Civil Design Senior Project Manager- Data Center Construction

Turner & Townsend; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking an experienced Civil Design Lead (SME) to act as the client’s civil engineering SME and owner’s representative for data center development projects. The role leads all civil engineering design activities from due diligence through construction, ensuring quality, regulatory compliance, and timely delivery.

The ideal candidate will manage external civil engineering consultants and partner with internal teams across Development, Construction, Utilities, Power,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of civil engineering, site development, or infrastructure delivery.
• Strong ability to interpret drawings, calculations and technical specifications.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee civil engineering design across all development phases (due diligence to closeout).
• Serve as client’s civil SME and provide design management oversight.
• Monitor that civil plans and reports are approved and stamped by EoR/AoR before construction.
• Coordinate with discipline leads and client departments to verify codes, safety and regulatory compliance.
• Manage external civil engineering consultants, surveyors, geotechnical engineers and permitting specialists.
• Support risk management, cost control, and fast-track delivery in collaboration with teams.

Skills

Civil design leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Communication & coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering

Job description

• Full-time

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Civil Design Lead (SME) to join our team. The Civil Design Lead (SME) serves as the client’s civil engineering subject‑matter expert and owner’s representative for data center development projects. This role leads and oversees all civil engineering design activities from early site due diligence through construction, monitoring technical quality, regulatory compliance, constructability, and timely project delivery.

The position manages external civil engineering consultants and partners while working closely with clients internal Development, Construction, Utilities, Power, Environmental, and Innovation & Engineering teams. The Civil Design Lead plays a critical role in managing risk, accelerating speed‑to‑market, and monitoring that site designs support scalable, resilient, and repeatable data center campus development.

Key Responsibilities:

Civil Design & Technical Leadership:

• Oversee civil engineering design efforts across all phases of development, including due diligence, conceptual design, detailed design, construction support, and closeout.
• Serve as the client’s civil SME, providing technical and design management oversight throughout the design development process.
• Monitor that all civil plans, calculations, specifications, and reports are approved and “stamped” by the Engineer/Architect of Record (EoR/AoR), prior to commencing with construction activities.
• Facilitate the design assurance process and monitor that client comments and feedback are captured and addressed throughout the civil design development process to client requirements.
• Collaborating with other discipline leads as well as other client departments to verify compliance with applicable codes, safety requirements, and jurisdictional regulations.
• Support complex design challenges and non‑standard solutions in collaboration with the Innovation & Engineering team.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Site Due Diligence & Early Development

• Leverage civil engineering project experience to support early site due diligence, test fits, conceptual grading, drainage, utility routing, access planning, and off‑site infrastructure evaluation.
• Contribute to the identification of site constraints, risks, and mitigation strategies related to grading, drainage, soils, floodplains, utilities, and constructability.
• Support site selection and acquisition decisions with clear technical recommendations.

Consultant & Stakeholder Management

• Manage and oversee external civil engineering consultants, surveyors, geotechnical engineers, and permitting specialists.
• Coordinate with construction teams to resolve civil design issues and support construction execution.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with municipalities, AHJs, public works departments, utilities, and other external stakeholders.
• Monitor civil design progress against approved schedules and milestones, approving work plans and deliverable timelines.
• Support identification, evaluation, and management of project risks, developing proactive mitigation strategies aligned with the client’s delivery objectives.
• Review and support responses to RFIs, construction clarifications, and field coordination items as required.

Budget, Standards & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with estimators and cost management (pre‑construction team) to support the development and management of civil engineering budgets, cost estimates, and forecasts.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of civil design standards, policies, procedures, and best‑practice playbooks.
• Stay current with industry trends, codes, and technologies, applying best practices to improve quality, consistency, and efficiency.
• Clearly communicate project progress, risks, and technical issues to management and project stakeholders.
• Foster a collaborative, solutions‑focused work environment aligned with the client’s culture of accountability, safety, and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in civil engineering, site development, or infrastructure delivery.
• Strong technical background in grading, drainage, stormwater management, utilities, roadways, and earthwork.
• Proven experience managing external engineering consultants and coordinating with construction teams.
• Ability to interpret and review civil engineering drawings, calculations, reports, and technical specifications.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting datacenter, hyperscale, mission‑critical, industrial, or large‑scale commercial developments.
• Familiarity with fast‑track delivery models and large, multi‑phase campus developments.
• Experience working with utilities, municipalities, and regulatory agencies across multiple jurisdictions.
• Owner’s‑representative mindset with strong technical judgment.
• Proactive, solution‑oriented approach to risk management and problem‑solving.
• Ability to lead without direct authority and influence cross‑functional teams.
• Comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, multi‑project environment with competing priorities.

Soft Skills:

• Strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to translate technical information for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Proactive problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Highly organized, adaptable, and capable of managing competing priorities.

Additional Information

On‑site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.