Data Centre Shift Mechanical Engineer – Liquid Cooling Systems

Datalec Ltd; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Datalec Precision Installations (DPI) invites applications for a Data Centre Shift Mechanical Engineer specializing in Liquid Cooling Systems – CDU Secondary Side. The role covers operation, maintenance, monitoring, and incident response for secondary-side liquid cooling infrastructure supporting high-density AI/HPC environments.

Join DPI to maintain cooling availability, manage risks to IT load, and deliver resilient data hall cooling.

Qualifications

• Mechanical engineering qualification at NVQ/City & Guilds level or equivalent.
• Completed apprenticeship in mechanical engineering, building services or critical environments.
• Experience with water treatment or closed-loop cooling systems.
• BMS interaction and alarm management knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Monitor all secondary side cooling systems via BMS, DCIM and local interfaces.
• Review alarms, trends, pressures, temperatures, flow rates and water quality.
• Respond immediately to cooling-related alarms and system faults.
• Inspect CDU secondary circuits, pumps, valves, filters and heat exchangers.
• Support leak investigations, commissioning and change management activities.

Skills

City & Guilds / NVQ Level 3 Mechanical

Apprenticeship in mechanical

Water treatment / closed-loop cooling

Permit-to-Work & Safe Systems of Work

Full UK Driving Licence

Chilled water / hydronic systems

Education

City & Guilds / NVQ Level 3 Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

Job description

Datalec Precision Installations (DPI) is a leading provider of data centre design, supply, build, and managed services. We are committed to delivering seamless and integrated solutions for data centre operators worldwide. Our team is dedicated to maintaining high standards of service and excellence in every project we undertake.

We are seeking a Data Centre Shift Mechanical Engineer (Liquid Cooling Systems – CDU Secondary Side) to join our team. This role is responsible for the operation, maintenance, monitoring, and incident response associated with the secondary-side liquid cooling infrastructure supporting high-density AI and HPC environments.

The role provides frontline engineering support for Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs), secondary distribution pipework, pumping systems, heat exchangers, control valves, filtration equipment, leak detection systems, instrumentation and associated mechanical assets supplying direct-to-chip liquid cooling technologies. The position is critical to maintaining cooling availability, protecting IT load and ensuring continuous operational resilience. This aligns with the secondary-side infrastructure scope defined for liquid-cooled data halls, including CDU secondary circuits, pumps, pipework, valves, heat exchangers, water quality monitoring, instrumentation, metering and leak detection systems.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Monitor all secondary side cooling systems through BMS, DCIM and local control interfaces.
• Monitor system pressures, temperatures, flow rates and water quality parameters.
• Review alarms, trends and system performance data.
• Identify developing risks to cooling performance and initiate corrective actions.
• Ensure all liquid cooling systems operate within OEM and site operating parameters.
• Respond immediately to cooling-related alarms and system faults.
• Investigate pump failures, control valve malfunctions, flow abnormalities and temperature deviations.
• Execute emergency operating procedures for loss of redundancy or cooling capacity.
• Support leak investigations and containment activities.
• Participate in critical incident bridge calls and escalation processes.
• Restore affected systems safely and efficiently following incidents.
• Priority response requirements may include risk to IT load, CDU failures, secondary water loss, major leak events and cooling redundancy failures
• Inspect and maintain:
• CDU secondary circuits
• Secondary pumps
• Isolation valves
• Control valves and actuators
• Strainers and filters
• Expansion vessels
• Pressure, temperature and flow instrumentation
• Replace consumables and perform mechanical servicing activities in accordance with approved maintenance procedures.
• The secondary-side asset population includes CDU pumps, distribution pipework, manifolds, valves, filtration systems, sensors and monitoring equipment:
• Monitor water treatment programmes.
• Conduct routine sampling and testing.
• Record conductivity, chemical concentration and contamination levels.
• Support chemical dosing and corrective treatment activities.
• Ensure coolant quality remains within OEM operating tolerances.
• Complete shift logs and maintenance records.
• Follow RAMS, MOPs, SOPs and EOPs.
• Support change management activities.
• Maintain compliance with health and safety policies.
• Escort and supervise vendors and OEM specialists.
• Assist with commissioning and recommissioning activities.
• Support warranty investigations.
• Participate in root cause analysis and defect elimination programmes.
• Represent the business, upholding our core values and behaviours with all internal and external customers, clients and third parties
• Maintain business and client confidentiality, adhering to applicable Data Protection regulations and Information Security Standards in line with company and group policies and procedures.

Essential Skills and Experience

• City & Guilds / NVQ Level 3 Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• Completed apprenticeship in mechanical engineering, building services or critical environments.
• Water treatment or closed-loop cooling system experience.
• Permit-to-Work and Safe Systems of Work knowledge.
• Full UK Driving Licence (where applicable).
• Chilled water or closed-loop hydronic systems.
• Pump and valve maintenance.
• Heat exchanger operation and maintenance.
• Water treatment management.
• Control valve and actuator diagnostics.
• BMS interaction and alarm management.
• Emergency response within operational facilities.

About Datalec Precision Installations (DPI)

Datalec Precision Installations provides world-class, global data centre solutions, specialising in connectivity, bespoke manufacturing, construction, and installation services. Supported by unmatched technical expertise, we offer consultancy, technical and critical cleaning, electronic security, and managed services to address every data centre need.