Mechanical Engineering Lead, NA
About The Position
The Mechanical Engineering Lead serves as a strategic technical authority in Vantage’s North American Design Engineering department, guiding Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and external consultants in delivering hyperscale data centers across the company’s portfolio. The role sets direction for mechanical engineering, aligns SMEs on engineering vision, best practices, and technical standards, and drives innovation. It is a senior technical leadership position without direct supervisory responsibility, with an emphasis on mentoring SMEs, setting performance benchmarks, and supporting their professional growth. The position influences organization-wide engineering decisions and strategy, represents the mechanical discipline in customer discussions and cross-functional forums, and collaborates with department leadership and global teams. The lead provides technical direction across projects and initiatives, helping guide performance, budgets, schedules, stakeholder coordination, engineering standards, and continuous improvement. Responsibilities also include supporting operating facilities, forensic analysis of failures, emergency SME support, and team learning and onboarding. The role may be based remotely anywhere in the United States and requires an expected 15–25% travel, which may increase as the business evolves.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- 10–15+ years of experience in mechanical design and construction.
- Data center and/or mission-critical experience.
- Extensive experience leading technical design teams.
- Cross-discipline knowledge of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, and other critical data center trades.
- Strong understanding of design, construction, commissioning, and operations processes for North American development projects.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong analytical skills and demonstrated problem-solving ability.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Understanding of AutoCAD, Revit, BIM, Navisworks, and CFD modeling software environments.
- Knowledge of building codes and ordinances, including ASHRAE.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to multitask and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Problem-solving mindset focused on continuous improvement.
- High level of integrity and professionalism.
- Ability to travel an expected 15–25%, with travel potentially increasing as the business evolves.
- Ability to occasionally stand, walk, sit, handle or feel objects, reach, climb stairs, balance, stoop or kneel, talk, and hear.
- Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Nice To Haves
- Registration as a US-based Professional Engineer (P.E.) is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Drive organization-wide critical decisions in mechanical engineering, establish standards, and lead transformative innovation.
- Serve as a mechanical engineering thought leader and key resource, influencing organizational strategy and collaborating with department leadership.
- Align the SME team on engineering opinions, expectations, and best practices.
- Support customer-facing discussions and presentations, representing the mechanical discipline.
- Collaborate across the organization to align engineering vision, best practices, and strategic priorities.
- Represent mechanical engineering in Centers of Excellence and maintain influential relationships with cross-functional and global teams.
- Collaborate with department leadership to develop team goals, expectations, growth opportunities, budgets, and priorities; assess performance and provide feedback.
- Make pivotal technical decisions autonomously and guide mechanical engineering initiatives.
- Provide strategic guidance and technical leadership to SMEs and project teams, mentoring and developing future leaders.
- Lead discipline team meetings and share updates with the SME team while promoting transparent, two-way communication.
- Lead strategically important work, solve complex multidisciplinary problems, and drive continuous improvement in technical design standards.
- Track industry trends and innovations and help maintain best-in-class mechanical engineering practices.
- Guide engineering projects and initiatives, including performance, budget, schedule, and stakeholder coordination.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for cross-functional technical matters and delegate tasks to optimize SME workload and development opportunities.
- Support operating facilities, participate in failure forensic analysis, and serve as the main point of contact for emergency events requiring SME support.
- Develop and manage team learning and onboarding content.
- Handle additional duties as assigned by Management.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Life and AD&D coverage.
- Short- and long-term disability coverage.
- Paid time off.
- Employee assistance.
- Participation in a 401(k) program with company match.
- Additional voluntary benefits.
- Comprehensive health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits.
- Above-market total compensation package.
- Recognition, training, and development opportunities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
