Principal PLC Controls & Automation Engineer – Data Center Infrastructure

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.

 

How will you make an impact?

Jabil is seeking a PLC Controls & Automation Engineer to serve as the technical authority for automation architecture across advanced liquid cooled factory and data center ecosystems. This role drives the controls strategy, standards and system level design for mission critical cooling infrastructure, spanning central plant through IT rack level systems.  This engineer will lead with deep technical expertise showcasing an ability to outline architectures, author control philosophies and sequences of operations, ensuring scalability, write reliable and maintainable automation coding for solutions across multi‑platform PLC environments.

Job Title: Principal PLC Controls & Automation Engineer

Organization: Data Center Infrastructure (DCI) Team

Location: Remote* OR Austin, TX

*Requires up to 20% domestic and/or international travel (rare)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership

• Personally architect, build, and deploy PLC control systems for complex liquid cooled factory and data center environments, owning solutions from concept through commissioning.
• Write, structure, and maintain production grade PLC, SCADA and HMI code as the primary technical contributor, setting the bar for quality, performance and maintainability through direct execution.
• Establish engineering standards, templates, and reusable design frameworks.
• Lead design reviews, FAT/SAT validation strategies, and commissioning plans.

PLC & IPC-Based PLC & Advanced Programming (Multi-Platform Expertise)

• Design and implement PLC systems (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider, GE and other industrial PLC ecosystems).

• Design and implement IPC/Soft PLC systems (Beckhoff TwinCAT, Siemens IPC, Codesys).
• Develop structured, modular control logic using IEC 61131-3 languages (ST, FBD, Ladder).
• Implement through direct coding, not delegation:
  • Real-time control (EtherCAT, Profinet, Ethernet/IP)
  • Advanced algorithms (PID, sequencing, state machines)
  • Edge processing, data buffering, and protocol conversion (OPC UA, MQTT)

SCADA & HMI (Multi-Platform Expertise)

• Architect and deploy SCADA systems across platforms such as:
  • Ignition, Siemens WinCC, Rockwell FactoryTalk
  • AVEVA/Wonderware, Schneider Citect
  • GE iFIX, Beckhoff HMI, web-based SCADA
• Design high-performance HMIs, alarm systems, and historian integration.
• Enable integration with MES, cloud platforms, and enterprise analytics systems.

Liquid Cooling System Implementation

• Build and commission automation solutions for a full liquid cooling ecosystem including chillers and central plant systems, primary and secondary pumping loops, cooling distribution units (CDUs),heat exchangers and rack‑level liquid cooling.
• Directly implement control strategies for flow, pressure, temperature, delta‑T control, variable speed pumps and fans and load scaling for energy optimization.

Sequence of Operations (SOO) Ownership

• Author, implement, and validate detailed Sequences of Operations personally, translating operational intent directly into PLC logic.
• Build SOO that are logic‑ready, fault‑tolerant, commissionable and maintainable
• Execute and refine SOO during FAT, SAT, and live operation based on observed system performance.

Leak Detection & Mitigation Execution

• Design and implement leak detection and mitigation logic firsthand, integrating sensors, valves, pumps, and alarms directly into PLC control strategies.
• Focus on building automated responses for zone isolation, controlled shutdowns or ramp‑downs, protection of IT equipment and critical infrastructure.
• Ensure fail safe behavior through tested and field‑proven logic.

BMS & EPMS Integration

• Integrate control systems with:
  • BMS (HVAC, liquid cooling, environmental systems)
  • EPMS (power monitoring, UPS, switchgear)
• Define and code data models, telemetry points and system boundari