Senior Mechanical & HVAC Engineer – Data Center - Chennai / Noida / Hyderabad

Ramboll; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ramboll is seeking a Senior Electrical Design Engineer for Data Center projects in Chennai. You will own end-to-end electrical system design from concept to commissioning, engaging with client SMEs and utilities to deliver highly resilient power infrastructure.

You will lead a team of HVAC engineers and BIM modelers, driving design quality and coordination across disciplines. Strong background in Data Center cooling, CFD/thermal analysis, and BMS/EPMS integration is required.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in Data Center HVAC systems and mission-critical cooling design.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication; client handling is non-negotiable.
• Ability to lead technical discussions with client SMEs and resolve design challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of Data Center HVAC systems including air-cooled and water-cooled cooling.
• Define airflow strategies (hot aisle/cold aisle containment) and resilience (N, N+1, N+2, 2N).
• Coordinate with Electrical, Structural, Architectural, Fire Protection, and BIM teams.
• Review and approve AutoCAD & BIM (Revit) models and construction drawings.
• Provide technical support during construction, site inspections and issue resolution.

Education

BE / BTech / ME / MTech in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

CFD tools

HAP / Trace

Job description

Working at Ramboll

To work at Ramboll means being part of a people organisation. We are focused on knowledge sharing and collaboration across competence areas and geography, and we aim for a strong diversity among our employees. This enables us to solve a broad range of projects, and we firmly believe that cross-collaboration leads to creative and longstanding solutions. Thus, the possibilities at Ramboll are many and diverse -we invest a lot in the development of people and offer career paths tailored for each individual.

Company Description

Working at Ramboll means being part of a people organisation. We are focused on knowledge sharing and collaboration across competence areas and geography, and we aim for a strong diversity among our employees. This enables us to solve a broad range of projects, and we firmly believe that cross-collaboration leads to creative and longstanding solutions. Thus, the possibilities at Ramboll are many and diverse -we invest a lot in the development of people and offer career paths tailored for each individual.

Ramboll in Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa

Ramboll has more than 1,500 experts working across 15 offices in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. We are present in Dubai, Doha, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, China, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa. Our experts are applying their passion to deliver innovative solutions in markets as diverse as Buildings, Transport, Planning & Urban Design, Water, Environment & Health and Energy. Founded in Denmark, Ramboll is a people company. We invite you to contribute to a sustainable future working in an open, collaborative and empowering culture.

Role Overview

The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will act as a technical lead and subject matter expert for mission-critical Data Center projects, responsible for end-to-end electrical system design, engineering, coordination, and commissioning support.

This role requires full ownership from concept development and system topology definition to detailed design, construction support, commissioning, and performance validation, ensuring delivery of highly resilient, scalable, and efficient power infrastructure.

You will engage directly with client-side SMEs, utilities, global stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams, leading technical discussions and resolving complex engineering challenges.

In case you have no prior Data Center experience, you have good to great electrical system design experience from LoD200 to LoD400 in areas mentioned in the description, you can apply too.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Client Engagement & Technical Leadership

• Act as the primary HVAC technical interface with clients and stakeholders
• Lead high-level technical discussions, challenge design assumptions, and drive solutions
• Clearly articulate design intent, risks, and trade-offs to client SMEs
• Own preparation of:
• Basis of Design (BOD)
• Design Basis Reports (DBR)
• Technical narratives and presentations
• Design Leadership & Engineering Ownership

• a. Data Center Cooling Strategy & System Design
• Lead design of:
• Air-cooled & water-cooled chilled water systems
• CRAH / CRAC / AHU-based cooling systems
• High-density cooling (liquid cooling readiness, rear door heat exchangers, etc.)
• Define airflow strategies:
• Hot aisle / cold aisle containment
• Pressurization & airflow management
• Establish resilience strategies (N, N+1, N+2, 2N) aligned with Uptime Tier
• b. Engineering Calculations & Technical Validation
• Perform and review:
• Heat load calculations (HAP / Trace or equivalent)
• Hydraulic calculations (pump head, pipe sizing, system balancing)
• Airside design (duct sizing, static pressure, ventilation, smoke extraction)
• Lead and review CFD modelling and thermal performance analysis
• Define and validate control philosophy (BMS / EPMS integration)
• c. Detailed Design & Documentation
• Lead development of:
• Concept design, Technical Specifications & RFP documents/design, schematic design, and detailed design (IFC level)
• Equipment layouts, plant rooms, piping and duct routing
• Review and approve:
• AutoCAD & BIM (Revit) models
• Schematics, layouts, and construction drawings
• Ensure alignment with:
• ASHRAE / ISHRAE
• TIA-942
• Uptime Institute guidelines
• d. Coordination & Project Delivery
• Lead multidisciplinary coordination with:
• Electrical, Structural, Architectural, Fire Protection, and BIM teams
• Optimize:
• Expert Space planning
• Routing of ducts, pipes, and equipment layouts
• Support procurement:
• Technical specifications
• BOQs
• Vendor evaluations and submittal reviews
• e. Construction - support
• Provide technical support during:
• Construction and installation
• Site inspections and issue resolution
• Participate in:
• Data center audits (BCA / ICCA)
• GAP analysis and remediation strategies
• Team Leadership & Quality Assurance
• Lead and mentor a team of HVAC engineers and BIM modelers
• Drive design quality, standardization, and best practices
• Own:
• Design risk management
• Change control
• Technical issue resolution

Qualifications

• Mandatory Skills & Experience

Technical Expertise

• Strong experience in Data Center HVAC systems, including:
  • Chillers, CRAH/CRAC, AHU, pumps, DX systems
  • Cooling of data halls, UPS rooms, battery rooms, and support spaces
• Deep understanding of:
  • Uptime Tier III / IV requirements
  • Mission-critical redundancy and reliability
• Experience with:
  • CFD modelling and airflow optimization
  • Energy-efficient cooling strategies
  • Tools & Digital Capability
  • AutoCAD (mandatory for concept design)
  • Load calculation tools (HAP / Trace)
  • CFD tools (6Sigma or equivalent)
  • Communication & Client Handling (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
• Exceptional verbal and written communication
• Ability to:
  • Lead technical discussions with client SMEs
  • Resolve complex design challenges through structured communication
  • Prepare high-quality technical documentation
• Qualifications & Experience
• BE / BTech / ME / MTech in Mechanical Engineering
• 10-18 years of experience
• 5+ years in Data Center or mission-critical projects (mandatory)
• Good to Have (Strong Differentiators)
• Uptime Institute ATD certification
• Experience in hyperscale / colocation data centers
• Exposure to commissioning (IST Level 1-5)
• Experience in DC audits (ICCA / BCA)
• International project experience

Additional Information

What we can offer you

• Investment in your development
• Leaders you can count on, guided by our Leadership Principles
• Be valued for the unique person you are.
• Never be short of inspiration from colleagues, clients, and projects.
• The long-term thinking of a foundation-owned company

We offer:

• A challenging and interesting workday characterized by continuous learning, in an environment where you have many to spar with and learn from.
• Opportunity to work with varied work tasks, across the organization.
• Opportunity to develop and influence your own area of responsibility.

Work at the heart of sustainable change

Ramboll is a global architecture, engineering, and consultancy company. We believe that the purpose of sustainable change is to create a thriving world for both nature and people. So, that's where we start - and how we work. At Ramboll, our core strength is our people, and our history is rooted in a clear vision of how a responsible company should act. Being open and curious is a cornerstone of our culture. We embrace an inclusive mindset that looks for fresh, diverse, and innovative perspectives. We respect, embrace, and invite diversity in all forms to actively cultivate an environment where everyone can flourish and realize their full potential.