Specialisms
Data Center Automation & Controls
Intelligent control systems are no longer a nice-to-have in data centers and critical infrastructure — they are fundamental to efficiency, reliability and compliance. Clear places the BMS engineers, DCIM specialists, PLC programmers and controls professionals who design, commission and operate these systems. We work across permanent and contract markets, supporting owner-operators, design consultancies, systems integrators and specialist contractors.
Jobs We Recruit For
We recruit across specialist disciplines and leadership levels, placing professionals who can perform in demanding technical environments.
Role Levels
Clear Benefits
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Dedicated team of experts
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Specialists across various verticals
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Accelerate growth through quick delivery
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End-to-end outsourced talent service
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Bespoke screening templates
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Diversity statistics across all roles worked
Start a Search
Need to hire quickly or discreetly? We can shortlist specialist candidates matched to your exact brief.
01
The challenge of hiring in a niche, candidate-short market
Automation and controls is a genuinely specialist field with a limited talent pool. In a data center, this discipline covers the BMS, SCADA and smart-building systems that monitor and command cooling, power and environmental conditions across the facility, which makes it fundamental to uptime rather than a back-of-house concern. The skills are technical and specific, the work sits at the intersection of several disciplines, and demand has risen sharply as facilities grow more complex. The result is a market where the right engineers are scarce and rarely actively looking for a new role.
This is difficult territory for a generalist recruiter. Controls roles can look almost identical on paper while differing enormously in practice, and an agency that cannot read that difference will present candidates who are qualified in name only. On a live programme, a controls engineer who does not genuinely understand critical environments is a risk to both schedule and uptime.
02
How Clear approaches automation and controls recruitment
Clear's consultants focus specifically on critical infrastructure, and the network we have built reflects that focus. Rather than relying on whoever happens to be available, we combine active search with passive market mapping to reach engineers who are genuinely qualified for live environments. That depth is what allows us to fill controls roles other agencies cannot.
We work across permanent and contract requirements, and we are equally comfortable resourcing a single specialist gap or building a full controls and automation team for a newly awarded programme. As the programme changes, we adjust the pace of hiring with it. Whichever side of a project you sit on, the candidates we put forward are matched to the specific environment you are hiring into, not just the job title.
Live Automation & Controls Roles
Open positions across BMS, BEMS, DCIM, and smart-building integrations on live data center programmes.
Dublin, County Dublin, Irelandabout 15 hours ago
Design & CommissioningAutomation & ControlsTechnical OperationsExecutive Search
BMS/Controls Commissioning Manager Step into a senior leadership role at the forefront of mission-critical infrastructure delivery. This is an opportunity to take ownership of complex, high-value data…
View roleLondon Area, United Kingdom6 days ago
Automation & ControlsTechnical OperationsPermanent Placement
Data Centre Controls Engineer £50,000 – £55,000 Basic (Overtime OTE £65K) + Bonus + Car + Training + Technical Progression + Pension + Healthcare London Are you a skilled and open-minded Controls or B…
View roleSines, Setúbal, Portugal6 days ago
Design & CommissioningAutomation & ControlsContract & Freelance
BMS / EPMS Package Manager Portugal, Sines €85,000 – €95,000 + Rotation, Flights & Private Accommodation Overview Join a major data centre project team delivering critical BMS and EPMS systems from in…
View roleLondon Area, United Kingdom6 days ago
Automation & ControlsTechnical OperationsPermanent Placement
Data Centre Controls Engineer £50,000 – £55,000 Basic (Overtime OTE £65K) + Bonus + Car + Training + Technical Progression + Pension + Healthcare London Are you a skilled and open-minded Controls or B…
View roleBirmingham, England, United Kingdom6 days ago
Automation & ControlsPermanent Placement
BMS Engineer - Energy Optimisation & Smart Buildings Are you ready to step into a leadership role where your technical expertise can shape the future of intelligent buildings? A leading building techn…
View roleDublin, County Dublin, Ireland6 days ago
Automation & ControlsPermanent Placement
Junior BMS Engineer Are you a technically minded graduate, junior engineer or electrician ready to kickstart your career in Building Management Systems (BMS)? An exciting opportunity has opened up for…
View roleFrequently Asked Questions
Automation and controls is a specialist field with a limited talent pool. Clear combines active search with passive market mapping, drawing on a network built specifically around critical infrastructure, so we can reach BMS and controls engineers genuinely qualified for live environments rather than relying on whoever happens to be available.
Clear recruits BMS engineers, controls programmers, DCIM specialists and automation leads. We cover BMS and DCIM design, installation and commissioning, PLC, SCADA and HMI expertise, and the automation professionals who bridge IT and OT systems, at every level of seniority.
Yes. Clear works across the supply chain, supporting owner-operators, design consultancies, systems integrators and specialist contractors. Whichever side of a project you sit on, our consultants understand how BMS, DCIM and controls roles differ between operator, integrator and contractor environments.
Yes. Clear supports team builds for newly awarded programmes, scaling controls and automation hiring across permanent and contract requirements. We can resource a single specialist gap or a full project team, and adjust the pace as the programme demands.
Explore Other Expertise
Clear recruits across every discipline that keeps data centers and critical infrastructure running.
- Design & CommissioningMEP design engineers and commissioning specialists who specify systems and verify performance before handover.
- Power & CoolingPower and cooling specialists across UPS, switchgear and advanced thermal systems.
- CommercialTechnically credible commercial professionals, from account management through to VP level.
- Site Selection & DevelopmentDevelopment professionals who turn viable sites into construction-ready data centers.
- Technical OperationsCritical environment teams who keep live data centers running around the clock.
- Project & Construction ManagementProject and construction leaders who deliver mission-critical builds on time and to specification.
Recruitment Solutions
However you need to hire, Clear has a delivery model to match the brief.
Related Insights
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AI's Infrastructure Race Has Left the Atmosphere: The Talent Problem Hasn't
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The Executive Search Blindspot: Why Data Center Leadership Hires Fail and How to Get Them Right
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Systems integrators and operators trust us to find the controls professionals who can hit the ground running in technically demanding environments.
Head of Site Services EMEA | Anord Mardix
Matthew Johnson
I partner with Max for all our engineering recruitment. His service is second to none and always delivers within a couple of weeks from the first call.
Visit WebsiteDatacenter Manager | VIRTUS Data Centers
Ben Kay
I have and do use James for my recruitment needs. He is professional throughout and will go the extra mile to get the right candidate in place.
Visit WebsiteDesign Director | Equinix
Wayne Aston
Tom was one of the only recruitment specialists I dealt with that took the time to meet me in person and understand what I was looking for. A very professional service from a personable recruitment company.
UK Service Manager | SEW Eurodrive
Karl Rigg
Clear Engineering Recruitment have placed a couple of quality engineers with us recently, they take time to understand our needs and make sure the right people are put forward.
Divisional Director | Hurley Palmer Flatt
Grant Penfold
Having known Tom for many years, he has always acted diligently and professionally in all aspects of recruitment. I have no hesitation in recommending him as the go-to person.
Visit WebsiteVP of Operations | DataCore Infrastructure
Sarah Williams
Clear Recruitment has been instrumental in helping us build our data center team. Their understanding of the industry and ability to find top talent quickly has made them our go-to recruitment partner.
Visit WebsiteDirector of Engineering | Nexus Power Solutions
James Mitchell
The team at Clear truly understands the nuances of recruiting for critical infrastructure roles. They consistently deliver high-caliber candidates who fit both the technical requirements and company culture.
Visit WebsiteHR Director | GreenGrid Energy
Emma Thompson
Working with Clear has transformed our hiring process. Their expertise in the energy sector means we spend less time searching and more time building our team with the right people.
Visit WebsiteSpecialist Recruitment for Mission-Critical Projects
Clear works exclusively in data centers, power, and cooling which means we know your roles, your timelines, and your market better than generalists ever could. If you have a hiring challenge, we're ready to help.
