Senior Data Center Consultant

Ramboll • Arlington, VA

2d • $125,000 - $155,000 • Remote

About The Position

Ramboll is hiring a Senior Data Center Consultant for its Data Center Facilities team. The role provides leadership and technical analysis of data center infrastructure as part of strategy development projects. The consultant evaluates mission-critical electrical and mechanical systems, facility operations, reliability, capacity, maintenance practices, and risks, then develops practical recommendations to improve availability, resilience, maintainability, and efficiency.

The position also contributes to conceptual master planning, facility expansion and capacity-change designs, greenfield site loading assessments, and rough-order-of-magnitude cost estimates. The consultant works with engineering and design colleagues, presents findings to customers at all levels, and manages major projects as a client partner and project executive, overseeing project quality, client relationships, and forecast financial measures. The role includes learning and using the group’s analytic tools and representing the company as an industry expert in symposiums, professional journals, and webinars.

Team members generally work from a home office and travel as required. Travel averages 25%–50%, with possible periods of sustained travel, particularly for global projects. The position offers a base salary range of $125,000–$155,000 per year and may also be eligible for bonus, overtime, or other compensation. Ramboll describes its benefits package as comprehensive and supportive of well-being, professional development, and work-life balance.

Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise interpreting electrical one-line diagrams and evaluating mission-critical electrical distribution systems.
• Strong understanding of electrical redundancy concepts, reliability principles, load calculations, power capacity, and identification and mitigation of single points of failure.
• Ability to assess the condition, operation, and maintenance effectiveness of critical electrical infrastructure, including UPS and battery systems, standby power, distribution equipment, and controls.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting electrical infrastructure operational data to assess performance, reliability, energy efficiency, and alignment with industry best 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 HVAC infrastructure in mission-critical facilities, including 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 analyze mechanical designs for component issues, single points of failure, reliability risks, and energy optimization opportunities, and to recommend improvements.
• Ability to collect, interpret, and analyze mechanical operational data and perform calculations related to cooling capacity, power, kVA, power factor, and energy performance.
• Knowledge of mission-critical mechanical systems, redundancy classifications, reliability principles such as MTBF, MTTR, availability, and maintainability, and safe work practices.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to serve as a customer-facing mechanical subject matter expert and clearly communicate technical findings and recommendations while following written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to evaluate data center redundancy requirements and Tier levels.
• Ability to provide rough-order-of-magnitude estimates with approximately +/- 30% accuracy.
• Ability to manage and participate in major projects, act as a client partner and project executive, and manage project quality, client relationships, and financial forecasts.
• Strong professional verbal and written presentation skills, including the ability to communicate persuasively with senior client executives.
• Ability to travel as required; travel may average 25%–50% and can include sustained periods, especially for global projects.

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• Ability to pass a background check prior to receiving an offer letter.
• U.S. passport and ability to travel internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support analysis of data center infrastructure for strategy development projects.
• Interpret electrical one-line diagrams and evaluate mission-critical electrical distribution systems, including utility service, switchgear, UPS, generators, transfer switches, PDUs, transformers, and grounding systems.
• Evaluate electrical redundancy, reliability, load calculations, power capacity, single points of failure, and risk-mitigation options.
• Assess the condition, operation, maintenance effectiveness, performance, reliability, energy efficiency, and compliance of critical power infrastructure.
• Interpret mechanical one-line drawings and assess HVAC infrastructure, cooling capacity, redundancy, system loads, reliability risks, and energy optimization opportunities.
• Analyze operational data and perform engineering calculations related to cooling capacity, power, kVA, power factor, and energy performance.
• Develop maintenance staffing plans and define technical skill requirements for mission-critical facility operations.
• Operate and evaluate Building Monitoring and Control Systems (BMS/BAS) supporting critical mechanical and electrical infrastructure.
• Assess infrastructure condition, maintenance practices, and documentation, including raised-floor environments, fire detection and suppression systems, and critical equipment records.
• Evaluate maintenance management, change management, and security processes for reliability, compliance, and best practices.
• Identify infrastructure reliability risks and single points of failure, and develop practical, cost-effective recommendations to improve data center availability.
• Evaluate facilities and contribute to planning sessions and workshops.
• Work with engineering and design colleagues to develop conceptual designs for infrastructure expansion and capacity changes.
• Evaluate critical loading requirements for greenfield data center options and provide rough-order-of-magnitude estimates for recommendations.
• Present findings and interact with customers at all levels.
• Manage and participate in major project delivery as the client partner and project executive, overseeing project quality, client relationships, and forecast financial measures.
• Learn and use the group’s analytic tools and support their use as required.
• Communicate professionally, effectively, and persuasively with clients, including senior executives, in written and verbal form.
• Participate as an industry expert in symposiums, professional journals, and webinars.
• Travel as required, including possible sustained travel for global projects.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package supporting well-being, professional development, and work-life balance.
• Position may be eligible for a bonus, overtime, or other forms of compensation in addition to base salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed