Lead Control Systems Engineer

Who We Are:

Thermo Systems is a global, full-service control-systems integrator delivering world-class automation to District Energy, Life Sciences, and-most relevant to this role-Mission-Critical data-center markets. Our teams design and deploy the SCADA and BMS platforms that keep hyperscale facilities online 24×7. "The Thermo Way" unites us: we foster connection and camaraderie, adapt quickly, and execute with integrity so every employee, every customer, and the company itself succeeds.

Job Summary:

Join our Control System Design Team as an Ignition Design Engineer. You'll contribute to the design, configuration, and delivery of SCADA/BMS solutions built on Inductive Automation Ignition-collaborating remotely with CSEs, network engineers, and commissioning teams. Expect up to 20% travel for SFAT (site/factory acceptance testing), site walks, and commissioning support.

What you'll do:

• Design & build
  
  • Develop Ignition architectures: Gateway configuration, redundancy, security/roles, store-and-forward, and edge connectivity.
  • Model clean tag/UDT structures (naming, inheritance, parameterization) and implement historian, alarming, and notification pipelines.
  • Build HMIs/dashboards (Ignition Perspective/Vision), reusable templates, and navigation consistent with Thermo standards.
  • Integrate PLCs/OT devices via OPC UA, Modbus/TCP, BACnet/IP, and vendor drivers; coordinate point lists with PLC and MEP teams.
  • Author sequences of operation in software (scripts/expressions) and implement interlocks, modes, and permissives as designed.
• Engineering deliverables & quality
  
  • Produce/maintain I/O lists, network topologies, P&IDs markups, and control narratives; keep everything aligned to Thermo QMS.
  • Write test plans and procedures; execute FAT/SFAT scripts; capture defects and close them with solid root-cause notes.
  • Perform peer reviews and redlines for technical accuracy, formatting, and compliance with standards/templates.
  • Generate turnover packages: gateway backups, tag exports, as-builts, O&M content, and training materials.
• Project execution & collaboration
  
  • Break down tasks, estimate effort, and hit schedule/budget targets on assigned workstreams.
  • Communicate proactively with PMs, site leads, vendors, and customers; surface risks early and offer options.
  • Support onsite teams during start-up/commissioning (point-to-point, I/O checkouts, issue triage).

Education and Experience:

• B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Controls Engineering-or equivalent technical discipline.
• 1-4 years total experience, including hands-on work with industrial/OT controls or SCADA (internships count).
• Demonstrated Ignition experience (projects, coursework, or prior roles). Ignition certification is a plus.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical Responsibilities:

• Displays electrical and mechanical system troubleshooting skills.
• Demonstrate self-sufficiency in the field.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead other project members during installation, start-up, and commissioning.
• Lead and perform Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT).
• Read and interpret piping & instrumentation diagrams and wiring diagrams.
• Exhibit full understanding of Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) applications.
• Well versed in the company's Quality Management System (QMS).
• Provide review of standard documents generated by others for technical, grammatical, and aesthetic content.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform intermediate control system design with guidance from others.
• Provide instrumentation specifications for basic control systems.
• Demonstrate an understanding of Information Technology (IT) system, network infrastructure, and computer system design, as it relates to control system integration.

Customer Service:

• Communicate in an effective, positive, and proactive manner with customers.
• Follow customer specific site standards and procedures.
• Always conduct business in professional manner.
• Provide excellent customer care and support.
• Be patient, attentive, and responsive to customers in solving their problems.
• Always follow up and honor commitments with customers.
• Develops an understanding of the customer needs and actively seeks to service those needs.
• Complete assigned tasks accurately, on schedule, and under budget.

Project Responsibilities:

• Understand the scope of work assigned to you, identify when issues arise that are beyond that scope, and communicate those issues to the assigned project lead.
• Lead individual project related tasks and/or small to mid-sized projects in their entirety.
• Provides accurate feedback on status of assigned tasks.
• Demonstrates an awareness of project contracts and specifications.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of Ignition (Gateway, Designer, UDTs, tags, historian, alarming; Perspective/Vision).
• PLC/OT familiarity (e.g., Rockwell/Siemens), OPC UA basics, and comfort reading P&IDs, wiring diagrams, and panel schedules.
• Solid scripting fundamentals (Python in Ignition) and version control habits (Git or equivalent).
• Strong written/verbal communication and a service mindset; able to work independently in a remote team.
• Sound troubleshooting across electrical/mechanical/controls boundaries; self-sufficient in the field.
• In addition to Control System Engineer Skills and Abilities:
  
  • Effectively communicates with co-workers.
  • Strategically thinks and leverages knowledge to solve problems.
  • Able to be independently effective and takes personal responsibility.
  • Manage time efficiently.
  • Promotes a positive/collaborative team culture.
• Nice to have
  • Data-center or large campus experience (BMS/EPMS/DCI).
  • MQTT/Sparkplug, BACnet/IP device integration, or virtualization/VM administration experience.
  • Aveva System Platform exposure.
  • Cybersecurity awareness for OT networks.

Travel required:

• Overnight travel may be required up to 20%

On Call:

• Up to 20% travel for SFAT, site visits, and commissioning support (domestic).
• Occasional after-hours support may be required based on site needs.

Work Authorization/Other Requirements:

• Proof of eligibility to work in the country where the position is located is required.
• Maintain a valid drivers license.
• Fit for Duty at all times

Culture:

Model Thermo Systems core values of employee success, customer success and financial strength by:

• Seeking new and additional business through project change orders, additional services to existing customers, and referrals for new customers/projects. Drive financial success.
• Be a good teammate, support your colleagues, promote a positive atmosphere for those around you. Drive employee success.
• Go the extra mile for your customer, take ownership of their needs, over communicate. Drive customer success.
• Foster an environment of integrity, trust, collaboration, professionalism, serving one another, leading by example, and assuming good intent each and every day.

What You'll Get:

• Competitive salary, annual bonuses, 401(k) with company match, and business travel reimbursement: We appreciate our employees, and we make sure they know it.
• Benefits: We offer full-time employees multiple healthcare packages, including low-cost options.
• Casual Dress: Every day is "Casual Friday"; we want you to be comfortable when you come to work.
• Training: We offer in-house and factory technical training to keep our staff sharp.
• Tuition Reimbursement: We encourage academic advancement and professional credentialing.
• Vacation/Sick Time: We believe work-life balance is essential. Ensuring our employees have time to truly relax and recharge is important to us.
• Culture & Extras: We provide free lunches, regular team bonding & fun office events, and plenty of company swag.

Visit us at www.thermosystems.com to learn more!

Thermo Systems provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

Salary Range: $75,000.00 - $100,000.00/annually