBL), we are proud to be a trusted partner for the world's top brands, offering comprehensive engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions. With 60 years of experience across industries and a vast network of over 100 sites worldwide, Jabil combines global reach with local expertise to deliver both scalable and customized solutions. Our commitment extends beyond business success as we strive to build sustainable processes that minimize environmental impact and foster vibrant and diverse communities around the globe.

The DCI team consists of technical subject matter experts who specialize in end-to-end large scale physical infrastructure that powers and enables modern data centers. This includes power distribution systems such as transformers, substations, generators, switchgear, switch panels, busways, ATS units, EDPM, BMS systems, and control panels, as well as cooling solutions ranging from traditional evaporative and indirect cooling systems to emerging liquid cooling technologies including chillers, heat exchangers, CDUs, pumps, and secondary fluid networks. The team also addresses the mechanical structures that house these systems - hot aisle containment, steel enclosures, blanking panels, cable trays, and fiber and networking infrastructure. The DCI team operates as a cross-industry center of excellence, partnering primarily with various cloud providers across the industry. Team members function as deeply technical subject matter experts who engage directly with customers and supply chain partners to assess requirements, identify challenges, and design infrastructure solutions end-to-end. The ideal contributor brings engineering-level expertise in either power or cooling disciplines, a working knowledge of the full infrastructure dependency chain, and the ability to translate that expertise into clear recommendations and collaborative problem-solving with both technical and business stakeholders.

Job Title:

Sr. Principal Controls Engineer

Job Family:

Electrical Design Engineering

Organization:

Data Center Infrastructure (DCI) Team

Location:

Remote* OR Austin, TX *Requires up to 20% domestic and/or international travel (rare)

How will you make an impact?

We are seeking a highly experienced and innovative Sr Principal Controls Engineer to lead the design, development, optimization and implementation of advanced control systems across critical infrastructure platforms. This role is responsible for ensuring the performance, reliability, and scalability of automation systems, with a strong focus on data center infrastructure, power/energy management, and industrial automation. The ideal candidate will serve as a technical leader, driving system architecture, integration, and execution across PLC, IPC-based controls, SCADA/HMI platforms, and enterprise systems including BMS and EPMS.

What will you do?

Define and own the control system architecture across multiple platforms including PLCs, IPC-based systems, SCADA, BMS, EPMS, and MES, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability.

Lead development and implementation of PLC and IPC-based control systems using platforms such as Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider, Beckhoff, and Codesys.

Design and deploy SCADA and HMI systems across multiple platforms (Ignition, WinCC, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, etc.).

Develop structured, modular, and reusable control logic using IEC 61131-3 programming standards.

Develop detailed control system documentation including Functional Design Specifications (FDS), Sequence of Operations (SOO), I/O lists, Cause & Effect matrices, Alarm matrices, and interface definitions.

Create and review electrical schematics, control diagrams, and Bills of Materials (BOMs).

Define control logic, sensor integration strategies, and communication protocols such as Modbus, BACnet, OPC UA, Ethernet/IP, and SNMP.

Integrate control systems with BMS, EPMS, SCADA, MES, and cloud-based platforms to ensure seamless data flow and interoperability.

Lead Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), ensuring system reliability, safety, and performance.

Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization of control systems in operational environments.

Design and support control systems for mission-critical infrastructure including UPS, generators, switchgear, chillers, liquid cooling systems, CRAC/CRAH units, and fire protection systems.

Establish design standards, best practices, and reusable frameworks for scalable and consistent implementation.

Lead root cause analysis and resolution of complex control system issues during commissioning and operations.

Drive development and validation of system-level simulations and digital twin models.

Evaluate emerging technologies and automation trends to improve system efficiency and performance.

Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and facilities teams to ensure seamless integration with physical infrastructure.

Work closely with cross-functional stakeholders to align control system designs with business requirements, schedules, and operational constraints.

Facilitate technical reviews, workshops, and planning sessions to ensure alignment across engineering disciplines.

How will you get here?

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related field.

Experience:

8+ years of experience in control system design and implementation.

Deep expertise in PLC/IPC programming (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, Beckhoff).

Experience with SCADA/HMI development across multiple platforms.

Experience with BMS integration and optimization.

Experience with EPMS systems for real‑time energy monitoring and analytics.

Experience with industrial communication protocols (Modbus, BACnet, OPC UA, Ethernet/IP)

Familiarity with NFPA, IEC, and ISO standards related to control systems and safety.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.

Self‑motivated, accountable, and able to work independently within a global team.

Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making capabilities.

Ability to interpret technical documents, standards, and regulations.

Skilled in writing reports, business correspondence, and procedural guides.

Ability to influence stakeholders and mentor engineering teams.

Familiarity with PLM/design tools (EPLAN, AutoCAD, Windchill, SolidWorks) and DevOps practices is a plus.

Understanding of low and medium voltage electrical systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.

Active Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Experience in hyperscale or colocation data center environments.

Experience with digital twin technologies and predictive maintenance strategies.

Jabil, including its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accessibility Accommodation

Accessibility Accommodation If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Jabil.com/Careers site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an e‑mail to [e-mail] or calling 727‑803‑7988 with the nature of your request and contact information. Please do not direct any other general employment related questions to this e‑mail or phone number. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to.

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