Controls Engineer: Power Generation

OpenAI

4d • $177,000 - $285,000

About The Position

OpenAI is seeking a Controls Engineer to design and integrate automation systems for on-site power generation serving large AI data center campuses. The role owns control architecture and functional requirements across generation packages, balance-of-plant systems, electrical protection, microgrid controls, and data center monitoring. Work spans concept development, factory testing, site commissioning, performance validation, and operational improvement. The role focuses on control-system architecture, integration, and commissioning for on-site generation, with 50% travel.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of controls, automation, or instrumentation engineering experience in power generation, industrial plants, utilities, or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Strong experience with PLC, DCS, SCADA, historian, industrial networking, and control-system integration.
• Knowledge of generation controls, synchronization, load sharing, protective interfaces, process control, and safety interlocks.
• Experience developing functional specifications, sequences, I/O, alarms, graphics, and factory or site test procedures.
• Ability to troubleshoot across software, instrumentation, electrical, mechanical, communications, and operating-process boundaries.
• Understanding of industrial cybersecurity, redundancy, failover, and change-control practices.
• Bachelor's degree in controls, electrical, mechanical, chemical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with major turbine or reciprocating-engine control platforms and microgrid controllers.
• Experience with IEC 61850, Modbus, OPC UA, DNP3, EtherNet/IP, or comparable industrial protocols.
• Experience integrating generation controls with BMS, EPMS, DCIM, or utility systems.
• Professional Engineer license, functional-safety training, or industrial-cybersecurity certification.

Responsibilities

• Define control-system architecture, functional design specifications, sequences of operation, cause-and-effect matrices, alarm philosophy, and interface requirements.
• Integrate OEM controls, PLCs, DCS, SCADA, historians, microgrid controllers, protection systems, and data center BMS or EPMS platforms.
• Develop and review I/O lists, network architecture, control narratives, graphics, alarm limits, interlocks, permissives, and fail-safe behavior.
• Coordinate synchronization, load sharing, islanding, black start, load shedding, restoration, and generation-to-data-center operating modes.
• Evaluate cybersecurity, redundancy, time synchronization, communications protocols, data quality, and remote-support requirements.
• Lead or support software reviews, simulator testing, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning, and tuning.
• Troubleshoot control-system and plant-performance issues and convert findings into corrective actions and reusable standards.
• Partner with electrical, mechanical, CSA, IT, security, operations, OEM, EPC, and data center controls teams.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level