Principal Automation Systems Engineer, NA

About the role

Vantage Data Centers is seeking a Principal Automation Systems Engineer to join our Automation Systems Group. This role can be based at any of our US Locations with a flexible work arrangement: 3 days on-site and 2 days remote.

Responsibilities

• Own and advance portfolio-level automation architecture, including Ignition gateway strategies, PLC design patterns, reusable UDT frameworks, alarm philosophy, data models, and standards for scalable automation delivery.
• Lead development and governance of automation standards, architecture guidelines, SOPs, technical documentation, and reusable engineering practices supporting regional and portfolio-wide needs.
• Provide principal-level technical direction for SCADA, PLC, graphics, UDT, alarming, telemetry, and data integrity solutions across new construction and sustaining operations.
• Serve as a technical decision-maker for complex design, commissioning, production support, and continuous improvement initiatives impacting mission-critical systems.
• Guide and influence internal Automation Engineering stakeholders, project teams, integration partners, contractors, and cross-functional groups to ensure alignment with company goals, quality expectations, and operating standards.
• Review and approve significant automation design decisions, code approaches, release strategies, and change management practices for production environments.
• Lead technical reviews of drawings, models, sequences of operation, submittals, factory acceptance testing, commissioning plans, and validation results to ensure automation solutions meet operational and customer requirements.
• Provide escalation support and technical expertise for high-impact troubleshooting, commissioning, validation, and production issue resolution in live, mission-critical environments.
• Mentor senior engineers, integration team members, and staff augmentation resources, strengthening engineering judgment, development quality, and technical consistency across the team.
• Collaborate with Design, Engineering, Construction, Reliability Engineering, Site Operations, Information Technology, and Automation Engineering peers to deliver and sustain reliable automation solutions.
• Establish technical direction for automation logic, visualization applications, gateway architecture, PLC standards, system interfaces, and reusable development frameworks.
• Evaluate automation design options and make sound technical recommendations that balance operational reliability, maintainability, deployment risk, cybersecurity, project schedule, and long-term support needs.
• Promote abstraction, reuse, consistency, and standardization of automation logic across the portfolio while allowing for responsible site-specific variation where business needs require it.
• Lead root cause analysis and technical remediation planning for complex or recurring automation issues impacting commissioning, customer reporting, alarming, telemetry, or live operations.
• Identify gaps in standards, tools, quality controls, and work processes, then lead practical improvements that raise delivery consistency and reduce operational risk.
• Provide technical leadership and coaching to engineers and integration partners without direct people management responsibility.
• Represent Automation Engineering in cross-functional technical discussions, design reviews, project coordination meetings, and customer or stakeholder-facing technical conversations when needed.

Requirements

• Expert-level knowledge of the Ignition (Inductive Automation) SCADA platform or Rockwell Automation PLCs is required, with strong working knowledge of both preferred.
• Ten or more years of experience in industrial SCADA or PLC based controls system development required, with data center or other mission-critical infrastructure experience strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of automation systems including control loops, field I/O, alarming, telemetry, data integrity, control narratives, and mission-critical control system behavior.
• Demonstrated experience designing, governing, and improving scalable automation architectures, reusable logic libraries, UDT frameworks, visualization standards, and PLC or SCADA development practices.
• Advanced experience with industrial PLC platforms, including but not limited to Rockwell Automation and Carel systems.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and challenge Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), control narratives, control panel drawings, network architecture diagrams, equipment specifications, instrumentation lists, and sequence of operations.
• Strong knowledge of software development tools and disciplined engineering practices such as version control, structured code reviews, release management, technical documentation, and controlled deployment into production environments.
• Working knowledge of startup and commissioning procedures for industrial automation and control systems, including system verification, functional testing, issue resolution, and production readiness validation.
• Experience supporting live, mission-critical environments where change control, clear communication, and risk management are required.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills with the ability to identify, diagnose, and resolve complex technical issues across systems, vendors, and functional teams.
• Proven track record of leading complex control system projects, technical standards, or architecture initiatives from concept through delivery while coordinating cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and project deliverables.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to engineers, operations teams, contractors, clients, and leadership stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to take portfolio-level technical ownership, influence without direct authority, mentor other engineers, and make sound engineering decisions under pressure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and SharePoint.

Physical Demands And Special Requirements

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop or kneel; talk and hear.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.