Data Center Market Leader / Senior Project Manager

About the role

Founded in 1966, LJB Inc. is a national engineering firm specializing in civil and structural engineering, with additional expertise in geospatial, safety, and environmental services. The firm has delivered successful projects in all 50 states and several countries. Within the Buildings Practice, LJB’s structural engineers are widely recognized for cost-efficient, high-performance designs, particularly in tilt-up construction and steel detailing, serving as the trusted structural partner for architects, general contractors, and building owners across North America.

The Data Center Market Leader / Senior Project Manager develops and executes the firm’s strategy for growing its data center portfolio while leading teams that deliver profitable, high-quality projects. This role combines market development, strategic client leadership, project oversight, and mentorship of teammates serving data center and mission-critical clients. Based in the Houston, Texas office.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a strategic plan to expand the firm’s presence in the data center market
• Partner with business development executives to identify opportunities, cultivate prospective clients, and secure new work that generates revenue growth
• Represent the firm at industry conferences, networking events, client meetings, and business development functions
• Monitor market trends, industry investment, competitor activity, and emerging opportunities to support strategic growth
• Assume client manager responsibility for strategic clients
• Lead proposal development, including scope of work, terms, schedule, fees, limitations, and other issues within corporate policy guidelines
• Mentor project manager teammates executing work in the market
• Establish project scope, schedules, budgets, staffing plans, and deliverables in coordination with clients and internal teams
• Manage multiple concurrent projects, ensuring delivery within established budgets, schedules, and quality expectations
• Coordinate structural engineering activities with architectural, civil, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and other design disciplines
• Ensure project teams follow the firm’s quality assurance procedures and satisfy applicable regulatory, code, permitting, and professional practice requirements
• Work closely with owners, developers, architects, general contractors, construction managers, and specialty contractors to resolve design and construction challenges
• Oversee project financial performance, including fee management, resource allocation, project profitability, and change management
• Provide technical oversight for structural systems supporting data centers and other mission-critical facilities
• Travel within the United States as needed for client meetings, project delivery, industry events, and visits to project sites and client locations

Qualifications

Required

• At least 10 years of structural engineering experience
• At least 5 years of project management responsibility in a consulting or engineering environment
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
• Professional Engineer (PE) license

Preferred

• Master’s degree in engineering or related field
• Structural Engineer (SE) license
• Ability to secure work in industrial, health care, cold-storage, or manufacturing markets through existing relationships

Skills

• Plan and prioritize work across multiple teams and concurrent projects, balancing client commitments, staffing needs, project risk, schedule, quality, and financial performance
• Make decisions that have an impact on a department’s credibility, operations, and/or services
• Desire to innovate and solve difficult problems from inception to final deliverable
• Ability to react quickly and calmly to high-pressure situations
• Ability to work independently and in team settings
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Pay

Annual compensation: $110,000 – $150,000 based upon experience, certifications, and regional market standards.

Benefits

LJB offers a comprehensive benefits package (details available via the firm’s benefits portal). The firm emphasizes the reach of an established national engineering firm combined with the opportunity to shape data center market strategy and lead complex, mission-critical projects. Employees build lasting client relationships, mentor engineering teammates, and apply technical expertise and business insight to expand the data center portfolio.