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Hut 8 is seeking a Controls Subject Matter Expert (Principal level) to serve as the controls and automation expert embedded in a data center build. This is a full-time, on-site role based in Corpus Christi, TX.
You will be responsible for ensuring control systems are operable, maintainable, and trustworthy at facility turnover. Controls are the facility's nervous system—when they fail or mislead, operators lose visibility into critical operations.
Key Responsibilities:
**Operability Design Review**: Review controls designs including BMS/BAS, EPMS, SCADA, PLC-based plant controls, CDU and cooling plant controls, and generator/UPS/switchgear controller integration from an operations perspective. Evaluate sequences of operations, failure-mode and fail-safe behavior, loss-of-network and loss-of-controller response, manual and local override capabilities, point lists and instrumentation adequacy, alarm philosophy and prioritization, graphics clarity, and OT network architecture and access control. Challenge designs that assume operator understanding or recovery without system support.
**Controls QA/QC and Vendor Oversight**: Provide QA/QC oversight of controls scope for new construction and retrofits. Review vendor proposals and programming, directly oversee system configuration and component upgrades, and witness factory tests. Hold vendors to Hut 8 standards and approved sequences; ensure all modifications follow change control.
**Construction-Phase Verification**: Walk controls installations at key milestones to flag operability and quality issues early, while they remain cost-effective to address.
**Commissioning**: Witness Level 3-5 commissioning of controls and automation, including point-to-point verification, sequence-of-operations testing, controller/server/network failover testing, alarm verification, trend validation, and integrated systems testing across mechanical, electrical, and controls domains. Review programming during commissioning, drive operational findings into the Cx log with clear acceptance criteria, and personally verify closure.
**Turnover Readiness**: Verify controls turnover packages including as-built sequences of operation, point lists, control and network drawings, programming backups and configuration files under version control, licenses and credentials transferred to Hut 8, alarm setpoint and priority matrices, trend baselines, spare controllers and critical modules, and PM program inputs. Confirm backups actually restore.
**Training**: Provide technical controls training and support to Facility Operations staff. Validate that operator training equips the team to use systems effectively, not just view them.
**Program Feedback**: Feed operational lessons into Hut 8 controls standards, point naming and alarm conventions, and basis of design for future projects. Work with other Hut 8 sites and teams to carry standards across the portfolio.
**Requirements**:
- 7+ years of controls experience in programming, start-up, and commissioning of complex systems such as central plants, air handling units, and evaporative cooling and humidification systems. Alternatively, a bachelor's degree or trade certification in a related field plus 3+ years of controls industry experience.
- Experience in critical environments with working knowledge of critical facility operations and procedure-based work.
- Theoretical and practical understanding of control equipment and systems: design, maintenance, troubleshooting, testing, and construction.
- Working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and life safety systems found in critical facilities.
- Sequence-of-operations fluency: ability to read critically, catch gaps and failure modes, and test whether behavior matches written specifications.
- Experience interpreting blueprints, CAD drawings, and controls diagrams.
- Turnover documentation rigor, especially programming backups, configuration files, and version control.
- Comfort embedded with a construction team while maintaining the operations line; effectiveness in highly collaborative, cross-functional environments.
**Preferred**:
- Data center experience.
- PLC programming experience.
- IT or networking certification.
- Equipment field service engineering or manufacturer representative experience.
- Demonstrated use of AI tools to improve workflows with measurable results (efficiency gains or quality improvements).
