Senior Software Engineer

Job Description

Senior Software Engineer – Industrial Automation, Embedded Systems, Machine Learning & Edge AI

Location: Ashburn, VA | Dallas, TX | Chicago, IL | Santa Clara, CA | Austin, TX | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA | Denver, CO | Charlotte, NC | Boston, MA | New York, NY

Your Role

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will lead the design and development of advanced software platforms, embedded control systems, industrial automation solutions, and Edge AI applications that support Digital Realty's next-generation data center infrastructure. Working across operational technology (OT), embedded hardware, cloud platforms, machine learning, and intelligent automation environments, you will create scalable solutions that improve reliability, efficiency, predictive insights, and operational performance across critical infrastructure systems.

This role is ideal for an engineer who combines strong software development skills with hands‑on experience in PLCs, industrial controls, embedded firmware, edge computing, machine learning, and intelligent automation. You will help drive innovation in power, cooling, automation, predictive analytics, digital twins, and AI‑enabled infrastructure technologies across Digital Realty's global operations.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop industrial automation software, control systems, and embedded applications for critical facility infrastructure.
• Develop PLC programs, HMI interfaces, SCADA integrations, and industrial control solutions supporting cooling systems, power systems, building automation, and data center operations.
• Create machine learning and predictive analytics solutions for fault detection, predictive maintenance, energy optimization, anomaly detection, and operational intelligence.
• Develop and deploy Edge AI and machine learning solutions that enable real‑time decision‑making, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, intelligent control, and operational optimization across industrial and facility systems.
• Architect and develop scalable software platforms, APIs, microservices, and edge computing applications utilizing modern software engineering practices.
• Develop firmware and real‑time software for microcontrollers, embedded Linux devices, industrial gateways, sensors, and intelligent control systems.
• Design and implement closed‑loop control algorithms, data acquisition systems, and edge analytics platforms.
• Integrate PLCs, embedded devices, Building Management Systems (BMS), SCADA platforms, and Industrial IoT systems with enterprise and cloud‑based applications.
• Design and implement communication interfaces and industrial protocols including Modbus RTU/TCP, BACnet, OPC‑UA, EtherNet/IP, Profinet, MQTT, CAN Bus, I²C, SPI, Ethernet, and serial communications.
• Collaborate with operations, facilities, and engineering teams to deploy automation, monitoring, and optimization solutions across global data center environments.
• Lead technical design reviews, mentor engineers, establish engineering standards, and evaluate emerging industrial automation, edge computing, and AI technologies.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechatronics, Robotics, or a related technical field. Master's degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience developing production‑grade software, embedded systems, industrial automation solutions, or control systems.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++, Python, Rust, Go, C#, and/or Java.
• Hands‑on experience developing firmware for Embedded Linux, RTOS platforms, ARM‑based processors, STM32, ESP32, NXP, or similar microcontroller architectures.
• Experience designing, programming, and troubleshooting PLC‑based control systems using platforms such as Allen‑Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens, Schneider Electric, or Automation Direct products.
• Experience with industrial automation technologies including SCADA systems, HMI development, Building Management Systems (BMS), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and Industrial IoT platforms.
• Knowledge of industrial networking, fieldbus technologies, and OT cybersecurity principles.
• Experience applying machine learning techniques to industrial systems, predictive maintenance, process optimization, anomaly detection, forecasting, or sensor‑based analytics.
• Experience developing and deploying machine learning or Edge AI solutions utilizing frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, ONNX, OpenCV, Scikit‑learn, or similar technologies.
• Experience developing edge‑computing architectures integrating operational technology with cloud services such as Azure (preferred), AWS, or GCP.
• Experience integrating operational technology (OT) systems with cloud platforms and AI‑enabled services.
• Knowledge of data center infrastructure, HVAC systems, liquid cooling technologies, power systems, energy management, or mission‑critical facilities is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of AI‑assisted automation, digital twins, intelligent monitoring systems, and data‑driven optimization techniques for industrial environments is highly desirable.
• Experience with digital twins, advanced controls, robotics, autonomous systems, reinforcement learning, computer vision, generative AI, AI‑assisted industrial automation, or model‑based engineering is a plus.
• Strong leadership, communication, and systems‑engineering skills with the ability to drive projects from concept through deployment.

A Bit About Us

Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company's global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 50+ metros across 25+ countries on six continents.

A Bit About Our Team

Technology & Innovation

Our Technology & Innovation team strives to innovate alongside our customers and empower their businesses to thrive. We work closely with customers to develop insights‑based, data‑driven technical solutions and differentiated value propositions on PlatformDIGITAL® across the world. Leveraging our deep technical expertise and global footprint, we create and deploy innovative services and solutions that sit at the heart of the digital economy.

As part of this team, you will help shape the future of intelligent infrastructure, industrial automation, edge computing, AI‑enabled operations, and next‑generation data center technologies that support Digital Realty's global platform.

What We Can Offer You

Our rapidly evolving business sector offers the opportunity to be part of a courageous and passionate team who work together to understand and meet the changing needs of our global customers.

Join us and you'll be part of a supportive and inclusive environment where you can bring your whole self to work. As part of our team, you'll get to work with people from different business areas, challenge the way we do things, and put your ideas into action. We'll also give you plenty of development opportunities so you can build a rewarding and successful career with us.

Training and Development

Join our Technology & Innovation team and gain the support to succeed from day one. Our onboarding program prepares you to contribute meaningfully right away, with clear career pathways and continuous training to fuel your long‑term growth. From onboarding to specialized development, we equip you with the skills and opportunities to make a lasting impact while advancing your expertise in software engineering, industrial automation, embedded systems, machine learning, Edge AI, and intelligent infrastructure technologies.

Health and Safety

Safety isn't just a priority here at Digital Realty, it's critical to everything we do. Safeguarding lives, protecting assets, and securing data aren't just ideals, they're essential pillars of our commitment to excellence for our people, our partners, and our customers. We have a culture of care where every member of Team Digital embraces a relentless pursuit of working safely across Digital Realty. Together we are Safely Powering Progress.

Our Compensation Philosophy

Digital Realty offers its employees a highly competitive compensation package, excellent benefits, and an environment that recognizes and rewards your contributions. Central to our compensation philosophy is rewarding our employees for achieving the values and objectives aligned to the company's overall goals and values.

Compensation Range And Benefits

Digital Realty offers its employees a highly competitive compensation package, excellent benefits, and an environment that recognizes and rewards your contributions. Our published pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum target for new hire pay for the full‑time position determined by role, level, and geographical location. Individual pay is based on additional factors including but not limited to job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education and/or training. Moreover, an employee's total compensation package varies by role and may include salary, cash bonus or equity awards not quantified below.

This compensation range represents the Company's good faith belief as to what it will pay as a base salary for this position at the time of this posting.

Benefits

• For this role, benefits include medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, 401(k) match, disability benefits, wellness and education benefits, employee stock purchase plan, paid time off, holidays, and more.