Principal Automation Systems Engineer

Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC is seeking a principal individual contributor to lead automation systems engineering for mission-critical data center infrastructure. This hybrid role in Atlanta, GA supports both new construction and sustaining operations, with portfolio-level technical ownership across SCADA (Ignition) and PLC (Rockwell) solutions.

Role summary

The Principal Automation Systems Engineer provides leading technical authority for automation architecture, standards, and decision-making across complex systems. You will guide engineering practices and influence cross-functional teams to ensure scalable delivery, dependable commissioning, and continuous improvement for live environments.

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 across regional and portfolio-wide needs.
• Provide principal-level technical direction for SCADA, PLC, graphics, UDT, alarming, telemetry, and data integrity solutions used in 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 align 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 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 to strengthen engineering judgment, development quality, and technical consistency.
• 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.
• Translate project documentation, including drawings, sequences of operation, bills of material, instrumentation diagrams, equipment specifications, and network diagrams, into scalable automation solutions and engineering deliverables.
• Evaluate automation design options and recommend approaches 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 responsible site-specific variation.
• 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 to raise delivery consistency and reduce operational risk.
• Provide technical leadership and coaching 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.
• 10+ years of experience in industrial SCADA or PLC based controls system development required; 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 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.
• Ability to interpret and challenge P&IDs, control narratives, control panel drawings, network architecture diagrams, equipment specifications, instrumentation lists, and sequence of operations.
• Strong software development tools and disciplined engineering practices including version control, structured code reviews, release management, technical documentation, and controlled deployment into production environments.
• Working knowledge of startup and commissioning procedures, including system verification, functional testing, issue resolution, and production readiness validation.
• Experience supporting live, mission-critical environments with change control, clear communication, and risk management.
• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills across systems, vendors, and functional teams.
• Proven record leading complex control system projects, technical standards, or architecture initiatives from concept through delivery while coordinating stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to explain complex technical topics to engineers, operations teams, contractors, clients, and leadership stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to take portfolio-level technical ownership, influence without direct authority, mentor engineers, and make sound engineering decisions under pressure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and SharePoint.
• Travel required up to approximately 25 percent, with potential variation based on business needs.

Technologies

• SCADA (Ignition), Ignition (Inductive Automation)
• PLC (Rockwell), Rockwell Automation PLCs
• Carel systems
• Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
• Microsoft Office, SharePoint

Compensation and benefits

• Salary range: USD 155,000 - 165,000 per year + bonus (range based on Colorado market data and may vary by location)
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Life and AD&D
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Paid time off
• Employee assistance
• 401(k) program with company match
• Many additional voluntary benefits
• Above market total compensation package
• Comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations

Work arrangement and location

• Atlanta, GA (hybrid)
• Flexible work arrangement: 3 days on-site and 2 days remote
• Role can be based at any of the company’s US locations with the same flexible work arrangement

Additional details

• Compensation depends on qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience and may fall outside the range shown.
• #LI-HYBRID, #LI-AO2

Physical demands and special requirements

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• 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.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.