The posting
About Nscale
Nscale is the vertically integrated AI cloud engineered for AI. We own and operate the full stack — energy, data centers, GPU superclusters, orchestration, and AI services — delivering high-performance infrastructure to AI-native companies, enterprises, and governments across Europe and the US. We are deploying GPU capacity at hyperscale, operating some of the densest, most advanced AI infrastructure in the world.
At Nscale, our Data Center Design team plays a critical role in turning AI infrastructure requirements into buildable, scalable facilities across our global portfolio. We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you'll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. If you join our team, you'll be contributing to building the technology that powers the future.
About the Role
As Director, Data Hall Design, you will build and lead Nscale's data hall design practice, the specialist function responsible for the physical design of AI infrastructure inside the data hall. This includes GPU rack layouts, high-speed network and storage topology, structured cabling, fiber tray routing, patch matrices, rack-level power distribution, and bill of materials development.
The role sits at the intersection of AI infrastructure architecture, physical data center design, construction delivery, and operations. You will translate complex GPU, networking, storage, power, and cooling requirements into precise, buildable design packages that construction, installation, procurement, and operations teams can execute with clarity.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role at launch. You will establish standards, templates, and quality processes, and build a scalable team of data hall designers as Nscale's global portfolio grows.
What You'll be Doing
- Own data hall layout design across Nscale's AI data center portfolio, from early concept layouts through construction-ready drawing packages. - Design rack layouts that optimize for GPU cluster topology, compute density, cooling strategy, power distribution, cable management, and operational access. - Translate network architecture into physical design for spine-leaf, fat-tree, rail-optimized GPU fabric, InfiniBand, Ethernet, storage, and management networks. - Produce clear data hall design deliverables, including layout plans, rack elevations, cable management plans, fiber tray layouts, patch matrices, topology diagrams, power distribution plans, BOMs, and asset documentation. - Design structured cabling systems for high-density AI environments, including fiber type, connector type, polarity, bend radius, slack management, labeling, color coding, and documentation standards. - Integrate thermal and power requirements into data hall layouts, including hot/cold aisle containment, rear-door heat exchangers, direct liquid cooling, immersion cooling, rack loads, power feeds, and cable pathway requirements. - Develop accurate bills of materials for data hall equipment, cabling, hardware, accessories, and procurement packages, from early budget estimates through construction-ready packages. - Establish DCIM and asset documentation standards covering rack positions, device assignments, port mappings, power connections, IP addressing, as-built records, and operational handover. - Partner closely with network engineering, IT architecture, MEP engineering, construction, procurement, operations, commissioning, and design technology teams. - Develop and maintain reusable data hall design standards, templates, reference layouts, quality review processes, and delivery cadences. - Stay current on AI hardware evolution, including new GPU generations, switch architectures, optical interconnects, liquid and immersion cooling, and increasing rack power densities. - Build and lead a team of data hall designers as the portfolio scales, setting expectations for technical quality, documentation, delivery pace, and cross-functional collaboration.
About You
- 10+ years of experience in data hall design, data center infrastructure design, IT infrastructure planning, structured cabling engineering, or a closely related technical field. - Deep experience designing physical infrastructure for high-density compute environments, including rack layout, power distribution, cooling integration, and structured cabling. - Strong knowledge of GPU cluster physical design, ideally including NVIDIA DGX/HGX systems, SuperPOD-scale environments, or comparable AI/HPC infrastructure. - Strong understanding of high-speed networking physical design, including InfiniBand, 100G/400G/800G Ethernet, spine-leaf and fat-tree topologies, and GPU fabric architectures. - Expertise in structured cabling and fiber infrastructure, including OS2, OM3/OM4/OM5, LC, MPO/MTP, polarity schemes, loss budgets, and high-density fiber management. - Demonstrated ability to produce production-quality design documentation, including data hall layouts, rack elevations, cable plans, fiber tray layouts, patch matrices, topology diagrams, and BOMs. - Experience developing procurement-ready bills of materials for complex data hall builds. - Familiarity with DCIM, IPAM, and asset management platforms such as NetBox, Nlyte, Sunbird, or equivalent systems. - Proficiency with AutoCAD, Visio, and at least one data center design, BIM, DCIM, or infrastructure documentation tool. - Working knowledge of rack-level and row-level power distribution, including PDUs, busway, overhead power, and rack power management. - Experience collaborating with MEP engineers, construction teams, procurement teams, and operations teams in a fast-paced, multi-project environment. - Ability to set standards, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and turn ambiguous infrastructure requirements into clear, buildable design packages.
Nice to Have
- Experience with direct liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, and immersion cooling integration in high-density data halls. - Familiarity with NVIDIA NVLink Switch System, Quantum InfiniBand, Spectrum Ethernet, and emerging AI fabric architectures. - Experience designing AI, HPC, hyperscale, cloud, or mission-critical data center environments. - Knowledge of optical transceiver types, silicon photonics, co-packaged optics, and their implications for high-speed server and switch connectivity. - Experience building or leading a data center infrastructure design team. - Experience integrating data hall assets into BIM, DCIM, digital twin, or operational documentation workflows. - Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Network Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline. - Relevant certifications such as BICSI RCDD, BICSI DCDC, NVIDIA DGX-related certifications, Cisco CCNA/CCNP, or equivalent credentials.
Why this role matters
The data hall is where Nscale's AI infrastructure comes to life. In this role, you will:
- Set a consistent documentation standard across layout, cabling, fiber, patching, rack elevation, power, BOM, and asset documentation for every Nscale data hall. - Enable GPU clusters to deploy at target density with clean cabling, correct fiber topology, accurate power distribution, and minimal field rework. - Deliver BOMs that procurement can rely on directly, making missing materials, substitutions, and emergency orders the exception. - Become a trusted technical partner to network engineering, IT architecture, MEP, construction, and operations from the earliest design stages. - Make DCIM and as-built documentation complete, current, and trusted as the operational source of truth. - Grow the data hall design practice from a hands-on lead role into a high-performing team with reusable standards, repeatable processes, and strong delivery discipline. - Turn Nscale's data hall designs into a competitive advantage in deploying AI infrastructure quickly, accurately, and reliably.
What We Can Offer You
At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and we want you at the core.
- Highly competitive package, including base salary and equity, with reviews every 12 months. - Join one of the fastest-growing tech startups: your chance to push boundaries, collaborate with brilliant minds, and make your mark on cutting-edge AI. - Expect a dynamic progression plan tailored to your ambitions. Grow by trying new things, leading, challenging the status quo, and owning your impact, always with our full support. - Human-first flexibility. We treat you as humans first. Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy to shape your day around life's moments. - Join our thriving remote-first team. Geography is no barrier to impact or connection. We build seamless virtual collaboration, empowering you wherever you work.
Equal Opportunities Statement
At Nscale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. We believe that a variety of perspectives enrich our work environment, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
If there's anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know.
The range below reflects the base salary for the position. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs. Nscale may offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.
Salary Range
$170,000—$240,000 USD
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