Director, Critical Environments - Engineering

Cushman & Wakefield•Austin, TX

About The Position

The Director of Critical Environments–Engineering is part of the Corporate Critical Environments/Data Center central subject matter expert team and provides expertise to the critical solutions business. The role oversees critical-environment engineering and operational requirements across GOS C&W engineering, IFM, and data center platforms, supporting GOS critical accounts. It interacts closely with senior management, regional engineering management, and property management. The position provides engineering oversight in data center environments, supporting continuous uptime, system redundancy, mission-critical infrastructure standards, Tier-level compliance, and SLA requirements. It leads and advises on critical systems, including power distribution, cooling infrastructure, fire suppression, building automation, HVAC, MEP, life safety, automation, and security systems. The director works with data center operations, site stakeholders, clients, and technical teams to support business continuity, incident response, performance optimization, capacity planning, and infrastructure scalability. The role also supports regulatory compliance, audit readiness, technical programs and procedures, safety, quality assurance, sustainability, energy management, Energy Star, and energy and water tracking. It conducts site inspections and property, mechanical, electrical, and systems assessments; evaluates supplier and technician performance; supports client and corporate initiatives; assists with project scopes, contract negotiations, and bid reviews; and maintains a network of qualified consultants and service providers. The director provides prompt responses to requests from company leadership and clients. The position requires the ability to travel up to an estimated 30–40%. Cushman & Wakefield states that eligible employees may enroll in a variety of benefits, and that compensation depends on applicable eligibility factors and candidate qualifications.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
Two-year technical degree plus 3 to 5 years of related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
Experience working in a data center environment.
At least 10 years of commercial property experience.
At least 3 years of management-level experience in facilities or property maintenance, engineering, building systems installation and operation, project management, and supervision of skilled trades and technical staff.
Experience in building operations.
Experience managing unionized and non-unionized employees.
Operating Engineers License as required by local jurisdictions, or equivalent.
Technical proficiency in mechanical, electrical, and control systems used in the property management industry.
Expertise in the operation, management, and cost controls of property operations.
Knowledge of interpreting and applying applicable commercial building codes and standards.
Experience reading and interpreting blueprints, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and BAS SOO.
Strong understanding of project management processes.
Basic computing skills in Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Functional and technical knowledge of building-system operation, with proficiency in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical distribution systems.
Ability to prepare and present detailed reports, write professional business correspondence and procedural manuals, and present information effectively to groups.
Ability to define problems, gather and assess relevant information, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, implement solutions and repairs, and delegate to appropriate personnel.
Ability to interpret a wide variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and work with abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to travel up to an estimated 30–40%.

Nice To Haves

Completion of technical school study relating to HVAC design and maintenance is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide engineering support and oversight in data center environments to maintain uptime, redundancy, and compliance with mission-critical infrastructure, Tier-level, and SLA requirements.
Lead engineering efforts involving power distribution, cooling infrastructure, fire suppression, and building automation systems.
Partner with data center operations teams, site stakeholders, and client representatives on business continuity, incident response, and performance optimization.
Support capacity planning and infrastructure scalability in collaboration with IT, facilities, and project management teams.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and industry standards and support audit readiness and site documentation.
Assist in developing, implementing, and monitoring technical programs, policies, and procedures for National Operations and Engineering.
Work with clients and facility management teams to coordinate safety, quality assurance, sustainability, energy management, Energy Star, engineering disciplines, and energy and water tracking tools.
Conduct periodic site inspections under national Engineering platform guidelines and review client sites and the performance of suppliers and self-performing technicians.
Conduct physical property, mechanical, electrical, and systems assessments as needed or requested.
Provide leadership and direction for implementing client and corporate initiatives.
Provide operating staff with direction and consultation on HVAC, MEP, fire and life safety, automation, security, and OSHA compliance.
Assist with scope definition, contract negotiations, and bid reviews for service and capital replacement projects.
Establish and maintain a network of consultants and pre-qualified service providers to support field teams with specialized expertise.
Respond promptly and effectively to requests from company leadership and clients.
Prepare and present detailed reports on building operations and systems, write business correspondence and procedural manuals, and present information to managers, clients, and customers.
Define problems, assess relevant information, draw conclusions, implement solutions or repairs, and delegate work to appropriate personnel.