Sr. Manager, Data Center Controls

Careers at Keel

Keel Infrastructure is a publicly traded energy and digital infrastructure company that develops and owns data centers and power assets across North America.

At Keel, you’re not just joining a company, you’re helping build the infrastructure behind the future of compute.

Why Keel

We’re at the intersection of energy and technology, two industries transforming in real time.

The work is complex. The pace is fast. The impact is real.

You’ll be part of a team that values:

- Ownership — we take responsibility and follow through

- Collaboration — we work across teams, functions, and borders

- Curiosity — we ask questions and keep learning

- Endurance — we build for the long term

What It Feels Like to Work Here

- Fast-moving, high-growth, and hands-on

- Smart, driven people solving real challenges together

- Work that directly supports AI and next-generation infrastructure

- Room to grow, stretch, and take on more

What We Offer

- Competitive salary, bonus and equity opportunities

- Comprehensive health and wellness benefits

- Retirement savings with company contribution

- Employee referral program

Interested? This is a great opportunity to work for a young and dynamic company!

We are currently looking for a Senior Manager, Data Center Controls to join our team!

Purpose of the Role

The Sr. Manager of Data Center Controls is a senior leader responsible for defining, owning, and continuously advancing the company's controls engineering standards, spanning Electrical Power Monitoring Systems (EPMS) and Building Management Systems (BMS) across all data center development and operating projects. This individual serves as the internal authority on controls architecture, SCADA/EPMS integration, BMS sequences of operation, alarm management, points and network standards, and OT cybersecurity, ensuring that every facility we develop is fully visible, automated, and controllable to the reliability standard our customers and business require.

This role partners closely with electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, commissioning, IT/OT security, construction management, and controls systems integrators to drive coordinated design decisions from basis-of-design through construction, commissioning, and energization. The Sr. Manager of Data Center Controls sets the frameworks, specifications, and design standards that govern how our portfolio is monitored and controlled, and ensures those standards are consistently applied and continuously improved as the company scales.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership & Standards

- Develop and own the company's EPMS and BMS design standards, basis-of-design documentation, points list templates, and technical specifications governing all controls systems across new data center development.

- Establish and enforce controls architecture criteria for EPMS and BMS; utility and generator metering, protective relay integration, power quality monitoring, SCADA front-end, mechanical plant control, VFD integration, environmental monitoring, and fire/life-safety interfaces.

- Define standards for controls network architecture, including OT network segmentation, redundancy, cybersecurity hardening, and integration pathways with corporate IT.

- Drive continuous improvement of data center automation, remote monitoring, and alarm management to reduce manual intervention and improve incident response time.

- Lead evaluation, selection, and standardization of controls platforms, PLCs, RTUs, sensors, and software across the portfolio to maximize reliability, reduce integration complexity, and improve vendor leverage.

Project Execution

- Provide controls engineering leadership and technical review across all project phases, from site feasibility and schematic design through design development, construction documents, and commissioning.

- Review and approve EPMS and BMS design packages from external engineers of record (EORs) and systems integrators, ensuring compliance with company standards and jurisdictional requirements.

- Oversee the development of points lists, sequences of operation, network architecture diagrams, and alarm matrices as living design documents throughout the project lifecycle.

- Lead controls value engineering efforts, balancing first cost, lifecycle cost, licensing model, vendor lock-in risk, and schedule across each project.

- Support RFP development, bid evaluation, and systems integrator/vendor selection for EPMS and BMS scopes of work; review integrator qualifications and proposed means and methods.

- Oversee controls construction administration including submittal review, RFI responses, points-to-device verification, and coordination with the commissioning team during startup and energization.

Team & Stakeholder Management

- Build, mentor, and lead an internal controls engineering team as the company's development pipeline grows.

- Manage relationships with EPMS/BMS systems integrators, controls vendors, cybersecurity consultants, and metering/utility contacts.

- Collaborate with electrical engineering to define EPMS metering points, protective relay integration, and power quality monitoring requirements across the critical power path.

- Collaborate with mechanical engineering to define BMS sequences of operation for chilled water plants, CRAH/CRAC units, and economizer control, and partner with commissioning to ensure controls systems are designed for testability.

- Present controls strategy, system architecture decisions, and cybersecurity posture to executive leadership and, where applicable, to customers and investors.

Innovation & Technology Roadmap

- Evaluate and develop the company's strategy for AI/HPC-ready controls, including high-resolution power monitoring, dynamic cooling control, and predictive, analytics-driven fault detection.

- Develop roadmap for DCIM integration, digital twin capability, and analytics platforms to support grid resiliency, demand response, and sustainability goals.

- Monitor and respond to evolving controls protocols and cybersecurity requirements (BACnet, Modbus, OPC UA, IEC 61850, NIST/IEC 62443) across key development markets; update company standards accordingly.

- Participate in relevant industry organizations (7x24 Exchange, ASHRAE, Uptime Institute, BICSI) and contribute to thought leadership.

Requirements

Experience & Background

- 10+ years of progressive controls or instrumentation engineering experience, with a focus on mission-critical or data center facilities.

- Demonstrated experience leading EPMS/BMS design on hyperscale, colocation, or enterprise data center projects.

- Experience as a technical owner or discipline lead, not just a contributor, on large capital projects.

- Prior experience managing or mentoring engineering staff and external systems integrators.

Technical Knowledge

- Deep knowledge of EPMS architecture: power monitoring, metering, protective relay integration, and historian/trending platforms.

- Deep knowledge of BMS architecture: DDC controls, sequences of operation, and alarm management for mechanical and electrical plant equipment.

- Proficiency with controls protocols and standards, including BACnet, Modbus, OPC UA, SNMP, and IEC 61850.

- Experience integrating EPMS/BMS with SCADA and DCIM platforms and building automation front-ends.

- Familiarity with OT cybersecurity best practices, including network segmentation and NIST/IEC 62443 frameworks.

- Experience with functional performance testing and commissioning of controls systems (L0–L5).

Leadership & Competencies

- Ability to translate complex controls engineering concepts for non-technical audiences including executives and investors.

- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously.

- Excellent written and verbal communication; experience authoring design standards and technical specifications.

- Collaborative mindset with experience working cross-functionally in fast-paced development environments.

Educational Requirements

- Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls/Instrumentation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

- Professional Engineer (PE) license a plus.

- Professional certifications (Certified Automation Professional (CAP), Tridium Niagara certification, CDCDP, PMP, or similar) are a significant asset.

Work Arrangement

- Location: Remote

- Travel: Occasional travel to other Keel sites or vendor/partner locations as required.

In addition to the stated base salary range, this role receives an end of year cash bonus and participates in our yearly equity grant.

NYC $200,000 — $240,000 USD