Design Manager - (Owner's Representative) - Data Center Construction

KALCON; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 135,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Long Term Disability

401(k) retirement plan with 4% Kalcon"

Paid time off

8 paid National Holidays

License and certification reimburse

Job summary

KALCON is seeking a self-starting Design Manager to lead multi-disciplinary design coordination on a hyperscale data center build as an Owner’s Representative in Houston, TX. You will ensure accurate schedules, consistent documentation, and timely closure of submittals/RFIs, serving as liaison between Project/Construction Management and the A/E team.

Responsible for driving design clarity, coordinating across EORs and subcontractors, and managing CA processes to de-risk fabrication and delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or related field.
• 7–10 years of design management experience in mission-critical, data center, or complex commercial projects.
• Proven success coordinating A/E partners and subcontractors, closing submittals/RFIs, and aligning base-build vs. tenant fit‑out scopes.
• Proficiency in ACC or Procore, and MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Project; strong written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Review and set up ACC or Procore configuration and daily governance; maintain clean file structures and metadata conventions.
• Develop a centralized meeting/action tracker covering A/E partners, GC, and subs to capture decisions and submittal status.
• Lead cross-discipline design coordination; ensure alignment across multiple EORs and subcontractors; publish minutes/actions.

Skills

Design coordination

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Project scheduling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or related field

Tools

Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC)

Procore

MS Office (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Project)

Job description

Design Manager - (Owner's Representative) - Data Center Construction

Houston, TX

KALCON is looking for a self-starting Design Manager who will lead multi-disciplinary design coordination on a hyperscale data center build from concept through construction administration as an Owner’s Representative. This individual will ensure accurate schedules, consistent documentation, and timely closure of submittals/RFIs. The Design Manager will serve as liaison between Project/Construction Management and the A/E team to maintain design clarity and support timely, cost-aware delivery.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or related field.
• 7–10 years of design management experience in mission-critical, semiconductor, data center, or complex commercial projects.
• Proven success coordinating A/E partners and subcontractors, closing submittals/RFIs, and aligning base-build vs. tenant fit‑out scopes.
• Proficiency in Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) or Procore, and MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Project; strong written and oral communication skills.

Duties and Responsibilities: Platforms & Information Management

• Review and help set up Autodesk Construction Cloud or Procore configuration and daily governance; establish/maintain clean, logical file structures and metadata conventions.
• Ensure compliance and ongoing maintenance by architect/engineer (A/E) partners; standardize naming, versioning, and distribution workflows.
• Develop a centralized meeting/action tracker covering A/E partners, GC, and subs to capture decisions, RFIs, submittal status, and assignments.

Design Coordination & Alignment

• After initial design, lead and manage cross-discipline design coordination; ensure alignment across multiple EORs and subcontractors.
• Drive design clarity and closure of submittals and shop drawings; lead weekly coordination meetings and publish minutes/actions.
• Track design packages, narratives, and scope splits (Base-Build vs. Tenant Fit‑Out), capturing lessons learned and sharing information across buildings.
• Coordinate customer/tenant fit‑out design package integration (non-base-build) to maintain alignment with the core design.

Schedule Management

• Review and manage the design schedule; ensure weekly updates and accuracy, including phase gate readiness and milestone adherence.
• Align design phase turnover with construction phasing and tenant fit‑out to protect critical

Construction Administration (CA)

• Manage CA processes: run weekly A/E partner meetings; elevate and resolve submittals/RFIs that are held up by the A&E or GC; coordinate site visits with A/E and QA/QC teams.
• Oversee mock‑ups/FOK (first-of‑kind) reviews and acceptance criteria to de‑risk fabrication/installation.
• Provide CA reporting and documentation per project requirements and Owner

Change Management & Cost Control

• Lead change management workflows (PCOs, bulletins, RFIs with cost impact); train GC teams on contract expectations and entitlement standards; partner with Cost Management for pricing reviews.
• Validate design‑related cost changes and process VE options, documenting rationale and
• Ensure QA/QC design issuance and narratives clearly categorize changes at the drawing sheet level for

Permitting & Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

• Manage and communicate the overall permit strategy, submissions, and responses; coordinate AHJ inspections and certificate‑of‑occupancy milestones with the project team.

Quality, Documentation & Risk

• Log and document major decisions/events; maintain action registers, RFIs, submittal metrics, and issue logs through design and CA.
• Support QA/QC activities tied to design intent and acceptance criteria; assist field teams with design clarifications and punch‑list readiness.
• Maintain a design risk register (interfaces, late vendor data, long‑lead items) and drive mitigations with

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership

• Serve as the liaison for Project/Construction Management to the A/E team; lead meetings and communicate design decisions, constraints, and impacts.
• Provide weekly project reporting on schedule, deliverables, open issues, and
• Perform additional duties as assigned by

Benefits Offered

• Medical insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• 401(k) retirement plan with 4% KALCON match when an employee contributes at least 5%
• 15 days of paid time off
• 8 paid National Holidays
• Reimbursement for professional licenses and certifications

Submission Requirements

At a minimum, the candidate’s professional resume must include the following:

• List of all Educational Achievements
• List of all Professional Licenses or Certificates
• List of Awards Received
• Detailed Employment History with each company including:
  • Name & Contact Information of the firm or agency
  • Start Date and End Date (Month & Year)
  • Positions Held

At KALCON we are committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace where every individual is respected and valued. We are an equal opportunity employer and all applicant and employees will receive consideration for employment as we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that a diverse workforce contributes to the success of our company and the innovation behind the exceptional projects we deliver. We encourage and support applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to join our team and thrive. Our hiring and employment practices are guided by principles of fairness, equality, and opportunity for all.

Salary Range

$135,000 - $185,000 USD