Design Director – MEP

Hunter Philips Executive Search; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus

Long-term incentive plan

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision,

Life and disability cover

401(k) with company match

Generous PTO and paid holidays

Clear progression opportunities

Job summary

Hunter Philips Executive Search seeks a Design Director - MEP to lead MEP design across hyperscale data center developments, driving projects from concept through construction and commissioning, working with development, delivery and operations teams.

You will direct external engineering consultants, own MEP coordination, and influence design standards across a growing international portfolio, while maintaining design integrity and schedule.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering large-scale data center MEP projects.
• Experience guiding engineers through concept to commissioning.
• Ability to translate design into buildable solutions and manage risk.

Responsibilities

• Lead MEP design across multiple hyperscale data center developments, driving projects from early-stage design through construction, commissioning and handover.
• Direct external engineering consultants and design partners, ensuring mechanical and electrical solutions meet programme, cost, quality and operational requirements.
• Own the coordination of MEP design disciplines, identifying technical interfaces and resolving design challenges before they impact delivery.
• Drive design reviews and technical workshops across major projects, maintaining alignment between company standards, project requirements and site execution.
• Review technical submittals, RFIs and consultant proposals, challenging design decisions where required and driving timely resolution.
• Partner with Development, Construction, Operations and Commissioning teams to ensure design decisions reflect both immediate project requirements and long-term asset performance.
• Influence the development and consistent application of MEP design standards across the wider portfolio.
• Maintain design oversight through construction, ensuring installations remain aligned with design intent and addressing technical issues arising in the field.
• Drive lessons learned from delivery and commissioning back into future designs, improving standardisation, constructability and project performance.

Skills

MEP design leadership

Multidisciplinary coordination

Stakeholder management

Consultant management

Strong engineering background

Commercial awareness

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

$Excellent + Bonus + Long-Term Incentives + Full Benefits Package

Are you ready to take ownership of MEP design across major hyperscale data center developments? Do you want to influence how complex projects move from concept through detailed design, construction and commissioning while working directly with development, delivery and operational teams? If you are looking for broader design ownership across a growing portfolio without moving away from the technical detail, this could be it.

The Company

A leading international data center developer delivering large-scale hyperscale and mission-critical infrastructure across North America and Europe.

Backed by long-term capital and an integrated development platform, the business is continuing to expand its portfolio of high-performance data center campuses for major cloud and AI customers.

The Role

As Design Director - MEP, you will:

• Lead MEP design across multiple hyperscale data center developments, driving projects from early-stage design through construction, commissioning and handover
• Direct external engineering consultants and design partners, ensuring mechanical and electrical solutions meet programme, cost, quality and operational requirements
• Own the coordination of MEP design disciplines, identifying technical interfaces and resolving design challenges before they impact delivery
• Drive design reviews and technical workshops across major projects, maintaining alignment between company standards, project requirements and site execution
• Review technical submittals, RFIs and consultant proposals, challenging design decisions where required and driving timely resolution
• Partner with Development, Construction, Operations and Commissioning teams to ensure design decisions reflect both immediate project requirements and long-term asset performance
• Influence the development and consistent application of MEP design standards across the wider portfolio
• Maintain design oversight through construction, ensuring installations remain aligned with design intent and addressing technical issues arising in the field
• Drive lessons learned from delivery and commissioning back into future designs, improving standardisation, constructability and project performance

The Person

You will bring:

• A strong engineering background combined with experience delivering complex, large-scale data center, mission-critical or comparable infrastructure projects
• Significant experience managing multidisciplinary MEP design through different stages of project development and delivery
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical and electrical infrastructure within complex mission-critical environments
• A track record of directing consultants, engineers and contractors across fast-track capital programmes
• The ability to translate technical design requirements into practical, efficient and buildable solutions
• Strong understanding of design coordination, constructability, commissioning interfaces and technical risk
• The confidence to challenge consultants and contractors while maintaining alignment across programme, commercial and operational priorities
• The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining control of technical quality and key design decisions
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across development, construction, operations and external delivery partners

Salary & Benefits

• Performance-based bonus
• Long-term incentive plan
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability cover
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• Clear progression opportunities within a growing international data center platform