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Director, Mechanical Engineering, NA

Vantage Data Centers · Ashburn, VA · 1 wk ago
HybridEngineeringFull-time

Position Overview

This role can be based in any of our US locations: Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Santa Clara, CA; or Ashburn, VA in alignment with our flexible work policy (3 days onsite, 2 days flexible).

Essential Job Functions

  • Strategic Leadership

  • Define and drive the vision for design and engineering initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices.

  • Lead strategic planning for engineering projects, balancing innovation with operational excellence.

  • Evaluate emerging technologies and design methodologies to enhance enterprise value and maintain competitive advantage.

  • Represent the organization in industry forums and maintain strong engagement with the data center engineering community to stay ahead of trends.

  • Influence & Collaboration

  • Build strong relationships across internal teams (Construction, Mission Critical Operation, Market Development, Sales) and external stakeholders (Consultants, Vendors, Contractors).

  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing insights that influence business strategy and product development.

  • Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation through initiatives like the “Employee Think Tank,” ensuring ideas are heard and acted upon.

  • Communicate effectively with department leadership through reports and presentations that drive informed decision-making.

  • Autonomy & Decision-Making

  • Exercise independent judgment in managing engineering activities from concept through commissioning across the portfolio.

  • Drive design and engineering decisions to conclusion, balancing technical requirements, budget constraints, and business priorities.

  • Oversee consultant/vendor qualification and make recommendations for technology adoption and deployment.

  • Ensure lessons learned are integrated into processes to promote continuous improvement.

  • Managerial Capacity

  • Provide thought leadership and accountability for team performance, budget, and schedule adherence.

  • Oversee QA/QC processes, while mentoring and developing engineering staff, fostering professional growth and technical excellence.

  • Manage team workload effectively to maintain balance, drive efficiency while ensuring timely delivery of high-quality work products.

  • Recruit, lead, and manage high-performing mechanical SME team – driving collaboration, accountability, and delivering excellence.

Nature of Work

  • Lead all aspects of Mechanical Design and Engineering, including site assessment, conceptual design, basis of design, scope of work, and development of construction documents.

  • Oversee inputs and deliverables to guarantee that new data center spaces meet all applicable requirements (BOD, specifications, codes, leases, etc.), while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and added value.

  • Develop and refine design standards to align with company vision and industry benchmarks.

  • Cook with site operations to define project requirements and design criteria and provide support for any issues that arise once critical infrastructure is in operation.

  • Work with sales and marketing to provide technical support wherever needed.

  • Stay abreast of new technologies and opportunities to innovate within and beyond the data center industry.

Additional Responsibilities

  • Develop and manage content for team learning and onboarding, promoting transparency and two-way communication across the organization.

Job Requirements

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

  • Registration as a US-based Professional Engineer (P.E.) strongly preferred.

  • Experience: 8+ years of experience in a management role required. 15+ years of experience in mechanical design and construction required, 20+ years preferred.

  • Data Center experience is required.

  • Extensive experience in leading technical design teams including: Cross-discipline knowledge and understanding, including Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architectural, and other critical data center trades.

  • Strong understanding of the design, construction, commissioning, and operations processes for North American development projects.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

  • Strong analytical skills with demonstrated problem solving ability.

  • Experience in CSA (civil, structural, architectural) and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) design, engineering and construction is a requirement.

  • Familiar with engineering analysis tools such as PipeFlow, 6Sigma CFD software, etc.

  • Travel required is expected to be 15 to 25% but may increase over time as the business evolves.

  • Excellent communication skills to effectively work with present information to executive management, operations, sales engineering and finance.

Skills

  • Ability to multitask and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.

  • Strong organizational and project management skills.

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office.

  • Understanding of AutoCAD, Revit, BIM, Navisworks and CFD modeling software environments.

  • Well versed with all building codes and ordinances, including ASHRAE.

  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

  • Proactive, Problem-solving mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.

  • Familiarity with AI tools to support process automation and data analysis.

  • High level of integrity and professionalism.

Physical Demands And Special Requirements

  • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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