Instrumentation & Controls Engineer SME – Hyperscale Data Centers

This position is open at any U.S. location near a Jacobs office. We intend to hire the best candidate regardless of geography.

About the Role

At Jacobs, we never settle - we push boundaries, elevate standards, and deliver with purpose. As a senior subject matter expert (SME) within our Data Center team, you’ll lead I&C engineering efforts across a portfolio of data center projects, including new builds and retrofits. As part of the vision of the I & C SME, you’ll drive the technical direction and ensure controls solutions meet the highest standards of performance and constructability.

You’ll serve as a key technical leader, guiding a portfolio of projects and coordinating closely with interdisciplinary engineering teams. You will mentor I&C leads and support the projects by meeting with clients and upper management as required, with the ability to speak directly to the status of various projects. Your expertise will shape project execution, influence design strategy, and strengthen our delivery excellence.

This role offers significant opportunities to expand your technical authority, mentor emerging talent, and grow your leadership presence as you help define the next generation of high-performance data center infrastructure. Your guidance will shape both design delivery and our Design-Build delivery methodology across a fast-growing hyperscale project portfolio.

Key Contributions

• Provide quality reviews of complex projects spanning building automation systems (BAS), industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA, EPMS, and critical facility monitoring and control platforms for hyperscale data center facilities.
• Lead complex controls architecture evaluations and guide the selection of appropriate control methodologies, network topologies, instrumentation strategies, and automation platforms to ensure robust, secure, code-compliant, and maintainable design solutions.
• Develop and validate advanced control sequences, network communication architectures, and system integration strategies; establish controls design standards and mentor team members in best-practice automation, instrumentation, and controls engineering techniques.
• Oversee critical calculations and analyses related to instrumentation sizing and selection, control valve applications, sensor accuracy and reliability, network capacity, alarm management, and controls integration; provide technical governance for schedules, design documentation, and interdisciplinary coordination.
• Drive operational performance and reliability strategies through advanced monitoring, analytics, automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD), energy optimization controls, and data-driven operational insights aligned with hyperscale owner objectives.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, and commissioning disciplines to ensure seamless integration of instrumentation and control systems throughout the project lifecycle, from concept design through commissioning, startup, and turnover.

At Jacobs, the world’s No. 1 design firm, you’ll lead industry-defining data center and advanced manufacturing projects with global impact.

• Ability to quickly identify complex technical challenges, develop practical solutions, communicate recommendations effectively, and direct junior and senior staff on best practices in controls engineering, automation architecture, and systems integration.
• Understanding of the complexities of large contracts and different contract structures; ability to manage change orders and advocate for the engineering team regarding controls scope, integration responsibilities, and contractor liabilities.
• Experience with the full spectrum of mission-critical facility control systems, including BAS, PLC-based control systems, SCADA platforms, EPMS integration, critical environmental monitoring systems, mechanical systems controls, and data center operational analytics, with the ability to communicate effectively with executive stakeholders on any subject without advance notice.
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• 15+ years of professional experience in instrumentation, controls, or automation engineering, with 5 or more years of demonstrated depth in mission-critical and/or data center facility design.
• Registered Professional Engineer (PE) required.
• Proficiency with controls and automation platforms such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Aveva/Wonderware, Ignition, Tridium Niagara, or equivalent systems.
• Knowledge of industrial and building communication protocols including BACnet, Modbus TCP/IP, OPC UA, EtherNet/IP, DNP3, SNMP, and MQTT.
• Knowledge of CAD and BIM platforms including Revit.
• Knowledge and application of relevant industry standards and codes, including NFPA 70 (NEC), NFPA 72, NFPA 110, ISA-5.1, ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Standards, ASHRAE Guideline 36, ASHRAE TC 9.9 recommendations, Uptime Institute guidance, and other data center industry standards.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Microsoft Teams for remote coordination and collaboration.
• Proficiency reviewing and commenting on drawings and technical submittals in Bluebeam.

Ideally, You'll Also Have

• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Automation Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience with hyperscale data center design for major global clients or similar organizations.
• Deep familiarity with direct liquid cooling (DLC), high-density AI/GPU deployments, and associated control, monitoring, leak detection, and operational management systems.
• Commissioning experience and/or relevant certifications such as Certified Automation Professional (CAP), ISA certifications, cybersecurity certifications, or mission-critical commissioning credentials.
• Experience designing and integrating Critical Environment Monitoring Systems (CEMS), Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) platforms, Energy Management Systems (EMS), and Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity architectures.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver commitments on schedule and within budget while meeting quality and client expectations.
• Familiarity with advanced analytics, digital twins, predictive maintenance technologies, machine learning-based operational optimization, and enterprise-scale data center monitoring platforms.

Work Environment

• Primarily office-based with 25-50% field travel; active construction site environments require PPE compliance and site safety plan adherence.
• Collaborative EPC delivery environment with close coordination across MEP, structural, civil, and program management teams and regular engagement with Global Integrated

Jacobs is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. Learn more about your rights under Federal EEO laws and supplemental language.