Director of Engineering

Valor Front; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Valor Front is representing a founder-led, fully integrated builder, owner, and operator of mission-critical data centers seeking a Director of Design & Engineering. The role covers end-to-end engineering oversight, master planning, and standardization across active and future markets in the United States.

You will manage external design teams, act as the senior technical authority on electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil design, and participate in due diligence for site evaluations and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in data center engineering, design, or critical infrastructure.
• Depth across MEP systems, power distribution, cooling architectures, and structural/civil design.
• Experience developing repeatable, standardized design frameworks that scale across multiple sites.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering; Master's or PE preferred.
• Comfort operating as a senior technical authority in a growth-stage, founder-led environment.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end engineering and design vision across the national portfolio, including greenfield builds and campus expansions.
• Lead master planning for active and future campuses aligned with quality, resiliency, and efficiency standards.
• Manage external design firms, MEP engineers, and AE consultants, setting specifications and enforcing quality across concurrent projects.
• Serve as a primary technical authority across electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil design.
• Evaluate vendor and equipment partnerships for long-lead critical capital equipment.
• Provide technical due diligence for site evaluations, new-market entry, and power and land decisions

Skills

Data center engineering

MEP systems

Power distribution

Cooling architectures

Structural design

Civil design

Design frameworks

Senior technical authority

Leadership

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree or PE preferred

Job description

Director of Design & Engineering | Data Center I Confidential Retained Search

Valor Front has been retained by a founder-led, fully integrated builder, owner, and operator of mission-critical data centers to identify its first executive-level Director of Design & Engineering.

Our client has been delivering enterprise and hyperscale facilities for more than 20 years, with roughly 85% of its historical customers drawn from the Global 2000. That track record now underpins an active development pipeline of more than $6 billion spanning established Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets and fast-growing new regions, including a new West Texas program. The company is backed by one of the world's largest technology-focused investment firms.

Engineering leadership has been carrying master planning and design oversight for this pipeline directly, and the business has outgrown that model. This is a newly created role, not a backfill. The person who steps into it will own design oversight and master planning across every active and future market, establish the standards and specifications the company scales with, and free the Chief Data Center Officer to focus on strategy, customers, and growth.

Key responsibilities:

• Own the end-to-end engineering and design vision across the national portfolio, including greenfield builds and campus expansions
• Lead master planning for active and future campuses aligned with the company's quality, resiliency, and efficiency standards
• Manage external design firms, MEP engineers, and AE consultants, setting specifications and enforcing quality across concurrent projects
• Serve as a primary technical authority across electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil design
• Evaluate vendor and equipment partnerships for long-lead critical capital equipment
• Provide technical due diligence for site evaluations, new-market entry, and power and land decisions

What we are looking for:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in data center engineering, design, or critical infrastructure, with direct involvement in hyperscale or enterprise delivery
• Demonstrated technical depth across MEP systems, power distribution, cooling architectures, and structural/civil design
• Experience developing repeatable, standardized design frameworks that scale across multiple sites and markets
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline; Master's or PE preferred
• Comfort operating as a senior technical authority in a growth-stage, founder-led environment

Location is flexible, with a preference for candidates near the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic corridor. Regular travel to active project markets. Competitive executive compensation, performance incentives, and benefits.

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