Principal Building Automation Engineer (IC5) – Data Center Operations About the Role We are seeking a Principal Building Automation Engineer (IC5) to lead the development, standardization, and optimization of Building Automation Systems (BAS/BMS) across our hyperscale data center portfolio. This role sits within the Operations organization and is critical to ensuring scalable, reliable, and efficient control strategies across our triple-net (NNN) sites. This individual will work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Controls Vendors, and Site Operations teams to define and implement global automation standards, templates, and best practices that enable consistent deployment and operational excellence. Key Responsibilities Automation Strategy & Standardization
Develop and own enterprise-wide BAS/BMS standards, architectures, and control philosophies for hyperscale data centers.
Create scalable templates, sequences of operations, and naming conventions to support rapid deployment across NNN sites.
Drive standardization of control system integration across mechanical, electrical, and critical systems (HVAC, chilled water plants, power monitoring, etc.).
Design & Implementation Support
Partner with Design Engineering and Construction teams to ensure automation requirements are embedded early in project lifecycles.
Review and approve control submittals, sequences of operations, and network architectures.
Provide technical oversight for controls vendors and system integrators.
Operational Excellence
Collaborate with site operations teams to ensure systems are designed for operability, maintainability, and fault tolerance.
Lead development of alarm rationalization, trending strategies, and analytics frameworks.
Drive improvements in system reliability, response time, and energy efficiency (PUE optimization).
Commissioning & Turnover
Support and validate controls commissioning (Cx) processes and IST activities.
Ensure handoff quality by validating system performance, documentation, and training for operations teams.
Develop repeatable commissioning standards and checklists.
Stakeholder Engagement
Act as the technical subject matter expert (SME) for building automation across internal stakeholders.
Influence and align across Operations, Engineering, and external partners.
Translate business and operational needs into technical control strategies.
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
Identify and implement automation innovations, including advanced analytics, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven optimization.
Evaluate and integrate new technologies and platforms to enhance automation capabilities.
Drive lessons learned into future designs and standards (BOD updates).
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
10+ years of experience in building automation / controls systems, preferably in mission-critical or hyperscale environments.
Deep expertise in BAS/BMS platforms (e.g., Siemens, Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls, Tridium Niagara).
Strong understanding of HVAC systems, chilled water plants, and critical power infrastructure.
Experience with control sequences, system integration, and networked control architectures.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in hyperscale data center environments.
Strong knowledge of commissioning practices and controls validation.
Familiarity with power monitoring systems (EPMS) and integration with BAS.
Experience working in triple-net (NNN) or colocation environments.
Knowledge of ASHRAE guidelines, energy optimization strategies, and PUE metrics.
Experience with data analytics, scripting, or visualization tools.
Leadership Expectations (IC5 Level)
Acts as a technical leader and standard setter across the organization.
Drives alignment across multiple teams without direct authority (influence-based leadership).
Owns large-scale, ambiguous problems and delivers scalable solutions.
Mentors engineers and contributes to organizational capability building.
Operates with a strong focus on customer impact, reliability, and operational excellence.
Success Metrics
Adoption rate of standardized automation templates and designs.
Reduction in commissioning defects and post-turnover issues.
Improvements in system uptime, alarm quality, and response efficiency.
Measurable gains in energy efficiency (PUE) and operational performance.
Stakeholder satisfaction and cross-functional alignment.
Why This Role Matters This role is foundational to scaling automation across a rapidly growing hyperscale footprint. By creating consistent, high-quality control standards and templates, you will directly impact speed to market, operational reliability, and long-term efficiency of our data center portfolio.
