Senior Data Center Design Engineer - Frankfurt

Alibaba Cloud; Frankfurt; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Alibaba Cloud is seeking a Senior Data Center Design Engineer to support data center projects across Europe. You will act as a technical expert for engineering design reviews, project management, commissioning, acceptance, and operations support throughout the lifecycle of facilities.

You will collaborate with server, network, security, EHS, operations, and PM teams, plus external providers and vendors, to ensure technical quality and standardization across regional projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 3 years in data center or colocation design, construction, or ops.
• Knowledge of electrical distribution, cooling, fire protection and MEP infra.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Willingness to travel regionally up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Perform technical assessment and design reviews for data center sites.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external vendors to align standards.
• Witness testing, commissioning, and support handover to operations.
• Maintain site engineering documentation and support optimization.
• Support lease discussions and service level considerations as needed.

Skills

Engineering design

Cross-functional coordination

Project management

Communication

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical/Mechanical Eng

Tools

MEP familiarity

Job description

Alibaba Cloud is seeking a Senior Data Center Design Engineer to support data center projects across the Europe region. In this role, you will serve as a key technical expert responsible for engineering design review, project technical management, commissioning, acceptance, and operational engineering support across the full lifecycle of facilities.

You will work closely with internal teams including server, network, security, EHS, operations, and project management, as well as external colocation providers, consultants, and vendors. This role requires strong engineering expertise, cross-functional coordination, and the ability to drive technical quality and standardization across regional projects.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Assessment and Design Support

• Support technical assessments of colocation opportunities and review site-related engineering documentation.
• Evaluate proposed facility designs, equipment submittals, and technical solutions against Alibaba Cloud engineering standards.
• Develop site-specific design and fit-out solutions based on Alibaba Cloud's technical and operational requirements.
• Work closely with internal server, network, security, and EHS teams to incorporate cross-functional technical requirements into project planning and design.
• Provide engineering input to support discussions related to lease agreements and service levels where needed.

Project Technical Management

• Act as the engineering technical representative in regional project meetings and coordinate technical topics across internal and external stakeholders.
• Review, comment on, and improve commissioning procedures and scripts to ensure compliance with Alibaba Cloud standards.
• Witness testing and commissioning activities and follow up on the closure of critical issues identified during the T&C process.
• Perform technical acceptance of colocation sites based on Alibaba Cloud's acceptance criteria and support handover to operations teams.
• Provide technical support throughout the colocation site lifecycle, including decommissioning and restoration activities where required.

Operational Engineering Support

• Own and maintain regional colocation site engineering documentation, including design drawings, as-built drawings, and related technical records.
• Provide technical support to operations teams, including post-incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning.
• Lead or support upgrade, retrofit, and optimization projects for existing colocation facilities to mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the design, construction, commissioning, or operation of data center or colocation infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of critical data center systems, including electrical distribution, mechanical/cooling systems, fire protection, and related MEP infrastructure.
• Strong communication and coordination skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across internal stakeholders and external vendors.
• Familiarity with European building codes, engineering standards, permitting requirements, and local compliance processes.
• Registered or chartered professional qualification in mechanical or electrical engineering is a plus.
• Willingness to travel regionally up to 30%.
• Fluent in English; additional European language skills and/or Chinese/Mandarin are a plus.