Director, Data Center Mechanical Engineering
HybridPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Job Summary
Develop and own mechanical engineering design standards, specifications, and basis-of-design documentation for all new data center development projects. Establish criteria for critical systems including chilled water plants, cooling strategies, and containment, while leading the evaluation and standardization of equipment across the portfolio. Provide technical review and approval of design packages from external engineers of record, ensuring compliance with company standards and best practices from concept through commissioning. Drive continuous improvement of PUE performance targets and define KPIs for executive leadership, presenting investment recommendations to the Board. Build and mentor an internal engineering team while managing relationships with external consultants, manufacturers, and subcontractors. Evaluate emerging cooling technologies for high-density AI and HPC workloads, benchmarking designs against industry peers and contributing to thought leadership. Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, construction, operations, and procurement to optimize designs for maintainability and energy efficiency.
Required Qualifications
- 12+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience
- Demonstrated experience leading mechanical design on hyperscale, colocation, or enterprise data center projects
- Experience as a technical owner or discipline lead, not just a contributor, on large capital projects
- Prior experience managing or mentoring engineering staff and external consultants
- Deep knowledge of data center cooling architectures: air-side economization, water-side economization, chilled water systems, DX systems, evaporative cooling, and hybrid approaches
- Proficiency in mechanical system modeling and simulation tools (e.g., CFD for airflow, EnergyPlus, Trane TRACE, or similar)
- Strong working knowledge of ASHRAE Standards 55, 90.1, TC9.9, and relevant TIA/EIA and Uptime Institute standards
- Experience with mechanical commissioning (Cx) and integrated systems testing (IST) protocols
- Ability to translate complex mechanical engineering concepts for non-technical audiences including executives and investors
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously
- Excellent written and verbal communication; experience authoring design standards and technical specifications
- Collaborative mindset with experience working cross-functionally in fast-paced development environments
- Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- Monday-Thursday in office, Friday remote
Desired Qualifications
- 50MW+ preferred
- Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred
- Professional certifications (CDCDP, PMP, ATD, LEED AP, DCEP, or similar) are a significant asset
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