Data Center Engineering Lead

Data Center Engineering Lead
Department: Infrastructure, Planning & Process (IPP)
Location: Santa Clara, CA | On-Site
Role Type: Contract (6 months)

About Our Client
Our client is a global technology infrastructure leader with over $9 billion in annual revenue and 4,000+ employees. They partner with the world's leading technology manufacturers and maintain the highest certifications for hardware and software solutions. Founded in 1990, the company has evolved from a product reseller into a technology solution provider serving large public and private organizations worldwide, including many Fortune 500 brands. They operate globally with a renowned Advanced Technology Center featuring 100+ racks of equipment for testing in AI, cloud computing, networking, security, and storage. Ranked #51 on Forbes' Largest Private Companies and #28 on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For, they are committed to helping enterprises architect and implement advanced technology solutions.

Job Description
The Infrastructure, Planning & Process (IPP) division designs, scales, and optimizes the global data center footprint supporting AI platforms and cloud environments. We are seeking a Data Center Engineering Lead to architect and direct large-scale infrastructure programs. This role will drive data center readiness across multiple vectors and teams to ensure our infrastructure ecosystem scales efficiently, reliably, and sustainably worldwide.

You will directly influence portfolio-level infrastructure decisions including super lab expansions, rack and bench capacity modeling, liquid versus air cooling implementation strategies, global site prioritization, and executive-level reporting on critical metrics. This position demands technical expertise, executive presence, and the ability to translate infrastructure complexity into clear, actionable outcomes for senior leadership.

You will work cross-functionally with Cloud Platform teams, System Product Teams, Facilities, Engineering, Real Estate, and Operations, acting as the connective tissue between product demand and infrastructure readiness.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead global infrastructure and data center build-out programs from concept approval through operational readiness
• Drive coordinated schedules linking power delivery, cooling deployment (air and liquid), rack installation, network readiness, and occupancy planning across multiple sites
• Establish and enforce launch readiness criteria aligned with portfolio-level demand signals
• Partner with cross-functional teams to facilitate alignment between tenant demand and landlord infrastructure readiness
• Translate portfolio-level demand into actionable infrastructure plans including rack density, MW capacity, and cooling distribution modeling
• Develop measurable benchmarks tied to schedule predictability, MW delivery, rack availability, and readiness dates
• Present executive-level updates to VP-level and senior leadership collaborators with clear status and quantified risk assessment
• Identify infrastructure constraints early (power, chilled water, space) and lead scenario planning for site contingencies
• Conduct root-cause analysis and capture lessons learned to improve future build cycles
• Actively mitigate schedule risk affecting product launch timelines

Required Experience/Skills

• 7+ years designing and delivering complex data center or high-density compute facilities (hyperscale or enterprise level)
• Mandatory: Hands-on experience with liquid cooling systems in large-scale data centers
• Mandatory: Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional engineering teams
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Data Center Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field
• Strong technical understanding of large-scale power distribution (MW-level planning), cooling systems, and infrastructure reliability design principles
• Proven ability to create and manage engineering KPIs, readiness metrics, and executive-level reporting around infrastructure health
• Excellent communication skills with ability to distill complex engineering tradeoffs into actionable strategies for executive and technical audiences
• Experience with hyperscale or enterprise data center operations and capacity planning

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience working with AI infrastructure or GPU-intensive computing environments
• Familiarity with global data center portfolio management
• Background in systems thinking and risk mitigation at enterprise scale
• Experience with modular data center design or edge computing infrastructure

Education
Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred. Field of study: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Data Center Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Pay & Benefits Summary

• Pay Rate: $55.00/hour

Call-to-Action
Ready to lead the future of global data center infrastructure? Apply now and join a world-class organization driving AI and cloud innovation at scale!

Keywords: Data Center Engineering | Infrastructure Planning | Liquid Cooling | Capacity Planning | Leadership | Hyperscale | Power Distribution | Executive Reporting | Project Management | Cloud Infrastructure