Lead Staff Laboratory Engineer - Datacenter Testing

UL Solutions • Northbrook, IL

1d • $142,000 - $189,000

About The Position

The Lead Staff Laboratory Engineer – Data Center Testing serves as a technical liaison between UL Solutions teams supporting current and emerging data center projects and Integrated Laboratory Operations. The role develops subject-matter expertise in data center systems and helps UL anticipate the laboratory infrastructure, equipment, technical capabilities, and operational readiness needed to support testing at data center scale.

The engineer evaluates future testing needs and helps plan laboratory capabilities, including potential new or expanded facilities. This includes defining facility, electrical, cooling, equipment, instrumentation, safety, and operational requirements; identifying technical and infrastructure limitations; and determining where laboratory investments should be focused. The role also translates data center system requirements into actionable requirements for laboratory and operations teams, provides technical guidance and training, and supports safe and effective execution of new or unusual projects across UL's laboratory network.

The position works across engineering, laboratory operations, principal engineers, business teams, technical leadership, and other stakeholders. It also monitors developments in data center architecture and infrastructure that may affect future testing requirements.

Requirements

• 10 or more years of relevant engineering experience, ideally involving data center power, cooling, critical facilities, or integrated infrastructure.
• Strong technical understanding of data center power and cooling infrastructure.
• Systems-level understanding of how electrical, mechanical, cooling, controls, and IT infrastructure interact within a data center.
• Experience assessing facility capacity and infrastructure requirements for new equipment or changing loads.
• Ability to identify technical limitations and determine what infrastructure changes are necessary to support new capabilities.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to work across engineering, laboratory operations, principal engineers, business teams, and technical leadership.
• Ability to communicate complex technical requirements clearly to internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Ability to operate effectively in an evolving environment where data center technologies, customer requirements, and testing demands are changing rapidly.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering is strongly preferred; Mechanical Engineering, HVAC, or another closely related engineering discipline may also be considered.
• Experience with laboratory environments, product testing, commissioning, validation, or technical qualification is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical liaison between Integrated Laboratory Operations and UL Solutions teams involved in data center projects.
• Develop subject-matter expertise in laboratory testing of data center systems and infrastructure.
• Evaluate upcoming data center testing needs and determine laboratory facility, equipment, power, cooling, safety, and technical-capability preparations.
• Assess how existing UL laboratory testing approaches may need to be adapted or scaled for the power, thermal, cooling, and system-level demands of data center equipment.
• Support planning for potential new or expanded laboratory facilities capable of higher-capacity data center testing.
• Help define technical requirements for facility infrastructure, electrical capacity, cooling, equipment, instrumentation, safety, and operational readiness.
• Identify where UL should focus technical and laboratory investments to support future data center testing demand.
• Partner with principal engineers, business teams, technical leadership, laboratory operations, and other stakeholders across labs and technical organizations.
• Translate data center system requirements into actionable requirements for laboratory and operations teams.
• Provide technical guidance and training to internal teams as UL expands its data center testing capabilities.
• Support technical evaluation of new or unusual data center projects and help determine how testing can be safely and effectively executed within UL's laboratory network.
• Monitor developments in data center architecture and infrastructure that could affect future testing requirements.

Benefits

• Annual bonus compensation with a target payout of 20% of base salary.
• Medical, dental, and vision health benefits.
• Wellness benefits, including mental and financial health benefits.
• 401(k) retirement savings.
• Paid time off for full-time employees, including 15 vacation days, 12 holidays including floating holidays, and 80 hours of sick time off.

What This Job Offers

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