Senior Data Center Consultant

Ramboll•Boston, MA

6d•$125,000 - $155,000

About The Position

EYP Mission Critical Facilities, part of Ramboll Americas Engineering, provides data center consulting and strategy, design, and commissioning services. The Consulting group develops data center strategies that address clients’ IT and network architecture and future objectives, including sourcing decisions involving existing facilities, colocation, cloud services, or new construction. Its work includes developing data center topology, reliability and redundancy requirements, and financial analysis, as well as assessing facilities for investors considering data center acquisitions or development. The Senior Data Center Consultant supports and leads analysis of data center infrastructure for strategy and due diligence projects. The role requires expertise across electrical systems, mechanical systems, operations, and conceptual master planning. The successful candidate serves as a client partner and project executive for projects they develop, participates in project delivery, learns and uses the group’s analytical tools, and manages project quality, client relationships, and financial forecasts. The consultant presents findings and recommendations to clients, including senior executives, and may contribute as an industry expert through symposiums, professional journals, and webinars. Team members generally work from a home office and travel as required. Travel averages 25%–50%, with periods of sustained travel possible, particularly for global projects. The anticipated base salary is $125,000–$155,000 per year; actual compensation may vary by location, skills, experience, education, and internal equity. The position may also be eligible for bonus, overtime, or other compensation, and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

Expertise interpreting electrical one-line diagrams and evaluating mission-critical electrical distribution systems, including utility service, switchgear, UPS, generators, transfer switches, PDUs, transformers, and grounding systems.
Strong understanding of electrical redundancy concepts such as N, N+1, and 2N; reliability principles; load calculations; power capacity; single points of failure; and practical risk mitigation.
Ability to assess the condition, operation, and maintenance effectiveness of critical power infrastructure, including UPS and battery systems, standby power, distribution equipment, and controls.
Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting operational data from electrical infrastructure to assess performance, reliability, energy efficiency, and alignment with industry practices.
Working knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC), mission-critical facility design standards, and safe work in energized or critical-infrastructure environments.
Ability to interpret mechanical one-line drawings and evaluate mission-critical HVAC infrastructure, including central cooling plants and CRAC/CRAH systems, redundancy, and system load capacity.
Ability to assess mechanical infrastructure, including chillers, cooling towers, heat-rejection systems, pumps, valves, piping, thermal storage, controls, and instrumentation.
Ability to identify mechanical system components, single points of failure, reliability risks, and energy optimization opportunities, and to provide practical recommendations.
Experience collecting and analyzing mechanical operational data and performing calculations related to cooling capacity, power, kVA, power factor, and energy performance.
Knowledge of mission-critical mechanical best practices, redundancy classifications, reliability principles such as MTBF, MTTR, availability, and maintainability, and safe work practices.
Ability to develop maintenance staffing plans and define technical skills needed for mission-critical operations.
Ability to operate and evaluate BMS/BAS supporting critical infrastructure.
Ability to assess operational documentation and practices, including raised-floor environments, fire systems, and critical equipment records.
Comprehensive knowledge of EPO, VESDA, FM-200, Ansul, sprinkler and pre-action systems, and physical security technologies such as card access, video surveillance, biometric access, and perimeter protection.
Ability to evaluate facilities, contribute to planning, support conceptual infrastructure designs, assess critical loading and Tier/redundancy requirements, and provide ROM estimates of approximately +/- 30%.
Strong communication, presentation, writing, and computer skills, including use of Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to communicate professionally, effectively, and persuasively with clients, including CIOs, CFOs, COOs, and other senior leaders.
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and serve as a confident, customer-facing technical subject matter expert.
Ability to manage and participate in major project delivery, manage project quality and client relationships, and meet forecast financial measures.
Ability to travel as required; stated travel averages 25%–50%, with possible periods of sustained travel.
Ability to pass a background check prior to an offer letter.

Nice To Haves

Applicable data center professional certifications.
10 or more years of data center operational experience in privately owned or colocation facilities.
BA/BS from an accredited college or university; an engineering or computer science degree is a plus.
U.S. passport and ability to travel internationally.

Responsibilities

Analyze data center infrastructure as part of strategy development and due diligence projects, covering electrical, mechanical, operations, and master-planning considerations.
Interpret electrical one-line diagrams and evaluate mission-critical electrical distribution, capacity, redundancy, reliability, condition, maintenance, performance, energy efficiency, and compliance.
Interpret mechanical one-line drawings and assess HVAC infrastructure, cooling capacity, redundancy, condition, maintenance, reliability, energy performance, and optimization opportunities.
Collect and analyze operational data and perform engineering calculations related to electrical and mechanical systems, cooling capacity, power, kVA, power factor, and energy performance.
Develop maintenance staffing plans and identify the technical skills needed to operate mission-critical facilities.
Operate and evaluate Building Monitoring and Control Systems (BMS/BAS) for critical mechanical and electrical infrastructure.
Assess facility condition, maintenance practices, documentation, fire detection and suppression systems, raised-floor environments, and critical equipment records.
Evaluate maintenance management, change management, and security processes; identify single points of failure and reliability risks; and recommend practical, cost-effective mitigations.
Evaluate facilities and contribute to planning sessions and workshops.
Work with engineering and design colleagues to develop conceptual designs for infrastructure expansion or capacity changes.
Evaluate redundancy requirements, Tier levels, and critical loading needs for greenfield data center options.
Prepare rough order of magnitude estimates, with approximately +/- 30% accuracy, for recommendations.
Present technical findings and recommendations to customers at all levels, including senior executives.
Act as client partner and project executive for developed projects; manage project delivery, quality, client relationships, and forecast financial measures.
Participate in project delivery and learn and use the group’s analytical tools as needed.
Contribute as an industry expert in symposiums, professional journals, and webinars.
Travel as required, including occasional sustained travel for global projects.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package supporting well-being, professional development, and work-life balance.
Position may be eligible for bonus, overtime, or other forms of compensation.

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