Lead Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Why join us

• The Pace: You will manage projects moving faster than anywhere else in the industry.
• The Impact: You are the person who turns "concepts" into "contracts" and "permits."
• The Team: Work with a world-class group of engineers defining the future of AI infrastructure.

What you'll do

Giga's mission is to manufacture data centers to support the AI ramp. We're moving beyond traditional construction to a product-based approach, designing and mass-producing high-performance infrastructure that can keep pace with the exponential demand for compute. As Lead Controls Engineer, you'll define the nervous system of these facilities.

You won't just be programming a single building—you'll be defining the Controls Plan of Record (POR) for a mass-manufactured product. You'll take mechanical and electrical intent and translate it into a robust, scalable control architecture that can be replicated across megawatts of infrastructure globally.

This is a role for an engineer who understands that a great mechanical design is only as good as the control system that drives it. You'll design the intelligence that keeps massive AI clusters alive, architecting control systems with security, reliability, and performance as first principles. Your standards will be replicated across hundreds of deployments worldwide.

Where you'll work

If based outside of our Houston, Long Beach or San Francisco hubs, this role will be based remotely from your home office. You must be willing to occasionally travel to one of our hub offices 3 days out of the month.

Responsibilities 

• Establish the standardized control architecture for Giga's mass-manufactured data center product line, creating systems that scale across global deployments
• Review P&IDs and One-Line Diagrams to identify every controllable device, ensuring strict adherence to ISA-5.1 standards for consistent documentation across all facilities
• Define exact control interfaces for all field devices from liquid cooling loops to power systems, leveraging IEC 61850 standards for power utility automation and seamless integration of protection relays and smart breakers
• Oversee panel design ensuring compliance with UL 508A (Industrial Control Panels) and NEMA/IP ratings for harsh environments
• Implement IEC 62443 (Cybersecurity for Industrial Automation and Control Systems) standards to segment networks, harden devices, and secure remote access against cyber-physical threats
• Create high-performance operator interfaces using ISA-101 (HMI Design) and ISA-18.2 (Alarm Management) to prevent alarm floods and ensure rapid response to critical AI load events
• Design redundancy and reliability logic to ensure systems survive controller failures or sensor drift without impacting critical compute loads
• Collaborate with mechanical/electrical teams to refine SOO, translating narratives into detailed logic diagrams (Functional Block/Ladder) compliant with IEC 61131-3
• Develop I&C functional test scripts and support commissioning teams during Level 3-5 testing to validate that physical reality matches design intent
• Create comprehensive control system documentation including instrument loop diagrams per ISA-5.4, ensuring manufacturability and maintainability at scale

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Mechatronics Engineering
• 7+ years of experience in I&C design for mission-critical facilities, power plants, or industrial manufacturing
• Working knowledge of IEC 62443/ISA-99 frameworks for OT cybersecurity
• Proficiency with ISA-5.1 for P&ID interpretation and ISA-5.4 for instrument loop diagrams
• Strong knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, BACnet/IP, SNMP, OPC UA)
• Experience specifying VFDs, PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens), and EPMS/SCADA systems
• Deep understanding of control system architecture and network design
• Proven ability to design fail-safe logic and redundancy strategies
• Experience with alarm management and HMI design principles
• Strong collaboration skills with mechanical, electrical, and commissioning teams
• First-principles thinking approach to complex control challenges

Bonus points

• Familiarity with IEC 61850 for substation and power automation 
• Experience with liquid cooling systems and high-density compute environments
• Background in data center or mission-critical facility controls
• Knowledge of ISA-101 (HMI Design) and ISA-18.2 (Alarm Management) standards
• Experience with IEC 61131-3 programming standards
• Commissioning experience with Level 3-5 functional testing
• Understanding of AI infrastructure and compute load requirements
• Experience creating standardized control architectures for mass production
• Startup or high-growth company experience
• Background in both OT security and traditional controls engineering
• Experience with design-build or fast-track project delivery

Benefits

• Subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
• Significant equity in a profitable, IPO-bound company
• 401(k) with 4% employer match 
• Unlimited PTO Parental leave FSA/HSA options
• Commuter benefits
• Monthly team on-sites across all offices

 

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Giga Energy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. Giga Energy complies with all applicable labor laws, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and other relevant state and federal regulations. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage applicants who require accommodations during the hiring process to contact us.