The posting
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Facilities Engineering – Data Centers based in the United States.
Lead the engineering strategy and development of next-generation AI data center campuses designed to support high-performance computing and increasingly demanding infrastructure requirements. In this executive-level role, you will oversee the planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness of mission-critical facilities across multiple sites. You will establish scalable building designs and engineering standards while adapting to evolving technologies, site conditions, and customer needs. Working across electrical, mechanical, controls, and reliability engineering, you will ensure infrastructure is resilient, energy-efficient, safe, and commercially viable. You will also build multidisciplinary teams and strategic partnerships to deliver complex construction projects in parallel. This opportunity is ideal for a hands-on engineering leader who combines new-build construction expertise, technical judgment, and a forward-thinking approach to AI infrastructure.
Accountabilities:
- Define and lead the facilities engineering strategy across a portfolio of AI data center campuses, including greenfield developments, powered-shell projects, modular deployments, expansions, and selected retrofits.
- Develop repeatable campus architectures, building designs, engineering standards, technical specifications, and design guidelines that can be adapted to different utility systems, climates, site constraints, construction schedules, and customer requirements.
- Serve as the senior technical owner throughout the full project lifecycle, from site selection and technical due diligence through design, construction, commissioning, handover, and initial operational readiness.
- Lead the development and construction of new data center facilities, ensuring seamless integration of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, and other mission-critical systems.
- Build and lead multidisciplinary engineering teams spanning electrical, mechanical, controls, and reliability engineering, while developing external partnerships with consultants, contractors, utilities, and equipment vendors.
- Oversee the design and lifecycle management of critical infrastructure, including medium-voltage power distribution, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, generators, cooling plants, HVAC, building management systems (BMS), electrical power monitoring systems (EPMS), data center infrastructure management (DCIM), and fire protection.
- Design and optimize infrastructure for high-density GPU computing and liquid-cooled AI environments using advanced NVIDIA and AMD hardware platforms, including direct-to-chip cooling and rack densities of up to 150 kW per rack.
- Establish reliability engineering practices, predictive maintenance programs, failure analysis, commissioning standards, and asset lifecycle management processes to maximize uptime and long-term performance.
- Provide technical oversight for new construction, campus expansions, infrastructure upgrades, commissioning, and modernization initiatives, ensuring facilities meet operational, safety, reliability, and quality requirements.
- Improve energy and resource efficiency through initiatives targeting power usage effectiveness (PUE), water usage effectiveness (WUE), and broader sustainability objectives.
- Ensure compliance with applicable building codes, engineering standards, safety regulations, and industry best practices.
- Manage engineering budgets, capital improvement programs, technical vendors, consultants, and external delivery partners while maintaining cost discipline and schedule accountability.
- Evaluate technical risks, document assumptions, communicate decisions transparently, and identify potential issues early to reduce redesign, change orders, commissioning delays, and avoidable lifecycle costs.
- Align engineering decisions with site strategy, customer requirements, capital allocation, construction feasibility, delivery timelines, and long-term investment returns.
- Build repeatable engineering processes and a scalable technical organization capable of delivering multiple projects simultaneously without compromising safety, reliability, or adaptability.
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- At least 10 years of engineering experience in mission-critical facilities, data centers, industrial infrastructure, power systems, or related environments, with substantial involvement in the design and construction of new facilities.
- At least 7 years of experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and coordinating complex technical projects.
- Strong expertise in mechanical and electrical infrastructure for high-availability environments, including power distribution, backup generation, UPS systems, cooling technologies, and critical facility systems.
- Demonstrated experience with hyperscale, AI, or high-performance computing (HPC) data center infrastructure, including the engineering requirements associated with high-density computing environments.
- Proven understanding of building design, construction execution, commissioning, technical due diligence, and operational readiness for mission-critical facilities.
- Knowledge of medium-voltage electrical systems, chilled water plants, liquid cooling, thermal management, HVAC, BMS, EPMS, and DCIM platforms.
- Experience with reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), root cause analysis, predictive maintenance, and asset lifecycle management.
- Ability to establish engineering standards and repeatable design processes while remaining adaptable to evolving technologies, customer requirements, and project constraints.
- Strong commercial and financial judgment, including an understanding of how engineering decisions affect construction costs, capital requirements, project schedules, site feasibility, customer suitability, and long-term returns.
- Demonstrated ability to make sound technical decisions with incomplete information, assess risks, communicate assumptions clearly, and escalate critical issues proactively.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work constructively with executives, investors, customers, utilities, contractors, consultants, and equipment manufacturers.
- A hands-on leadership approach, combining executive-level strategy with the ability to review technical drawings, conduct site visits, assess equipment strategies, and guide detailed engineering decisions.
- Experience developing engineering organizations, building external partner networks, managing vendors, and delivering multiple construction projects in parallel.
- A master's degree in engineering, Engineering Management, or an MBA is preferred.
- A Professional Engineer (PE) license is an advantage.
- Industry certifications such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Data Centre Professional or Manager (CDCP/CDCMP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) are beneficial.
- Annual compensation ranging from $150,000 to $180,000.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Paid time off (PTO).
- Sick leave.
- Maternity and paternity leave.
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Additional supplemental benefits options.
- The opportunity to shape the engineering strategy, campus architecture, and construction standards of a developing AI data center platform.
- Significant influence over site development, customer solutions, capital deployment, team building, and long-term infrastructure strategy.
- The opportunity to establish engineering processes and build a multidisciplinary organization from the ground up.
- An environment that values practical engineering judgment, intellectual honesty, thoughtful experimentation, and continuous improvement.
How Jobgether works:
We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.
We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!
Why Apply Through Jobgether?
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