Engineering Project Manager | $120,000

Actalent; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 66,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental & vision

401(k) retirement plan

Life Insurance

Disability insurance

HSA

Commuter benefits

PTO / vacation

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an Engineering Project Manager in Detroit, MI, specializing in data centers. You will lead planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operational improvements of mission-critical infrastructure, coordinating with cross-functional teams to deliver on schedule and within budget.

Responsibilities include managing electrical, mechanical, BMS, cooling, and network systems; overseeing testing, start-up, and turnover; and driving safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field.
• 5+ years of engineering project management experience in data centers or mission-critical facilities.
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar capital projects.
• Strong understanding of electrical and mechanical building systems.
• Experience with MS Project or Primavera P6.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle of data center engineering projects from concept to commissioning.
• Manage scope, schedules, budgets, procurement plans, and resources.
• Coordinate internal teams, consultants, contractors, vendors, and commissioning agents.
• Monitor progress and provide regular status updates to leadership.
• Oversee FATs, SATs, and commissioning activities.
• Ensure safety, quality, and regulatory compliance throughout projects.

Skills

Project management

Data center engineering

Budgeting

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or Construction Management

Tools

Microsoft Project

Primavera P6

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

Job Title: Engineering Project Manager

As an Engineering Project Manager specializing in data centers, you will lead the planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operational improvement of mission‑critical data center infrastructure projects. You will manage cross‑functional engineering teams, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with all quality and reliability standards. This role involves overseeing projects related to electrical power systems, mechanical/HVAC infrastructure, cooling systems, backup generation, UPS systems, building management systems (BMS), fire protection, and network infrastructure supporting data center operations.

Job Description

As an Engineering Project Manager specializing in data centers, you will lead the planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operational improvement of mission‑critical data center infrastructure projects. You will manage cross‑functional engineering teams, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with all quality and reliability standards. This role involves overseeing projects related to electrical power systems, mechanical/HVAC infrastructure, cooling systems, backup generation, UPS systems, building management systems (BMS), fire protection, and network infrastructure supporting data center operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle of data center engineering projects from concept through commissioning.
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, procurement plans, and resource allocations.
• Coordinate internal engineering teams, consultants, contractors, vendors, and commissioning agents.
• Monitor project progress and provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
• Identify project risks and implement mitigation strategies to minimize schedule, cost, and operational impacts.
• Oversee engineering design activities related to medium and low‑voltage electrical distribution systems, UPS and backup power generation systems, cooling and HVAC systems, building automation and controls, fire detection and suppression systems, and network and structured cabling infrastructure.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, RFIs, and design documentation to ensure designs meet performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability requirements.
• Manage construction and installation activities while ensuring adherence to project schedules and safety standards.
• Coordinate FATs (Factory Acceptance Tests), SATs (Site Acceptance Tests), and commissioning activities.
• Ensure all systems are fully tested and documented before operational turnover.
• Support startup activities and operational readiness.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, business leaders, contractors, and engineering teams.
• Facilitate project meetings and communicate milestones, risks, and decisions.
• Build strong working relationships across multiple functional areas.
• Develop project cost estimates and capital expenditure forecasts.
• Track project spending and manage change orders.
• Analyze project financial performance and develop recovery plans when necessary.
• Ensure projects are completed within approved budgets.
• Ensure compliance with applicable building codes, OSHA regulations, and industry best practices.
• Promote a strong culture of safety and quality throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support audits, documentation reviews, and quality assurance programs.
• Identify opportunities to improve project delivery methodologies and operational efficiencies.
• Participate in capacity planning and infrastructure expansion initiatives.
• Develop lessons learned and best practices for future projects.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of engineering project management experience in data centers, mission‑critical facilities, industrial facilities, or large‑scale infrastructure projects.
• Experience managing multimillion‑dollar capital projects.
• Strong understanding of electrical and mechanical building systems.
• Experience with project scheduling software such as Microsoft Project or Primavera P6.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Data center project experience involving Tier III or Tier IV facilities.
• Experience with commissioning and startup of mission‑critical infrastructure.
• Knowledge of Uptime Institute, TIA‑942, and ASHRAE standards.
• Experience managing hyperscale or colocation data center projects.
• Familiarity with BIM/Revit and AutoCAD.

Work Environment

This role involves working in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment, focusing on mission‑critical data center projects. The position requires proficiency in managing high‑stakes projects with multimillion‑dollar budgets. A strong emphasis on safety, quality, and compliance is paramount. The ideal candidate should be comfortable working with various technologies and systems such as electrical distribution, HVAC, backup power, and building management systems. Collaboration with diverse teams and stakeholders is a key aspect of this role.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Detroit, MI.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $48.00 - $60.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical
• Dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long‑term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Detroit,MI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.