Senior Controls Engineer Job Reston area,Virginia USA,Engineering

ON.energyis setting the standard for large load interconnection. ON’s patented AI UPS™ is a medium-voltage UPS that serves as a firewall, protecting the data center from the grid, and the grid from the data center.

With multiple gigawatts currently under construction, we are enabling grid-safe data centers.

We're looking for a Senior Controls Engineer to help design, document and improve the control hardware inside the AI UPS. You'll own control panel design, I/O and controller architecture, and the documentation and validation that take a product design from the drawing board through factory testing and site commissioning. You'll work closely with power electronics, electrical, battery systems, software and project teams, and you'll be a technical voice on how our controls platform evolves.

Key Responsibilities

Design and develop control system hardware for the AI UPS product line, including control panels, I/O architecture, controller and HMI selection, power distribution, and interfaces to power conversion and battery systems.
Produce and maintain controls documentation: schematics, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, I/O lists, bills of materials, control narratives and as-built drawings.
Define control architecture between the product's subsystems (inverters/converters, BMS, protection relays, switch gear, auxiliary systems) and to site-level SCADA/EMS.
Integrate and validate industrial communication protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, OPC-UA, IEC 61850) between product components and customer systems.
Specify control-network requirements and work with IT and network teams so the product's OT network is segmented, secure and reliable.
Select and qualify vendors for controllers, panels and key controls components, and work with panel builders on manufacturability and quality.
Lead or support FAT, SAT and site commissioning; troubleshoot issues and feed lessons learned back into product design.
Compile technical packages for project engineering and support business development with controls architecture and technical proposals.
Participate in product design sprints and design reviews, and drive improvements across design, commissioning and O&M.
Support compliance with applicable standards (UL 508A, NFPA 70/NEC, IEC 61131, IEEE 1547, and cybersecurity frameworks such as IEC 62443).

Required Experience

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls or Electronics Engineering, or a related field.
5+ years of hands-on controls engineering experience in product development, OEM or project-based industrial settings.
Demonstrated experience designing control panels and control hardware, from schematic through build and test.
Strong working knowledge of PLCs or industrial controllers, I/O design, and HMI/SCADA integration.
Hands‑on experience with industrial protocols (Modbus, DNP3, OPC‑UA and/or IEC 61850).
Working understanding of OT networking: VLANs, segmentation, managed switches and firewalls.
Proficiency producing and reading control schematics and architecture drawings (AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN or similar).
Experience supporting FAT and field commissioning.
Clear communication with technical and non-technical teams.
Willing to travel up to 20% for FAT and site commissioning.

Preferred Experience

Controls experience with power conversion equipment, UPS, BESS, inverters, switch gear or medium‑voltage systems.
Mission‑critical environments such as data centers, utilities or substations.
Experience with control panel builders or UL 508A shops.
Familiarity with protection relays (SEL, GE, ABB) and power‑system controls.
Exposure to industrial cybersecurity standards (IEC 62443, NERC CIP).

For US-based roles
- What you’ll get:

Competitive salary + annual performance-based bonus eligibility
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
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