Data Center Mechanical Engineer
$150,000–$200,000 year
On-siteNew York City, New York, United States or San Francisco, California, United States
Job Summary
Drive mechanical design concepts for data center cooling plants, chilled-water distribution, liquid cooling, plumbing, and fire protection systems from concept through construction documentation. Review and direct design drawings produced by external engineering firms, evaluate submittals and shop drawings, and respond to RFIs with clear technical direction. Identify design conflicts across mechanical, electrical, and controls disciplines and maintain internal design standards. Lead prefabrication and modular delivery strategies including modular cooling skids and offsite manufacture to accelerate deployment. Serve as the primary technical interface for external developers and vendors, developing scopes of work and performing technical due diligence on third-party facilities. Monitor system installation for code compliance, conduct site visits to resolve field issues, and support testing and commissioning of mechanical systems.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience designing building mechanical systems for data centers or mission-critical facilities, across the project lifecycle from concept design through construction, commissioning, and handover
- Deep familiarity with U.S. mechanical, plumbing, and fire codes and standards — including the International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Plumbing Code (IPC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), International Building Code (IBC), NFPA 13 (automatic sprinkler systems), ASME B31 piping codes, and applicable state and local amendments, alongside ASHRAE guidance (incl. TC 9.9)
- Strong knowledge of chilled-water systems, air-cooled cooling plants, liquid cooling (direct-to-chip and CDUs), and redundant piping configurations
- Hands-on experience with prefabricated and modular mechanical infrastructure — modular cooling skids, prefabricated piping assemblies, and design for offsite manufacture
- Experience driving and reviewing mechanical design work produced by external engineering consultants, and are proficient reading and marking up construction drawings, P&IDs, and single-line diagrams
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Professional Engineer (PE) license (or eligibility)
- Ability to travel up to ~30% to data center sites across the region
Desired Qualifications
- 15+ years of experience designing building mechanical systems for data centers or mission-critical facilities
- Direct project experience delivering data centers in multiple U.S. markets (e.g., Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Oregon)
- Experience with thermal-hydraulic modeling software (AFT Fathom, Cadence 6SigmaET, ANSYS, or similar), CFD modeling, and energy analysis
- Familiarity with controls/BAS systems and sequences of operation for cooling plants
- Experience preparing SOWs, facility audits, and TCO analyses
- A track record building modular prefabricated products in mechanical or electrical areas of the data center, and driving designs toward offsite manufacturing
- Proficiency with Revit MEP or AutoCAD MEP
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