Principal Data Centre Engineer

We are looking to appoint a Senior / Principal Mechanical & Electrical Data Centre Engineer with proven, hands-on design experience in mission-critical environments. This is a technical engineering role, suited to someone who enjoys leading complex MEP designs and acting as a subject matter expert - not a project management position.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering robust, resilient and efficient data centre designs, while also providing high-level technical advice to major global data centre clients. The role combines detailed engineering design with strategic advisory work that frequently leads into full design commissions.

Most projects are currently UK-based, with increasing involvement in European projects for established international clients.

Our Data Centre Work:

Our data centre team works with major operators, developers and owners, including hyperscalers and colocation providers, on projects such as:

• New data centres up to 100MW
• Technical due diligence, feasibility studies and advisory reports
• Strategic asset replacement programmes
• Reviewing existing live data centres to increase capacity and resilience
• Design of MEP upgrades within operational facilities
• Compliance monitoring and performance reviews
• Preparation of detailed technical specifications and scopes of work
• Electrical protection studies and resilience assessments, * Lead the mechanical and electrical design of data centre projects from concept through detailed design
• Produce and review high-quality technical design deliverables, calculations and reports
• Develop and challenge resilience, redundancy and capacity strategies (e.g. N, N+1, 2N)
• Review existing MEP systems and propose technically robust upgrade solutions
• Act as a senior technical advisor to clients on data centre infrastructure
• Provide technical oversight and guidance to other engineers
• Ensure compliance with relevant standards, codes and best practice
• Support advisory work that leads into detailed design - without losing technical ownership
• Contribute to internal technical excellence and continuous improvement

This role is focused on engineering design leadership. While you will collaborate with project managers, you will not be expected to act in a project management capacity.About You

Do you have experience in Project management?, * Degree-qualified in Mechanical, Electrical or Building Services Engineering (or equivalent)

• Extensive data centre design experience in a consulting engineering environment
• Demonstrable experience delivering MEP designs for data centres, not just overseeing delivery
• Strong understanding of mission-critical MEP systems, including power, cooling and resilience
• Ability to lead technical design decisions and challenge assumptions
• Excellent technical reporting and communication skills
• Comfortable working directly with clients in a technical advisory capacity

Desirable:

• Experience of hyperscale and/or colocation data centres
• Experience undertaking or reviewing electrical protection studies
• Chartered or working towards Chartered status (CIBSE, IET, IMechE or equivalent)
• Experience working on live operational data centre environments
• Exposure to European or international projects, * Do you have extensive data centre design experience in a consulting engineering environment?
• Do you have experience delivering MEP designs for data centres, not just overseeing delivery?
• Do you have a degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Building Services Engineering (or equivalent)?

• A genuinely engineering-led role focused on complex data centre design
• Exposure to high-profile, large-scale mission-critical projects
• The opportunity to influence technical strategy and standards
• Clear progression at Senior and Principal level based on technical excellence
• A collaborative consultancy environment that values deep technical expertise
• Flexible working and strong support for professional development

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: Up to £100,000.00 per year