Data Center Design Lead Structural

Mott MacDonald•The Woodlands, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water. We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story. If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America. We are seeking a Data Center Structural Design Lead to provide senior technical leadership across the planning, design, and delivery of complex data center and mission-critical infrastructure projects. This role will support the growth of our North American Data Center practice by leading structural design strategy, technical standards, project delivery, and client engagement across hyperscale, cloud, AI, colocation, enterprise, and mission-critical environments. The successful candidate will bring deep, dedicated experience in data center structural design, with a strong understanding of the unique requirements associated with large-scale, high-performance, resilient facilities. This includes experience with long-span structural systems, vibration-sensitive environments, equipment loading, rooftop and yard-mounted mechanical and electrical infrastructure, phased expansion, modular construction, seismic design, maintainability, and speed-to-market considerations. This role will work closely with architecture, mechanical, electrical, civil, telecoms, construction, commissioning, commercial, and global delivery teams to ensure structural solutions are technically robust, cost-effective, constructable, scalable, and aligned with client requirements. The Structural Design Lead will also play an important role in mentoring technical teams, supporting major pursuits, strengthening delivery capability, and helping establish consistent data center design standards across North America.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architectural Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Professional Engineer, Structural Engineer, Chartered Engineer, or equivalent professional registration preferred.
20+ years experience leading structural design for data center, mission-critical, industrial, semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, or complex infrastructure projects.
Demonstrated experience working on data center projects as a core area of technical focus, ideally across hyperscale, cloud, AI, colocation, or enterprise environments.
Strong understanding of structural systems for large-scale technical facilities, including steel framing, concrete systems, foundations, equipment supports, modular systems, seismic design, vibration control, and phased expansion.
Experience supporting fast-track design and construction programs with integrated engineering, construction, procurement, and client teams.
Ability to coordinate effectively with mechanical, electrical, architectural, civil, telecoms, security, fire protection, commissioning, and operations teams.
Knowledge of applicable North American building codes, seismic standards, structural design standards, sustainability considerations, and data center-specific performance requirements.
Experience with BIM, digital delivery, coordinated model-based design, clash resolution, and interdisciplinary design reviews.
Proven ability to review and approve technical deliverables, manage engineering risk, and drive high-quality project outcomes.
Strong client-facing skills, with the ability to support business development, technical presentations, proposals, and executive-level design discussions.
Experience mentoring engineers, building technical capability, and supporting recruitment or team growth.
Excellent communication, judgement, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Uptime Institute Tier Standards, TIA-942, LEED, ASHRAE, and mission-critical facility design principles preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the structural design strategy for major data center projects across North America, including hyperscale, AI, cloud, colocation, enterprise, and mission-critical facilities.
Provide technical leadership from feasibility and concept design through detailed engineering, construction support, commissioning, and operational handover.
Develop structural systems that support resilience, scalability, constructability, maintainability, speed-to-market, and long-term operational performance.
Lead structural design for steel, concrete, hybrid, modular, and prefabricated systems, including equipment platforms, roof structures, dunnage, utility yards, pipe racks, screen walls, and support systems for mission-critical infrastructure.
Evaluate structural implications of high-density equipment, heavy mechanical and electrical systems, seismic requirements, vibration control, blast or security considerations, and phased campus build-outs.
Partner with multidisciplinary design teams to coordinate building grids, equipment layouts, loading requirements, penetrations, access strategies, clearances, and constructability constraints.
Provide senior technical oversight for structural calculations, drawings, specifications, design reports, engineering studies, technical reviews, and quality control processes.
Support major pursuits, proposals, client presentations, technical interviews, and strategic account development by bringing credible data center design expertise.
Establish and improve discipline-specific design standards, delivery workflows, quality processes, lessons learned, and technical governance for data center projects.
Collaborate with construction and preconstruction teams to support value engineering, sequencing, prefabrication, procurement strategy, and field issue resolution.
Mentor structural engineers and design managers, supporting technical development, project leadership capability, succession planning, and recruitment.
Coordinate with global delivery teams to ensure consistent technical quality, efficient production, and alignment with North American codes, standards, and client expectations.
Stay current with emerging trends in AI-ready data centers, modular delivery, advanced cooling infrastructure, sustainability, embodied carbon, resilient design, and mission-critical construction practices.
Represent the organization with clients, partners, and industry stakeholders as a senior structural subject matter expert.