Lead Mechanical Engineer

Clear.; United States; Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off and holidays

Annual bonus

Job summary

Clear. is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer for data center and high-technology facilities. You will own HVAC and mechanical design across projects, mentor engineers and designers, and serve as the technical authority from concept to construction documents.

The role covers precision cooling, chilled water systems, and full HVAC infrastructure for mission-critical environments. Eight+ years of design experience and a PE license are preferred; US work authorization is required.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of mechanical engineering design experience.
• PE license preferred.
• Strong background in HVAC design for data centers or mission-critical facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design for data center projects including HVAC, cooling, piping, and utilities.
• Prepare calculations: heat loads, duct sizing, hydraulics, and equipment sizing.
• Develop design documents: P&IDs, general arrangements, sequences of operation.

Skills

8+ years experience

Independent decision making

Leadership

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Autodesk Building Systems

Job description

Lead Mechanical Engineer, Data Center and HVAC Design

Location: Albany NY / Dallas TX / Raleigh-Durham NC (hybrid)

Salary: $170,000 to $190,000 per year plus 10% annual bonus

Type: Full-time

The role

A specialist engineering design firm is hiring a Lead Mechanical Engineer to take ownership of HVAC and mechanical systems design across a portfolio of data center and high-technology facility projects. This is a senior technical leadership role. You will be leading discipline deliverables, mentoring engineers and designers, and acting as the technical authority on mechanical systems from concept through construction documents.

The work spans precision cooling, chilled water systems, and the full HVAC infrastructure required to support large-scale mission-critical and high-density compute environments. If you have 8 or more years of mechanical engineering design experience and a PE license, this is a strong opportunity with a firm that does serious work in serious markets.

What you will be doing

• Lead mechanical engineering design for data center and high-technology facility projects covering HVAC, precision cooling, chilled water systems, plumbing, and associated utilities
• Prepare mechanical engineering calculations including heat load calculations, duct sizing, chilled water hydraulics, static pressure, and equipment sizing and selection
• Develop conceptual, preliminary, and final design documents including P&IDs, general arrangements, sequences of operation, and construction document packages
• Plan and schedule discipline deliverables including man-hour estimation, personnel assignment, and supervision of discipline staff across projects
• Develop manpower and labour cost requirements and monitor them against project schedule and budget
• Act as technical consultant during project execution and on-site as required
• Coordinate with other engineering disciplines to ensure inputs are incorporated and deliverables are aligned
• Support QA/QC review processes and contribute to continuous improvement across the design team

What we need from you

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering
• 8 or more years of mechanical engineering design experience
• PE license preferred
• Strong background in HVAC design for data centers, mission-critical facilities, or high-technology buildings
• Proficiency in Autodesk Building Systems software and related design tools
• Experience leading and supervising discipline engineers and designers
• Comfortable making independent technical decisions and acting as the senior point of contact on mechanical scope
• Must be authorised to work in the US; sponsorship is not available

Good to have

• NCEES record
• Experience with precision cooling, liquid cooling, or high-density thermal management
• Familiarity with codes and standards applicable to mission-critical and data center facilities

Compensation and benefits

$170,000 to $190,000 per year DOE

10% annual bonus target

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off and holidays