--- title: 'BMS / Controls Engineer at Start Campus' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/bms-controls-engineer-start-campus-sines-gg54d6dc619b' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-10' --- # BMS / Controls Engineer at Start Campus - **Company:** Start Campus - **Location:** Sines, Portugal - **Posted:** 2026-07-20 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.eu.greenhouse.io/startcampus/jobs/4924769101 ## Job description ## About the Role We are looking for a BMS / Controls Engineer to join our growing Design and Delivery team. You'll act as the technical authority for controls systems across the START Campus data center portfolio — responsible for the design review, commissioning support, operation, maintenance and continuous improvement of the Building Management System (BMS), Electrical Power Monitoring System (EPMS), PLC-based control systems and associated critical facility automation platforms, supporting operational excellence, energy efficiency and uptime objectives. ## Key Responsibilities Operations & Reliability - Ensure the availability, reliability and performance of BMS, EPMS and control systems supporting critical data center infrastructure. - Monitor and troubleshoot controls-related issues impacting cooling, electrical distribution and auxiliary systems. - Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and implement corrective and preventive actions. - Support incident response activities and participate in critical facilities escalation processes. - Maintain accurate documentation, control narratives, alarm matrices and system architecture drawings. Controls Engineering - Develop, review and optimize control sequences, and SOO’s, for chillers, cooling towers, pumps, CRAH/CRAC systems, heat exchangers, water treatment systems and electrical monitoring systems. - Review and validate control logic, graphics and alarm strategies. - Support integration of new systems into the BMS and EPMS platforms. - Ensure compliance with operational requirements, design intent and commissioning standards. - Create internal standards and requirements. Projects & Commissioning - Support new data center deployments, expansions and retrofits. - Review controls design packages, points lists, network architecture and sequences of operation. - Coordinate controls vendors, system integrators and commissioning agents. - Participate in Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), Integrated Systems Testing (IST) and commissioning activities. - Validate system performance against design and operational requirements. Data Analytics & Optimization - Analyze operational data to identify efficiency and reliability improvements. - Support energy optimization initiatives and sustainability objectives. - Develop dashboards, KPIs and reporting for facility performance. - Drive continuous improvement of controls standards and operational procedures. Vendor & Stakeholder Management - Manage relationships with controls contractors and service providers. - Coordinate maintenance activities and service interventions. - Support Operations, Engineering, Construction and Commissioning teams. - Provide technical guidance and training to site personnel. ## What We're Looking For ## Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Automation/Controls Engineering, or a related field. ## Experience - 8-10+ years of experience in controls or automation engineering within mission-critical, industrial or data center environments. - Hands-on experience with BMS/EPMS architectures, including DDC, PLC and SCADA systems. - Experience with chillers, cooling towers, pumps, CRAH/CRAC systems, heat exchangers and electrical monitoring systems. - Experience participating in FAT, SAT, IST and broader commissioning activities. ## Skills & mindset - Able to trace an issue from a software dashboard back to the physical wiring or sensor causing it. - Solid understanding of control sequences, points lists and alarm strategies. - Comfortable coordinating controls vendors and system integrators. - Data-driven approach to reliability and energy optimization. - Familiarity with platforms such as Niagara/Tridium, Siemens Desigo, Schneider EcoStruxure or Honeywell is a plus. About Us: At Start Campus, we provide mission-critical data center services that power businesses globally. We're customer-centric, innovative, and always looking to push boundaries. If you're passionate about building relationships, driving customer success, and thriving in a tech-driven world, we want to hear from you! Equal Opportunity Employer: Start Campus is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone feels they belong and can thrive. We make hiring decisions based on merit, experience, skills and potential, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, nationality, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Personal data submitted as part of your application will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy. If you think you have what it takes for this position and are looking for a new professional challenge send your application. ## About Start Campus ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Start Campus is developing Europe’s largest and most sustainable data center campus—the 1.2 GW SINES DC in Sines, Portugal—purpose-built for high-density AI, cloud, and HPC workloads. - **Entity Type**: Private (funding stage: backed by Pioneer Point Partners; total investment value of €8.5 billion) - **Headquarters**: Lisbon, Portugal - **Founded**: 2021 - **Founders**: Not publicly named; CEO is Robert Dunn (appointed July 2024) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Data centers / IT infrastructure (IT Services and IT Consulting) - **Target customers**: Hyperscalers (e.g., Microsoft), cloud providers, AI/GPU workloads, enterprises requiring high-density colocation and interconnection - **Mission**: To build and operate a new generation of sustainable, AI-ready data centers powered by 100% renewable energy with innovative seawater cooling, aiming for Net Zero by 2030 ## Products & Services - **SINES Data Campus** – A 1.2 GW colocation campus offering powered shell, turn-key, and build-to-suit solutions. The first facility (SIN01) is 37.5 MW live; the next (SIN02) will be 200 MW. Designed for 99.999% uptime, liquid cooling, and concurrent maintainability. - **Carrier-neutral interconnection** – DE-CIX presence at the campus, plus terrestrial and subsea fiber connectivity to four continents (124 cable landing stations, 75 countries). ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company); total investment value estimated at €8.5 billion - **Key Metric**: Total secured grid power: 1.2 GW IT capacity - **Notable Investors/Partners**: - **Pioneer Point Partners** (lead investor) - **Microsoft** – announced $10 billion investment in the campus (November 2025) - **EDP** – strategic partnership for renewable-powered data center development (February 2026) - **Siemens Energy** – transformer order for the campus - **Nscale** – 66,000+ NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs deployment starting late 2027 - **Growth Signals**: - First facility (SIN01) live and inaugurated (April 2025) - LEED Gold BD+C v4 certification for SIN01 (March 2026) - OCP Ready™ v2 certification for SIN01 and SIN02 (May 2025) - Employee headcount of 57 (LinkedIn, monthly growth +4%), with active hiring in finance, engineering, and project controls - Named "Best Data Centre in Europe" at Datacloud Awards 2026 - Launched "START Rise Challenge" to develop AI talent in Portugal (September 2024) ## Competitive Advantages - **Sustainable cooling** – Repurposed seawater system from a decommissioned power plant; zero freshwater usage (WUE = 0), target PUE of 1.1 - **100% renewable energy** – Long-term agreements with EDP ensure fully renewable power - **Scale and connectivity** – Largest colocation site in Europe with 1.2 GW secured power; direct subsea links to four continents, low latency to major global hubs - **AI-ready design** – Integrated liquid cooling, flexible power density, OCP Ready certification for hyperscale AI workloads - **Carrier-neutral** – Open interconnection via DE-CIX and other providers reduces vendor lock-in ## Strategic Focus - **Expand campus capacity** – Deliver SIN02 (200 MW) and further buildings to reach full 1.2 GW - **Attract hyperscale tenants** – Build on the Microsoft anchor investment and expand partnerships with other cloud/AI giants - **Accelerate sustainability** – Continue innovating on energy efficiency, seawater cooling, and Net Zero 2030 goal - **Talent development** – Grow local workforce through initiatives like the START Rise Challenge and internships; currently hiring for design, delivery, finance, and project controls ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven** – Work on Europe’s largest sustainable data center campus, directly contributing to green AI infrastructure - **Growth trajectory** – Rapidly scaling from 37.5 MW to 1.2 GW; strong backing from Microsoft and EDP signals long‑term stability - **Culture** – Described as a “Most Loved Workplace®”; leadership emphasizes innovation and community engagement - **Work environment** – Headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal; hybrid/remote policy not explicitly stated, but roles are based in Lisbon with some UK/Netherlands presence - **Perks** – Opportunity to work with cutting-edge liquid cooling and renewable energy systems; internships and spontaneous applications welcome for all departments - **Career development** – High exposure to hyperscale customers, top-tier partners (Microsoft, NVIDIA, Siemens Energy), and industry‑leading sustainability projects ## Sources 1. [startcampus.pt](https://www.startcampus.pt/) – Official website: campus overview, press releases, certifications, sustainability 2. [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/startcampus) – Current job openings and company description 3. [linkedin.com](https://pt.linkedin.com/company/start-campus) – LinkedIn company page: headcount, departments, key executives, locations 4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/start-campus) – Funding round, investors, headquarters 5. [mostlovedworkplace.com](https://mostlovedworkplace.com/companies/start-campus/) – Culture recognition, CEO, and company description ## Other roles at Start Campus - [CSA Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/csa-engineer-start-campus-sines-rgxht9r5pnqa) — Sines, Portugal - [Document Controller](https://feeny.ai/job/document-controller-start-campus-sines-xdg91ehj83a2) — Sines, Portugal - [Electrical Engineer (LV&MV)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-lv-mv-start-campus-lisbon-nctd1y7g82e3) — Lisbon, Portugal - [Senior Project Controls Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-project-controls-engineer-start-campus-lisbon-bbbjdkj67kka) — Lisbon, Portugal - [BIM Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/bim-manager-start-campus-sines-886ns87n027g) — Sines, Portugal