Principal Mechanical Engineer, NA

Vantage Data Centers•Ashburn, VA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

Vantage is seeking a Principal Engineer, Mechanical Engineering, to serve as a senior technical leader within its Design Engineering Department and drive innovation, quality, and performance across hyperscale data center projects in North America. This individual contributor role sets engineering direction, solves complex technical challenges, influences cross-functional initiatives, mentors engineers, and represents the mechanical discipline in strategic planning and customer engagements. The position may be based at any of Vantage’s listed U.S. locations and follows a flexible work policy requiring three days onsite and two days remote. Travel is expected to be up to 15–25%, with the possibility of increasing as the business evolves. The role provides technical leadership across design, construction, commissioning, turnover, and operational readiness. It collaborates with internal disciplines and supports customer-facing engagements, while advancing mechanical design standards, best practices, system performance, and efficiency. The position also investigates operational issues and failures through forensic analysis and root cause investigations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
5–8 years of experience in mechanical design, construction, and operations.
Data center or mission-critical experience.
Proven track record of leading complex technical initiatives and influencing cross-functional teams.
Expertise in design and documentation tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, BIM, and CFD modeling.
Experience with reporting platforms such as Excel and Power BI.
Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
Deep knowledge of building codes, standards, and industry best practices, such as ASHRAE.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Define and drive mechanical engineering strategy across North American data center projects.
Lead complex technical problem-solving and provide expert guidance on design, construction, and operations.
Influence engineering standards, design principles, and long-term organizational planning.
Provide technical leadership on major projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals.
Review and approve critical design decisions, submittals, and change management actions.
Support commissioning, turnover, and operational readiness activities.
Partner with electrical, architectural, operations, and innovation engineering teams to develop integrated solutions.
Represent mechanical engineering in Centers of Excellence, strategic forums, and executive-level discussions.
Support customer-facing engagements, including RFP responses, technical presentations, and post-lease coordination.
Mentor engineers across all levels and contribute to onboarding, training, and development.
Promote continuous improvement, technical excellence, and knowledge sharing.
Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies and apply insights to improve system performance and efficiency.
Lead efforts to refine mechanical design standards and best practices.
Conduct forensic analysis and root cause investigations for operational issues and failures.
Perform other duties as assigned by management.