PassiveLogic is a fast-growing company bringing AI-powered autonomous building controls to market. This role sits at the forefront of their German market expansion. We are looking for the technical solution architect: the person who sits with the customer, understands the building and operational goals, designs the control philosophy, and defines the high-level autonomous control solution before it is handed off for implementation.

About the Role

This is a customer-facing engineering leadership role for someone who combines deep HVAC domain expertise, advanced controls engineering, and systems thinking.

You will work directly with customers to understand their buildings, operational objectives, and constraints, then design the technical solution that enables PassiveLogic's autonomous platform. Rather than implementing individual control sequences, you will define the overall control architecture, system strategy, and Digital Twin requirements that become the blueprint for successful deployments.

You are the technical authority bridging customers, sales, Digital Twin engineering, controls implementation, and commissioning.

What you'll do

Lead Technical Solution Design

• Own the technical solution for complex customer deployments from discovery through implementation.
• Work directly with customers, consultants, and facility teams to understand operational goals, existing systems, and building constraints.
• Design the overall HVAC control strategy and system architecture that enables autonomous building operation.
• Translate customer requirements into scalable PassiveLogic solution designs.

Design High-Level Controls Architecture

• Define supervisory control strategies for central plants, airside systems, hydronic systems, and terminal equipment.
• Develop high-level control philosophies for heating, cooling, ventilation, thermal storage, and energy optimization.
• Determine which equipment should be controlled, how systems interact, and where autonomy delivers value.
• Review existing BAS sequences and identify opportunities for autonomous optimization.

Drive Digital Twin Design

• Define the physical and logical representation of building systems.
• Work closely with Digital Twin engineers to ensure accurate equipment relationships, system topology, and control intent.
• Ensure the Digital Twin reflects the operational behaviour required to achieve customer outcomes.

Technical Leadership

• Lead technical workshops with customers during pre-sales and project execution.
• Guide internal engineering teams on overall system architecture and design intent.
• Support implementation teams during deployment and commissioning.
• Resolve complex HVAC, controls, and integration challenges.

Develop Deployment Standards

• Establish repeatable control architectures and design patterns.
• Capture best practices across deployments.
• Help define PassiveLogic's standard solutions for different building types and HVAC systems.

What you'll bring

You must have

• Deep expertise in commercial HVAC systems and their operation.
• Extensive experience designing Building Automation Systems (BAS/BMS), not simply programming controllers.
• Strong understanding of HVAC system design, including:
  • Chilled water plants
  • Heating hot water systems
  • Heat pumps
  • AHUs
  • VAV systems
  • Fan coils
  • Hydronic distribution
  • Central utility plants

• Ability to develop control philosophies and high-level sequence of operation.
• Experience working directly with building owners, consulting engineers, and facility operators.
• Strong systems thinking and the ability to simplify complex building behaviour into scalable control strategies.
• Ability to balance customer requirements with scalable product architecture.
• Experience commissioning complex HVAC systems.
• Experience with energy optimisation and advanced control strategies.
• Familiarity with BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks and modern building integration.
• Experience with Digital Twins or model-based control.
• Strong communication skills with both executive stakeholders and technical teams.

It's helpful to have

• Experience with Model Predictive Control.
• Experience with AI-based optimisation.
• Familiarity with EnergyPlus, Modelica or simulation.
• Experience in large commercial real estate, healthcare, data centres or life sciences.
• Understanding of grid-interactive buildings and demand flexibility.