Data Center Mechanical Engineer - Thermal & Cooling SME

Webhosting; San Antonio (TX); Hybrid; USD 132,149 - 193,856; Full time

Job summary

Rackspace Technology is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer to serve as the SME for mechanical systems supporting mission-critical data center environments. This role covers mechanical design, reliability, thermal optimization, product selection, and continuous innovation across a growing data center footprint.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in critical cooling infrastructure, HVAC/mechanical systems, airflow management, humidification, installation/testing, and ASHRAE

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical authority for mechanical infrastructure within the data center environment.
• Provide engineering leadership and SME for critical mechanical systems including CRAC/CRAH units, chillers, cooling towers, pumps, humidification/dehumidification systems, RTUs, air handlers, economization systems, piping infrastructure, condenser water systems, and BMS/DCIM systems.
• Lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and resolution of mechanical infrastructure and thermal performance issues.
• Provide expertise in airflow management strategies including hot aisle/cold aisle containment, rack-level cooling optimization, pressure differentials, and underfloor airflow distribution.
• Manage cooling capacity planning for existing and future infrastructure growth.
• Perform thermal load calculations, airflow analysis, and cooling utilization assessments for high-density compute environments.
• Analyze rack-level heat loads, BTU requirements, CFM distribution, static pressure, and environmental conditions to ensure optimal thermal performance.
• Evaluate infrastructure resiliency, redundancy, and operational risk associated with cooling capacity expansion initiatives.
• Support deployment strategies for high-density server environments, liquid cooling technologies, and next-generation thermal management solutions.
• Engineering & Technical Oversight Define critical mechanical equipment specifications and make product recommendations.
• Develop and review mechanical designs, modifications, and infrastructure improvements within operational data center environments.
• Review and approve mechanical equipment submittals, technical documentation, piping diagrams, airflow models, and infrastructure standards.
• Provide technical oversight for cooling optimization initiatives, energy efficiency improvements, and mechanical system modernization projects.
• Operational Support & Commissioning Support construction, installation, testing, commissioning, and turnover activities associated with mechanical infrastructure projects.
• Partner with commissioning teams to validate installation, operation, performance, and reliability of mechanical systems.
• Support maintenance planning and operational readiness activities for critical cooling infrastructure.
• Participate in incident response, thermal event investigations, infrastructure risk reviews, and operational reliability initiatives.
• Assist operations teams in troubleshooting environmental alarms, cooling failures, airflow deficiencies, and thermal anomalies.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local mechanical/building codes and regulations.
• Maintain adherence to ASHRAE standards, mechanical engineering best practices, and mission-critical operational standards.
• Support development and continuous improvement of mechanical engineering standards, procedures, thermal management strategies, and best practices within our data centers.
• Ensure environmental conditions remain within ASHRAE recommended ranges for mission-critical IT equipment.
• Research and evaluate new technologies, equipment, and infrastructure solutions related to data center cooling and mechanical systems, specifically liquid cooling technologies.
• Lead technical decision-making regarding cooling infrastructure, airflow management technologies, and mechanical equipment product selection.
• Support long-term infrastructure strategy focused on scalability, efficiency, resiliency, sustainability, and operational excellence.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, direct-to-chip cooling, economization, and energy optimization strategies.

Job description

Rackspace Technology is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer to serve as the SME for mechanical systems supporting mission-critical data center environments. This role covers mechanical design, reliability, thermal optimization, product selection, and continuous innovation across a growing data center footprint.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in critical cooling infrastructure, HVAC/mechanical systems, airflow management, humidification, installation/testing, and ASHRAE