Director, Engineering Standards & Safety

NTT Global Data Centers • NorCal, CA

1d • Remote

About The Position

The Director, Engineering Standards and Safety is a global role that leads the global function that defines how engineering work is performed safely and consistently across data center operations. The role owns engineering standards, technical methods, operating boundaries, asset-acceptance criteria and the governance of technical deviations and risk acceptances. This director leads a multidisciplinary team covering electrical, mechanical, controls, fire and life safety, and related engineering disciplines. The discipline standards engineers carry the primary research, evidence development, consultation and drafting workload. The Director sets priorities, challenges the evidence and retains final approval and governance authority. The function works with Field Engineering, Operations, Design, Construction, Commissioning, vendors and corporate safety teams to convert technical risk and operating experience into practical global requirements. Regional teams remain accountable for executing engineering work. Clear standards and safety controls help operating teams run critical facilities safely and efficiently, maintain reliable infrastructure, reduce avoidable environmental impact and provide consistent technical support to clients.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, controls, fire-protection or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant education and experience where company policy permits.
• At least 12 years of progressive engineering experience in mission-critical facilities, industrial infrastructure, utilities or a comparable high-availability environment.
• At least 5 years of experience leading engineering teams, technical authorities or enterprise standards programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing or governing engineering standards, technical methods, safety requirements or formal risk-acceptance processes.
• Experience working with data center or other mission-critical electrical, cooling and controls infrastructure.
• Experience operating across multiple regions or business units and influencing senior technical and operational stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of engineering principles used in mission-critical or data center facilities, with strong working knowledge across electrical, mechanical and controls systems.
• Strong knowledge of engineering risk management, technical assurance, change control and standards governance.
• Knowledge of energized-work safety, arc-flash analysis, short-circuit and breaker-coordination principles.
• Knowledge of control sequences, building-management systems, electrical power-management systems, alarm philosophy and operational technology interfaces.
• Working knowledge of fire detection, suppression and life-safety engineering requirements.
• Ability to translate codes, regulations, operating experience and technical analysis into clear, usable global standards.
• Ability to evaluate complex technical evidence, make risk-based decisions and explain the basis for those decisions.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across regions and cultures.
• Strong organizational leadership, workforce planning, coaching and performance-management skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and resolve ownership or technical conflicts without relying on direct authority.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including standards, executive briefings and technical decision records.
• Ability to balance safety, reliability, operability, efficiency, cost and long-term asset health.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in engineering, engineering management or a related field.
• Professional Engineer, Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional registration.
• Experience with relevant NFPA, IEEE, IEC, ISO, ASHRAE or equivalent regional standards.
• Formal training or certification in electrical safety, functional safety, fire protection, risk management or management systems.
• Experience participating in industry standards bodies, technical committees or regulatory engagement.

Responsibilities

• Set the global strategy, priorities and operating model for Engineering Standards & Safety.
• Set the standards-development portfolio and research priorities, assign accountable discipline engineers and ensure work is proportionate to risk and business need.
• Review and approve engineering standards, technical methods and analytical models developed through documented research and cross-functional consultation.
• Ensure discipline engineers engage Field Engineering, site Operations, vendors and other experts, reconcile material input and maintain a traceable technical basis for each recommendation.
• Define technical operating limits, system boundaries and escalation requirements for electrical, mechanical, controls, fire and life-safety systems.
• Establish engineering acceptance criteria for assets and systems entering operation, in partnership with Design, Construction, Commissioning and Operations.
• Define validation frameworks for reliability analysis, energy analysis, technical-capacity analysis and control-strategy design.
• Own the governance process for technical deviations and engineering risk acceptances, including approval authorities, evidence requirements, review periods and escalation thresholds.
• Define engineering safety requirements for energized work, arc-flash risk, breaker coordination and other high-risk engineering activities.
• Establish global control-system and alarm philosophy, including control-sequence principles, setpoint governance, alarm requirements, point naming, tagging and metadata standards.
• Establish fire and life-safety engineering requirements and assurance methods in partnership with corporate safety, regional teams and authorities having jurisdiction.
• Monitor adoption of standards, identify systemic compliance gaps and sponsor corrective actions without assuming regional execution ownership.
• Ensure standards reflect operating experience, incident learning, regulatory requirements, recognized industry practices and changes in technology.
• Chair or sponsor governance forums that resolve cross-region technical questions, approve material exceptions and assign clear decision ownership.
• Build and lead a high-performing global team through workforce planning, hiring, coaching, performance management and succession planning.
• Communicate engineering requirements, material risks and decisions to senior leaders in clear technical and business terms.
• Manage the function's priorities, resources, external technical support and budget in line with approved business plans.

Benefits

• annual bonus
• paid time-off
• medical, dental, and vision benefits
• life and supplemental insurance
• short-term and long-term disability
• flexible spending account
• 401k retirement plan
• monthly stipend is provided to cover expenses associated with working remotely and use of a personal mobile device, if applicable

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director