Data Center Engineer - Mechanical

Verrus; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Verrus is seeking a Data Center Engineer focused on Mechanical Engineering, based in California. This full-time role drives modular, offsite production and integration of data center infrastructure, balancing performance and cost.

You will design interfaces, lead FAT transitions, and coordinate with MEP and automation teams to meet tight site requirements. Ideal candidates have 5+ years in data center mechanical design, strong Creo/CATIA skills, and DFMA expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience for data centers or mission-critical infra, focusing on modular/standardized components.
• Solid modeling with Creo/CATIA and analysis with ANSYS for assembly design.
• GD&T knowledge for system assemblies.
• DfMA principles including FAT and vendor/integrator execution.
• Ability to develop mechanical system specifications with internal and external design partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed interface-based mechanical designs for modular data center components.
• Lead collaboration with vendors and integrators to transition FAT activities offsite.
• Refine system specs, P&IDs, and component selection with internal/external teams.
• Coordinate with building automation to shift commissioning offsite where feasible.
• Drive value engineering across subsystems to reduce cost and improve delivery.
• Lead noise control and attenuation solutions to meet site requirements.

Skills

Mechanical design

Modular design

Data centers

Creo/CATIA

ANSYS

GD&T

DfMA

FAT

Vendor management

System specs

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering (preferred)

Tools

Creo

CATIA

ANSYS

Job description

Data centers should be valuable assets to their customers, the grid, and the local community such that we are able to give customers what they want, where they want it, while cities and utilities are actively seeking us to build in their region.

Verrus is a developer of next generation, greenfield hyperscale data centers that flexibly leverage its onsite energy infrastructure (i.e. large scale BESS) through our proprietary technology. This allows Verrus to be a flexible resource to the grid, and provide grid services that facilitate interconnection and the effective procurement of power and carbon free energy, and balance traditional and variable uptime workloads (e.g., AI/ML). Verrus builds and capitalizes its turnkey data centers deeply integrated with energy resources, providing significant advantages over traditional designs.

Verrus is led by industry veterans with experience at the largest data center development companies as well as power & utilities, delivering GWs of data center capacity across four continents in their careers (representing billions of investment).

About Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners

Verrus is backed by Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners. With investment from Alphabet, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, and Stepstone Group, SIP is a consolidated holding company that builds innovative technology-enabled infrastructure companies and projects that deliver positive social and environmental impact at scale. SIP believes that technology-enabled infrastructure will help to solve some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Following years of research and in collaboration with the Verrus management team, SIP formed Verrus to design, build, and operate the world’s most innovative data centers, leveraging unique technology to develop a scaled project portfolio that delivers significant financial, environmental, and innovation outcomes.

Role

Verrus is seeking a Data Center Engineer with a focus on Mechanical Engineering. This is a full-time position based out of Verrus’ Mountain View, CA or Santa Monica, CA office.

Verrus is looking for a driven, execution-oriented Data Center Engineer to spearhead our next-generation data center infrastructure through modular innovation and systems integration. This key role helps accelerate deployments, lower costs through offsite construction, manage noise, and deliver efficient mechanical systems. We are looking for a hands-on executor who thrives in a lean organization, eager to roll up their sleeves to actively drive design implementation. You are highly adaptable to changing scope and excel at translating conceptual guidance into concrete, high-quality engineering outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed, interface-based mechanical designs for data center modular components, ensuring sub-component interchangeability.
• Lead technical collaboration with key external vendors and integrators to transition component fabrication and commissioning activities (Factory Acceptance Testing/FAT) from onsite construction to controlled offsite factory environments.
• Collaborate closely with internal product and engineering teams and external design consultants (e.g., MEP partners) to develop and refine system specifications, P&IDs, component selection, etc. for offsite production.
• Collaborate closely with the building automation team to execute on shifting commissioning activities, where possible, to an offsite production environment.
• Drive value engineering (VE) efforts across mechanical subsystems to identify and integrate improved designs and delivery mechanisms
• Spearhead development of noise control attenuation solutions and delivery, to optimally meet site level requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design for data centers or mission-critical infrastructure or other related field, with a direct focus on modular or standardized component design.
• Advanced expertise with solid modeling (Eg., Creo, CATIA etc) and analysis (Eg., ANSYS) packages with particular emphasis on assembly design.
• Advanced geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) knowledge, especially as regards system assemblies.
• Proven expertise in design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) principles, including leading Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and managing vendor/integrator execution.
• Demonstrated ability to develop comprehensive mechanical system specifications in collaboration with internal and external design partners (e.g., MEP firms).

Preferred Qualifications

Hands-on experience in the following areas is valued, but above all, we prioritize candidates who leverage first-principles thinking to solve complex engineering challenges. Demonstration of first-principles problem solving to analogous problem sets will also be considered.

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline
• Experience in construction logistics or supply chain optimization related to large-scale modular equipment sequencing and delivery.
• Proven expertise with modular data hall infrastructure (e.g., hot aisle containment) and electrical/mechanical infrastructure (e.g., modular cooling plants, modular electrical buildings).
• Direct experience designing and commissioning HVAC and/or building automation systems
• Advanced knowledge of structural modularization techniques (e.g., structural precast) and managing the associated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) interfaces.
• Demonstrated success leading Value Engineering (VE) or Value Analysis (VA) initiatives focused on reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and accelerating Time-to-Market.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing noise attenuation and acoustic mitigation solutions for industrial or mission-critical equipment.

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position in California is $175,000-$230,000. Salary is only one part of Verrus’ comprehensive compensation package, which also includes a discretionary bonus, equity, general health benefits and paid time off. Compensation is determined by multiple factors, including market location, and may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

We are an equal opportunity employer. For us, this is more than legal boilerplate; it is reflective of a deeply held belief that our success depends on our willingness to recruit, hire, empower, compensate, reward, and promote the best and brightest individuals, of all backgrounds and characteristics.