Controls Engineer / Controls Operations SME

Decima International is a professional services company, providing project management and controls services to clients in the United States and the Middle East. Our mission is to become the premier professional services provider across all industry sectors we are engaged in. To accomplish this, Decima International’s founders established a simple yet powerful formula:

Approach each client engagement as a partnership, create an environment that attracts the most talented professionals and allows them to flourish, and regulate growth to maintain excellence in our service standards.

If you are interested in a long and rewarding career working with high-profile clients on some of the most challenging projects in the world, then Decima is where you belong. At Decima, you will be able to explore incredible growth and professional development opportunities.

We are looking for a driven and capable Controls Engineer / Controls Operations Subject Matter Expert to support mission-critical data center projects in KSA. This role will provide technical expertise across controls design review, commissioning, operational readiness, facility operations, and controls integration for complex data center environments.

The ideal candidate has strong direct data center experience and a deep understanding of building automation systems, building management systems, electrical power monitoring systems, SCADA, PLC-based control systems, HMI, and industrial control systems supporting Tier III and Tier IV facilities. The candidate should be capable of reviewing control systems for operability, maintainability, reliability, cybersecurity, resiliency, and alignment with client operational standards.

This is a hands-on, client-facing technical role focused on control system performance, operational risk, automation strategy, procedure development, commissioning support, and operational readiness. The role requires strong technical writing, communication, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to develop, review, and validate Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Operating Procedures, Methods of Procedure, and Sequences of Operation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical expertise for mission-critical controls and automation systems, including BAS, BMS, EPMS, SCADA, PLC-based control systems, HMI, data acquisition and monitoring platforms, networked control systems, integrated alarm and notification systems, generator and UPS control systems, chiller plant automation, and mechanical and electrical systems integration.
• Review controls system architecture, design documentation, commissioning reports, point-to-point verification, functional performance testing, and integrated systems testing documentation for operability, maintainability, reliability, cybersecurity, resiliency, and alignment with client operational standards.
• Participate in design reviews, constructability reviews, controls integration reviews, commissioning reviews, operational readiness assessments, technical workshops, tabletop reviews, and project meetings.
• Evaluate control system performance, operational risk, system redundancy, alarm philosophy, fail-safe strategies, control sequences, software upgrades, system migrations, and controls optimization initiatives.
• Develop, review, edit, and validate Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Operating Procedures, Methods of Procedure, and Sequences of Operation in alignment with client standards and industry best practices.
• Verify controls-related switching procedures, alarm response procedures, operational sequences, alarm functionality, and proper integration between mechanical, electrical, and controls systems.
• Support facility operations teams during commissioning, startup, live operations, change management, and operational governance activities.
• Develop and improve preventive and predictive maintenance strategies for automation and control systems.
• Support commissioning and operational acceptance by verifying that control systems operate in accordance with design intent, sequence requirements, and client reliability objectives.
• Prepare and review clear, technically accurate documentation, including engineering reports, risk assessments, controls narratives, sequence of operations documentation, operating procedures, and technical evaluations.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to clients and coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering, commissioning, construction, operations, contractor, and stakeholder teams.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of controls engineering, automation, commissioning, operations, mission-critical engineering, or related technical experience.
• Minimum 5 years of direct experience in mission-critical or data center environments.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: data center controls design, controls commissioning, critical facility operations, mission-critical engineering, or building automation and controls integration.
• Strong understanding of mission-critical controls architecture and automation systems supporting data centers.
• Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, editing, or validating SOPs, EOPs, MOPs, and Sequences of Operation.
• Strong understanding of critical environment operational practices, including change management, permit-to-work systems, lockout/tagout, alarm management, controls change control, OT cybersecurity awareness, risk assessments, incident response, root cause analysis, preventive maintenance, reliability-centered maintenance, and continuous improvement practices.
• Working knowledge of mission-critical industry standards, codes, and operational best practices, including ASHRAE, NFPA, ISO, IEC, Uptime Institute Tier Standards, TIA-942, BICSI, applicable international building, fire, energy, and local authority requirements.
• Ability to interpret engineering standards and apply them to real-world data center design, controls integration, commissioning, operations, maintenance, operational readiness, and emergency response.
• Excellent technical writing, documentation, reporting, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively with clients, contractors, commissioning authorities, consultants, operations teams, and multidisciplinary project stakeholders.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, controls troubleshooting, organization, time management, technical leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred qualifications:

• Direct experience supporting hyperscale data centers such as AWS, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, or similar environments.
• Experience supporting colocation providers such as QTS, Equinix, Digital Realty, Compass Datacenters, Vantage, Aligned, STACK Infrastructure, CyrusOne, or similar operators.
• Direct experience supporting mission-critical facilities in Saudi Arabia or the broader GCC region.
• Experience with major controls platforms such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Delta Controls, Rockwell Automation, ABB, or similar systems.
• Professional Engineer license, Certified Automation Professional certification, or equivalent professional certification.
• Experience serving as a Commissioning Authority, Owner’s Engineer, or Owner’s Representative.
• Experience supporting operational readiness, commissioning, quality assurance, facility operations, technical consulting, or client advisory programs in mission-critical environments.

POSITION DETAILS

• Location (On-site): Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Position: Controls Engineer / Controls Operations Subject Matter Expert
• Position Classification: Project-Based

Decima International is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to the safety and well-being of all. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law.