Mechanical Engineer, Power Generation

OpenAI • San Francisco, CA

1d • $257,000 - $327,000

About The Position

The Mechanical Engineer will design and integrate power-generation and balance-of-plant systems for large AI data center campuses. The role spans prime movers, fuel systems, exhaust, ventilation, cooling, water treatment, heat recovery, acoustics, fire interfaces, and plant auxiliaries. It combines first-principles engineering with vendor and field execution to deliver safe, efficient, maintainable systems suited to demanding operating profiles. Travel is 50%.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of mechanical engineering experience on power generation, oil and gas, industrial utilities, central plants, or mission-critical projects.
• Strong knowledge of rotating equipment, piping, heat transfer, fluid systems, thermal performance, ventilation, and mechanical auxiliaries.
• Experience with combined heat and power, heat recovery, modular generation, or microgrids.
• Experience with gas turbines, reciprocating engines, generators, or comparable large industrial equipment.
• Ability to evaluate vendor data, equipment curves, operating scenarios, failure modes, and maintenance constraints.
• Experience carrying designs through construction, startup, commissioning, and performance validation.
• Knowledge of applicable ASME, API, NFPA, ASHRAE, and environmental requirements.
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field.

Nice To Haves

• Professional Engineer license.
• Experience with process simulation, hydraulic modeling, CFD, or equipment-performance modeling.
• Experience supporting high-density data center loads and rapid infrastructure deployment.

Responsibilities

• Develop mechanical basis-of-design documents, process flow diagrams, P&IDs, specifications, calculations, and equipment requirements for power generation facilities.
• Design and review prime-mover auxiliaries, fuel gas or liquid fuel systems, exhaust, ventilation, cooling, lubrication, compressed air, water treatment, and heat-recovery systems.
• Evaluate thermal performance, hydraulic behavior, pressure drop, vibration, acoustics, emissions interfaces, redundancy, and maintenance requirements.
• Translate generation duty cycles and data center load profiles into equipment sizing, operating envelopes, and control requirements.
• Review OEM and EPC proposals, equipment selections, test plans, failure modes, service strategies, and lifecycle tradeoffs.
• Support procurement, factory acceptance testing, construction, startup, commissioning, performance testing, and root-cause investigations.
• Coordinate interfaces with electrical, controls, CSA, fuel supply, environmental, fire protection, and data center mechanical teams.
• Create repeatable mechanical reference designs and standards for future generation deployments.

What This Job Offers

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