[Hiring] Data Center COE Senior PLC Technician @ABB

Role Description

As a Data Center Sr. PLC Technician, you will be responsible for independent technical leadership for the pre-startup, startup, commissioning, modification, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting of ABB paralleling switchgear and controls in mission-critical power applications. The successful candidate will lead complex on-site activities, guide junior field resources, and serve as a trusted technical interface for customers, contractors, commissioning agents, project teams, and design engineering.

The work model for the role is: Remote in the US. This is a highly travel-intensive position requiring extensive nationwide travel to customer locations across the United States. Comprehensive travel accommodations, lodging, and per diem are provided.

• Plan, organize, and execute complex field assignments involving Paralleling Switchgear and other PLC/Relay transfer schemes during pre-startup, full startup, commissioning, modifications, preventive maintenance, and emergency troubleshooting.
• Lead functional and integrated testing of emergency/standby power systems, including open-transition and closed-transition sequences, hard and soft transfers, load add/shed, utility-generator paralleling, import/export, and baseload applications.
• Configure, verify, and troubleshoot generator controls, generator load-sharing systems, protective relays, switchgear controls, meters, breakers, PLCs, HMIs/ACS platforms, and associated communications.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and authorized modifications of PLC ladder logic, PLC I/O, communications, sequencing, and ACS parameters using approved engineering documentation and change-control practices.
• Establish and troubleshoot Modbus, PLC-to-PLC, redundant PLC, remote PLC, PLC-to-ACS, and customer BMS/EPMS/SCADA communications.
• Interpret one-line diagrams, elementary schematics, interconnection drawings, sequence-of-operations documents, coordination studies, settings files, and commissioning procedures.
• Lead on-site technical execution, coordinate daily work, communicate status and risks, manage punch-list closure, and support on-time, on-budget completion of complex or high-profile projects.
• Direct and mentor junior field engineers and technicians, assign work within demonstrated competencies, and provide practical coaching on safe execution, troubleshooting, documentation, and customer communication.
• Act as a senior escalation resource for high-level remote and on-site troubleshooting, including emergency response where assigned.
• Complete accurate field service reports, startup checklists, redlines, test documentation, software backups, time entry, expense reporting, and customer-facing status updates.
• Protect ABB and customer assets, control job costs and expenditures, and identify opportunities to improve quality, productivity, and service delivery.
• Build effective customer relationships by translating complex technical findings into clear actions, recommendations, risks, and recovery plans.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with 7+ years of relevant field experience, or an associate or bachelor degree with 5+ years in a related field.
• Demonstrated independent field capability in highly complex assignments.
• Advanced experience with low- and medium-voltage switchgear, circuit breakers, protective relays, generator controls, PLC-based controls, HMIs/ACS, industrial networking, and mission-critical power systems.
• Hands-on experience leading startup and commissioning activities, coordinating energization and switching, troubleshooting under schedule pressure, and directing multi-person site teams.
• Ability to read, interpret, and redline complex electrical and control drawings and to apply approved engineering methods in the field.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, customer communication, technical reporting, and field leadership skills.
• Ability to travel extensively within the United States and remain at customer sites for extended assignments based on project demand.
• Ability to meet ABB and customer site access, electrical safety, training, and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States without requiring ABB sponsorship, where applicable to the requisition.

Preferred Technical Experience

• ABB Energy Commander or comparable paralleling switchgear and controls.
• GE/Emerson RX3i PLCs and Proficy Machine Edition; ABB AC500 and Automation Builder; CP600 HMI/Panel Builder; Cimplicity or comparable supervisory platforms.
• Woodward EasyGen and LS5 generator controls and load-sharing systems.
• ABB, SEL/Schweitzer, Multilin, Basler, or Woodward protective relays and associated testing or configuration tools.
• Modbus, industrial Ethernet, fiber-optic networks, redundant control networks, BMS, EPMS, and SCADA integration.
• Low- and medium-voltage breaker testing, CT/PT verification, relay testing, primary/secondary injection, turns-ratio, winding-resistance, insulation, power-factor, hipot, phase-rotation, and related commissioning test equipment.
• Utility paralleling, emergency standby generation, complex load management, data center commissioning, and coordination with third-party commissioning agents.

Benefits

• Choice between two medical plan options: A PPO plan called the Copay Plan OR a High Deductible Health Plan (with a Health Savings Account) called the High Deductible Plan.
• Choice between two dental plan options: Core and Core Plus.
• Vision benefit.
• Company paid life insurance (2X base pay).
• Company paid AD&D (1X base pay).
• Voluntary life and AD&D – 100% employee paid up to maximums.
• Short Term Disability – up to 26 weeks – Company paid.
• Long Term Disability – 60% of pay – Company paid. Ability to “buy-up” to 66 2/3% of pay.
• Supplemental benefits – 100% employee paid (Accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance).
• Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Health Advocate support resources for mental/behavioral health, general health navigation and virtual health, and infertility/adoption.
• Employee discount program.
• 401k Savings Plan with Company Contributions.
• Employee Stock Acquisition Plan (ESAP).
• ABB provides 11 paid holidays. Vacation is provided based on years of service for hourly and non-exempt positions.