Senior Data Center Critical Facilities Engineer (Controls)

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Job Summary

A senior, highly skilled specialist responsible for ensuring the reliability, availability, and safe operation of mission‑critical data center infrastructure through advanced controls and automation systems. The Senior Critical Facilities Engineer (Controls) applies deep expertise in BMS, control systems, and system integration to monitor, optimize, and stabilize critical facilities operations. This role operates with a high degree of independence within standard operating procedures and supports operational excellence by improving system behavior, alarm management, and control logic across the site.

Responsibilities

Facility / Infrastructure Maintenance

• Performs specialized preventive and corrective maintenance with a focus on controls, automation, and monitoring layers supporting critical facilities systems.
• Acts as a technical authority for Building Management Systems (BMS), DCOS, and associated control platforms, ensuring reliable monitoring and control of power, cooling, and life‑safety systems.
• Monitors and analyzes complex alarms, trends, and events within the BMS, independently resolving issues related to control logic, system behavior, and signal integrity.
• Leads investigation of abnormal system behavior, including false alarms, control sequence failures, sensor drift, and communication faults, recommending corrective actions.
• Supports control system interfaces across mechanical and electrical systems (e.g. chillers, CRAH/CRACs, generators, UPS interfaces), working closely with Electrical and Mechanical CF teams.
• Reviews, validates, and optimizes alarm configuration, thresholds, and escalation logic to reduce noise and improve incident response effectiveness.
• Supports configuration, testing, and validation of control strategies during maintenance windows, system upgrades, or commissioning activities.
• Implements and supports energy efficiency and optimization initiatives through improved control strategies, setpoint tuning, and automated response mechanisms.
• Works on assignments requiring significant judgment and initiative, fully understanding how controls failures or misconfigurations can impact customer infrastructure, availability, and SLAs.

Vendor Support

• Acts as the primary technical interface for controls and BMS vendors, integrators, and service providers.
• Reviews and validates vendor proposed control logic, graphics, and sequences of operation to ensure alignment with site standards and operational intent.
• Assists with the creation, review, and approval of Maintenance Operation Protocols (MOPs) and scripts related to control system changes.
• Oversees vendor execution during controls‑related maintenance, system upgrades, or retrofits, including pre‑work briefings, live supervision, and post‑work validation.
• Ensures control system documentation, network diagrams, point lists, and as‑built records are maintained accurately.

Site Administration & Incident Support

• Prepares and maintains specialized documentation for control system operations, alarm management, and automated response mechanisms.
• Identifies Single Points of Failure (SPOFs) and systemic risks within the controls and monitoring layer and recommends architectural or configuration improvements.
• Responds to on‑site incidents involving BMS failures, alarm floods, loss of visibility, or automation defects, providing controls expertise during restoration.
• Leads or contributes to Root Cause Analysis (RCA) related to controls, automation, or monitoring system failures.
• Supports on‑site teams during incidents by providing control‑system insight, diagnostic guidance, and decision support.
• Ensures controls‑related procedures, alarm management policies, and change processes are followed consistently during normal operations and incidents.

Work Orders & Additional Projects

• Completes skilled work requests related to control system changes, monitoring enhancements, and automation improvements.
• Supports commissioning, re‑commissioning, and control validation activities for new or modified infrastructure.
• Implements approved changes to controls logic, alarm strategies, and system interfaces in support of operations and improvement initiatives.
• Executes and supports complex controls‑focused projects, including BMS upgrades, platform migrations, and integration of new plant systems.
• Supports life‑cycle management and end‑of‑life replacement of controls hardware, networks, and software platforms.
• Recommends controls and automation improvement projects based on operational data, incident trends, and system performance.

Collaboration

• Collaborates closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Operations, Security, and IT teams to ensure controls systems accurately reflect facility behavior and operational needs.
• Acts as a technical mentor for engineers in the areas of BMS usage, alarm interpretation, and control system troubleshooting.
• Works with stakeholders to forecast controls‑related spare parts, licensing, and system capacity requirements.
• Serves as a senior controls subject‑matter expert during incidents, complex changes, and multi‑discipline projects.

Qualifications

• Proven experience supporting controls, BMS, automation, or monitoring systems in mission‑critical environments such as data centers, smart buildings, utilities, or industrial facilities.
• Diploma or Degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automation, or Building Services Engineering preferred.
• Hands‑on experience with BMS / DCOS platforms, PLC‑based systems, alarm management strategies, and system integration is highly desirable.