Senior Data Center Controls Engineer - Houston, TX (Hybrid)

The Senior Data Center Controls Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing control systems that operate high-density AI containers with direct-to-chip (DTC) liquid cooled and air-cooled racks. This role owns the controls layer from concept and sequence definition through factory testing, site deployment, commissioning support, and handover to operations. The engineer works closely with mechanical, electrical, and IT teams to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of each container and to develop a repeatable controls standard that can be deployed across multiple sites.

What you will do

• Controls architecture and design

• Define and maintain the controls architecture, including BMS/PLC topology, networking, point lists, naming conventions, and integration with EPMS and monitoring platforms.

• Define and oversee point-to-point checks, functional tests of control loops, alarm logic, and interlocks in factory and on site.

• Develop detailed sequences of operation for DTC liquid cooling loops, CDUs, pumps, valves, fans, and air-side systems, including redundancy and fault handling strategies.

• Specify sensors, actuators, controllers, and communication protocols required to implement the sequences and meet performance, reliability, and cybersecurity requirements.

• Thermal, hydraulic, and power-aware control strategies

• Develop control strategies that coordinate D2C loops and air-cooled racks to maintain safe temperatures and stable operation under dynamic AI workloads.

• Implement load-aware and condition-based control logic (e.g., variable speed pump and fan control, adaptive setpoints, staged capacity) to balance reliability, efficiency, and response time.

• Support definition and implementation of failover modes (pump/fan failures, power events, leak detection, sensor faults) and ensure the system degrades gracefully while protecting IT hardware.

• Support for factory testing and commissioning

• Create controls-focused test plans for FAT, SAT, pre-functional checks, and integrated systems testing in collaboration with the Commissioning Manager.

• Support on-site commissioning by analyzing trends, tuning control loops, adjusting sequences, and troubleshooting complex interactions between cooling, power, and IT loads.

• Provide structured feedback into design and controls standards based on commissioning and early-life operational data.

• Standards, documentation, and lifecycle ownership

• Develop and maintain standard control narratives, sequences of operation, point schedules, alarm philosophies, and graphics standards for the modular container product line.

• Produce and maintain up-to-date documentation including control logic specifications, cause-and-effect matrices, network diagrams, and configuration baselines.

• Collaborate with product and operations teams to define KPIs, dashboards, and data models that support monitoring, analytics, and continuous improvement.

• Cross-functional collaboration and support

• Partner with mechanical, electrical, and IT architecture teams to ensure controls requirements are embedded in designs (valves, test points, sensor locations, network architecture).

• Provide controls expertise in design reviews, FMEAs, and reliability studies for new container configurations and next-generation designs.

• Train commissioning and operations teams on control system behavior, sequences, and troubleshooting best practices.

Do you have experience in Vendor communication?, * Bachelor’s degree in control systems, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 7+ years of experience in controls engineering, with at least 3+ years focused on data centers, industrial process controls, or mission-critical HVAC/liquid cooling systems.

• Proven experience designing and implementing control systems for complex mechanical processes (pumps, heat exchangers, valves, fans) with closed-loop control and safety interlocks.

• Hands-on experience with at least one major building or industrial controls platform (e.g., BMS, PLC/RTU, or SCADA) including programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting.

• Solid understanding of data center mechanical systems (chilled water or coolant loops, CDUs, CRAC/CRAH or in-row units) and basic familiarity with electrical distribution and monitoring.

• Experience developing sequences of operation, control narratives, point lists, and cause-and-effect matrices, and turning them into working implementations.

• Strong skills in analyzing time-series data and trends to diagnose control issues, sensor faults, and performance bottlenecks.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with mechanical/electrical engineers, commissioning teams, vendors, and end-customers.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with DTC liquid cooling systems for high-density GPU or CPU racks and mixed environments where some IT equipment remains air-cooled.

• Background in modular or prefabricated data center design, including standardization of control strategies and configurations across multiple units or sites.

• Familiarity with integration to EPMS/DCIM/cloud monitoring platforms and with modern communication protocols used in OT and IT environments.

• Knowledge of OT cybersecurity best practices for control systems and data center environments.

• Experience working in fast-paced product organizations where controls standards need to be both robust and adaptable to new configurations.

• Professional certifications related to controls, automation, or data center infrastructure (e.g., controls vendor certifications, CEM, or similar).

Pulled from the full job description

• 401(k)

• Health insurance, * Attractive compensation package reflecting your expertise and experience.

• Medical Insurance Plan.

• 401k Employee volunteer contribution Plan.

• A great work environment characterized by friendliness, international diversity, flexibility, and a hybrid-friendly approach.

• You´ll be part of a fast-growing scale-up with a mission to make a positive impact, offering an exciting career evolution.

Our job titles may span more than one job level. The actual base pay is dependent on a number of factors, such as transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands.

Submer designs and delivers end-to-end AI datacenter infrastructure built around industry-leading liquid cooling. We help organizations scale AI beyond the limits of traditional datacenters by enabling higher density, greater efficiency and lower environmental impact - accelerating time-to-AI from first deployment to full production.