Principal Mechanical Engineer Data Centers

Socket.dev; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Exentec US, Inc. is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer DTC to act as the senior technical authority for mission-critical mechanical systems in our global data center portfolio.

You will lead reliability initiatives, guide capacity planning, and drive energy efficiency across hyperscale, colocation, and HPC environments. You will mentor teams, review engineering designs, and collaborate with OEMs to deliver strategic improvements while traveling 30-40% globally to support operations and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering.
• 12+ years in mission-critical data center engineering, operations, or design.
• Advanced degree or Professional Engineering license (PE).
• Deep expertise in data center infrastructure including UPS topologies, data center cooling, controls, and airflow.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the global SME for data center critical infrastructure.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, reliability strategies, commissioning requirements, and operational best practices
• Review designs, technical documentation, and operating procedures to ensure compliance with Exentec standards.
• Drive system reliability, capacity planning, energy efficiency, and performance optimization initiatives.
• Lead root cause investigations, incident response efforts, and corrective action programs to improve uptime and reduce risk.
• Serve as the highest-level technical escalation point for critical data center events and operational challenges.
• Validate monitoring, analytics, and predictive maintenance strategies to enhance operational resilience.
• Develop and oversee technical training, Management of Change (MOC), auditing, and continuous improvement programs.
• Mentor technical teams and promote knowledge sharing, best practices, and operational excellence across the organization.
• Partner with clients, OEMs, and industry stakeholders to advance innovation and deliver strategic data center improvements.

Skills

Data center infrastructure

Reliability engineering

Root cause analysis

BMS/EPMS platforms

CFD tools

Troubleshooting & incident response

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree or PE license

Tools

BMS/EPMS platforms

CFD tools

Reliability modeling

Trending/analytics

Job description

Discover your exciting role

The Principal Mechanical Engineer DTC (Data Centers) serves as Exentec’s senior technical authority for mission-critical mechanical infrastructure, providing expertise in cooling, thermal management, controls, and facility systems that support hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and high-performance computing environments. Operating within Exentec’s 24×7 managed data center facilities, this role drives reliability, operational excellence, and uptime through technical leadership, incident response, engineering guidance, and continuous improvement initiatives across a global portfolio.

Explore your tasks and responsibilities

• Serve as the global SME for data center critical infrastructure, including mechanical, electrical, controls, cooling, and environmental systems.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, reliability strategies, commissioning requirements, and operational best practices
• Review designs, technical documentation, and operating procedures to ensure compliance with Exentec standards.
• Drive system reliability, capacity planning, energy efficiency, and performance optimization initiatives.
• Lead root cause investigations, incident response efforts, and corrective action programs to improve uptime and reduce risk.
• Serve as the highest-level technical escalation point for critical data center events and operational challenges.
• Validate monitoring, analytics, and predictive maintenance strategies to enhance operational resilience.
• Develop and oversee technical training, Management of Change (MOC), auditing, and continuous improvement programs.
• Mentor technical teams and promote knowledge sharing, best practices, and operational excellence across the organization.
• Partner with clients, OEMs, and industry stakeholders to advance innovation, support business development, and deliver strategic data center improvements.

Show your expertise

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in mission-critical data center engineering, operations, or design.
• Advanced degree or Professional Engineering license (PE).
• Deep expertise in data center infrastructure including:
  • Redundant electrical architectures (UPS topologies, MV/LV, STS)
  • Data center cooling technologies (air, liquid, hybrid)
  • Controls, automation, and alarm management
  • Airflow optimization and environmental control
• Strong capabilities in root cause analysis, failure mode identification, and reliability engineering.
  Proficient with BMS/EPMS platforms, CFD tools, trending/analytics, and reliability modeling.
  Excellent communication skills, able to influence across all levels.
  Ability to travel 30-40% global.

Preferred:

• Experience in digital twins, predictive maintenance tools, or automated optimization algorithms.
• Technical Mastery: Deep and broad understanding of data center MEP systems.
• Reliability Focus: Expert in redundancy strategies, uptime protection, and incident prevention.
• Strategic Thinking: Able to shape data center designs, standards, and capacity plans.
• Leadership: Guides global teams and elevates organizational capability.
• Analytical Expertise: Uses data to predict failures, optimize cooling, and improve PUE.
• Client & Sales Support: Communicates technical value and supports new business wins.

Exyte US, Inc. is proud to be a Equal Employment Opportunity employer that is committed to supporting an inclusive workplace where associates excel based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, age, sex (e.g., pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression), national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by applicable federal, state, or local laws.