Data Center Engineer

Actalent; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the operation, maintenance, and reliability of mission-critical electrical and mechanical systems in a 24/7 data centre environment in Greater London.

You will drive safety, resilience, and continuous improvement across engineering teams, coordinate with Operations and Projects, and ensure equipment such as switchgear, UPS, generators, chillers, and life-safety systems perform at peak efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience leading engineering teams in critical facilities.
• Strong knowledge of electrical systems and life safety.
• Background in data centres or mission-critical environments.
• Ability to drive safety, compliance, and cost reduction.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering operations across a critical facility.
• Oversee maintenance of electrical and mechanical infrastructure.
• Develop and mentor engineering teams.
• Manage projects from concept to implementation.
• Provide emergency response support in a 24/7 operation.

Skills

Leadership

Electrical systems

Project leadership

Root cause analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication

Job description

A leading organisation within the critical infrastructure and data centre sector is seeking a Chief Engineer to join its engineering team. This is an excellent opportunity to lead the operation, maintenance, and reliability of mission-critical electrical and mechanical systems within a highly technical 24/7 environment.

Working closely with Engineering, Operations, and Project teams, you'll be responsible for maintaining site resilience, driving continuous improvement initiatives, supporting infrastructure projects, and ensuring the highest standards of safety and operational performance.

The Role:

Leading engineering operations across a critical facility, overseeing maintenance activities, supporting major infrastructure projects, developing engineering teams, and ensuring all electrical, mechanical, and life safety systems operate at peak efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and support Engineering teams across critical facility operations
• Oversee maintenance and operation of electrical and mechanical infrastructure
• Deliver training and technical support on switchgear, generators, UPS systems, PDUs, chillers, AHUs, and associated equipment
• Act as the escalation point for facility-related incidents and technical issues
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to improve reliability
• Support new facility builds, upgrades, and major infrastructure projects
• Develop and implement engineering procedures, standards, and best practices
• Manage contractors and vendors while ensuring compliance with safety regulations
• Drive operational efficiency, innovation, and cost-reduction initiatives
• Provide emergency response support and maintain site resilience within a 24/7 operation

Key Requirements:

• Previous experience as a Chief Engineer, Facilities Manager, Critical Facilities Engineer, Lead Engineer, or similar leadership role
• Strong knowledge of electrical systems including switchgear, transformers, UPS systems, generators, and circuit breakers
• Experience within data centres, critical facilities, utilities, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, healthcare, or other mission-critical environments
• Ability to lead technical teams and drive engineering best practice
• Experience managing projects from concept through implementation
• Ability to read and interpret engineering documentation and technical drawings
• Knowledge of health & safety regulations, life safety systems, and building compliance standards
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills