Lead Mechanical Engineer- Mission Critical (Data Centers)

Job Description

About The Role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design for mission critical facilities, covering HVAC, chilled water systems, air distribution, heat rejection systems, and integration with electrical and ICT systems.
• Develop high-quality designs, specifications, and technical reports in line with client requirements, local regulations, and international standards.
• Deliver thermal load assessments, capacity planning, redundancy and resilience strategies (e.g., N+1, 2N) for critical cooling systems.
• Integrate energy efficiency, free cooling, and sustainable technologies into design strategies to minimize operational costs and environmental impact.
• Coordinate closely with electrical, structural, public health, fire protection, and ICT teams to ensure fully integrated, clash-free, and optimized designs.
• Lead technical reviews, ensure quality control of design deliverables, and manage budgets, deliverables, and programme schedules.
• Maintain strong client relationships, presenting solutions, managing expectations, and acting as a trusted technical advisor from bid stage through to project completion.
• Mentor and develop junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Contribute to the development, adaptation, and optimization of client standard designs, as well as bespoke engineering solutions.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or Building Services Engineering (Master’s degree or Chartered Engineer status preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience, with at least 3 years focused on mission critical and/or data centre projects.
• Proven expertise in cooling system design for high-availability environments, including CRAC/CRAH, chilled water, direct expansion, and adiabatic cooling solutions.
• Strong understanding of mechanical-electrical integration, controls/BMS strategies, and commissioning processes for data centres.
• Experience with hyperscale and AI data centre cooling design strategies is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in design tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, IES, CFD modelling, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to produce technical designs, calculations, and specifications to a high standard.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead discussions, influence outcomes, and work across multiple disciplines and geographies.

Why Join Us?

• Work on globally significant mission critical projects, influencing the next generation of AI and hyperscale data centre mechanical design.
• Be part of a globally recognised, fast-growing mission critical team delivering projects that combine technical excellence, sustainability, and commercial success.
• Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary, innovative environment where your work shapes both standardised and bespoke engineering solutions.
• Access continuous professional development, global career pathways, and opportunities to contribute to industry-leading innovation.
• Join a team that values knowledge sharing, client partnership, and engineering excellence.
• Take on some of the world's toughest challenges- with everyone at GHD backing you every step of the way.
• At GHD, we celebrate the power of a multicultural workforce and champion individual achievement.
• As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing fair and inclusive employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees—regardless of background, identity, or experience.
• We believe that diversity drives innovation, and we welcome the unique perspectives that each team member brings to our organization.