Senior Mechanical Engineer – Data Center Piping & Liquid Cooling

GTN Technical Staffing; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

GTN Technical Staffing represents a growing HPC and cloud infrastructure company seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer specializing in data center piping and liquid cooling. You will design, analyze, and commission fluid distribution systems supporting high-density AI and HPC environments.

You will own hydraulic modeling, material selection, and piping layout from design through commissioning, coordinating with vendors, Controls Engineering, and field teams to deliver reliable cooling while

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited Mechanical Engineering degree or equivalent.
• PE license with Engineer of Record responsibilities.
• 7–10+ years experience in mechanical engineering including piping design.
• Proficiency with CAESAR II, AutoPIPE, or equivalent pipe stress software.
• Working knowledge of ASME B31.3 and B31.9.

Responsibilities

• Perform hydraulic modeling and pipe sizing.
• Specify materials and piping components for operating conditions.
• Use CAESAR II/AutoPIPE to evaluate thermal stress.
• Design expansion joints, loops, anchors, and supports.
• Coordinate with vendors and Controls Engineering.
• Develop testing procedures and commissioning sign-off.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Hydraulic modeling

Pipe stress analysis

Cross-functional coordination

Communication

Education

ABET-accredited Mechanical Engineering degree

Professional Engineer (PE) license

7–10+ years mechanical engineering experience

Tools

CAESAR II

AutoPIPE

BIM/Revit

Job description

Senior Mechanical Engineer – Data Center Piping & Liquid Cooling

Compensation: Competitive Base Salary + Bonus

Relocation: Relocation Package Available for Non-Local Candidates

Overview

Our client, a growing high-performance computing and cloud infrastructure company, is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer – Data Center Piping & Liquid Cooling to design, analyze, and commission fluid distribution systems supporting advanced data center cooling infrastructure.

This hands-on role owns piping engineering from hydraulic modeling and material selection through routing, pressure testing, and operational acceptance. Systems include chilled water, condenser water, glycol, and technology cooling loops serving high-density AI and HPC environments.

The engineer will support campuses using both waste-heat-driven absorption chilling and electric chiller plants, accounting for differences in operating temperature, pressure, fluid chemistry, and load response.

Working closely with the Principal Engineer / Design Authority, engineering disciplines, chemical consultants, vendors, and commissioning teams, this individual will deliver piping systems that maintain flow, protect equipment, and isolate failures without compromising critical cooling. The role includes Engineer of Record responsibilities and commissioning sign-off authority.

Key Responsibilities

Hydraulic Design & Pipe Stress Analysis

• Perform hydraulic modeling, pressure-drop calculations, Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) analysis, and pipe sizing.
• Specify pipe diameter, wall thickness, and materials based on operating conditions, fluid properties, and applicable requirements.
• Use CAESAR II, AutoPIPE, or equivalent tools to evaluate thermal stress and expansion.
• Design expansion joints, loops, anchors, and supports to accommodate operating loads and temperature changes.
• Validate system performance through engineering analysis and documented calculations.
• Design chilled water, condenser water, and secondary technology cooling loops.
• Integrate Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs) between facility cooling infrastructure and high-purity rack cooling circuits.
• Account for absorption and electric chiller plants with different pressure, temperature, and turndown characteristics.
• Coordinate piping and controls interfaces with equipment vendors and Controls Engineering.
• Support direct-to-chip, immersion, and other liquid cooling configurations as applicable.

Fluid Quality & Material Compatibility

• Specify side-stream filtration, strainers, and air separation to maintain fluid quality and protect cold plate channels.
• Partner with chemical consultants on closed-loop water treatment, biocidal dosing, and corrosion inhibition.
• Verify compatibility of piping, gaskets, seals, and equipment with treated water, glycol, dielectric fluids, and absorption chiller solutions.
• Identify corrosion, contamination, and material compatibility risks before procurement and construction.

Piping Layout & Failure Isolation

• Develop and coordinate large-bore piping routes using BIM/Revit.
• Resolve conflicts with electrical busways, cable trays, structural steel, and other infrastructure.
• Design isolation valve arrangements and double block and bleed strategies to contain leaks while preserving cooling availability.
• Validate valve matrices and operating sequences against project-specific N+1 or 2N redundancy requirements.
• Coordinate piping layouts with structural supports, equipment access, and maintenance needs.
• Develop and witness hydrostatic and pneumatic pressure-testing procedures.
• Establish flushing and cleanliness protocols appropriate for sensitive liquid cooling equipment and cold plate passages.
• Support Level 4/5 functional performance testing of flow control valves, balancing valves, and pump Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs).
• Verify system response during simulated load reductions, equipment failures, and isolation events.
• Document results, resolve deficiencies, and provide required commissioning sign-off.

Technical Documentation & Procurement Support

• Serve as Engineer of Record for piping design, testing protocols, and commissioning documentation.
• Prepare technical specifications and review vendor submittals for alignment with design intent.
• Maintain technical scope and commercial pricing as separate procurement documents.
• Communicate fluid system risks, design decisions, and acceptance requirements to commissioning teams and project leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license, supporting Engineer of Record responsibilities for piping design, testing, and commissioning documentation.
• 7–10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, including hands-on chilled water or process piping design.
• Proficiency with CAESAR II, AutoPIPE, or equivalent pipe stress analysis software.
• Working knowledge of ASME B31.3 and B31.9.
• Demonstrated experience performing hydraulic modeling, NPSH calculations, friction-loss analysis, and thermal expansion assessments.
• Experience specifying materials compatible with glycol, dielectric fluids, treated water, and absorption chiller solutions.
• Experience designing isolation and double block and bleed arrangements that limit the impact of a single leak.
• Experience coordinating BIM layouts and resolving electrical and structural clashes before construction.
• Experience writing and witnessing pressure-testing and flushing procedures that protect sensitive cooling components.
• Experience verifying valve and pump VFD response during Level 4/5 commissioning.
• Strong technical documentation, cross-functional coordination, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Fluid/Thermal Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Data center liquid cooling experience, including direct-to-chip, immersion cooling, and CDU integration, or comparable process industry experience.
• Familiarity with lithium bromide handling and absorption cooling systems.
• Experience supporting hyperscale data centers or other mission-critical process facilities.