Subject Matter Expert (SME), Mechanical Systems

Riot Platforms, Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Riot Platforms, Inc. in Rockdale, TX is seeking a Mechanical Subject Matter Expert to own the design review, deployment, commissioning, and lifecycle maintenance of critical mechanical systems for our high-density compute environments.

You will lead strategy for heat rejection, pumping, and large-scale liquid cooling, validate performance, review drawings and vendor selections, and support rack deployments from capacity planning through thermal turnover.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical systems for critical infrastructure or data centers.
• Experience with large-scale thermal and fluid systems.
• BS in Mechanical Engineering; professional certifications (PE, CEM, CxA) are a plus.
• Mastery of heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics.
• Expert knowledge of pumps, fans, valves, heat exchangers, and related equipment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical strategy for campus mechanical systems including chillers and cooling towers.
• Review drawings, submittals, and vendor selections to identify issues before field deployment.
• Provide mechanical and project management support for rack deployments from capacity planning to turnover.
• Define control sequences and alarm thresholds; collaborate on PLC/BMS setpoints and interlocks.
• Lead RCA for incidents and drive CI/predictive maintenance programs.
• Develop SOPs, MOPs, EOPs and training for site technicians.

Skills

Mechanical systems

Heat transfer

Thermodynamics

Fluid dynamics

Pumps and rotating equipment

Vibration analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

P&IDs

PLC

BMS

CMMS

Job description

About Riot Platforms

Riot’s (NASDAQ: RIOT) vision is to be the world’s most trusted platform for powering and building digital infrastructure. Riot’s mission is to empower the future of digital infrastructure by positively impacting the sectors, networks, and communities that we touch. We believe that the combination of an innovative spirit and strong community partnership allows us to achieve best-in-class execution and create successful outcomes.

About This Role

We are seeking a Mechanical Subject Matter Expert (SME) to join our Central Operations team. In this role, you will be the technical authority for the design review, deployment, commissioning, and lifecycle maintenance of the mechanical systems that keep our critical infrastructure running — heat rejection plants, pumping and piping systems, rotating equipment, and air and liquid cooling assets. You will bridge the gap between engineering design intent and field-level execution. This is a high-impact, hands‑on role where you will own the performance of complex mechanical infrastructure — including chillers, cooling towers and dry coolers, CDUs, heat exchangers, pumps, fans, valve arrays, and the control and alarming logic that protects them — ensuring our high‑density compute environments operate with maximum efficiency, uptime, and safety.

This position will be onsite in Rockdale, TX. Relocation assistance is available.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the technical strategy for campus mechanical systems, including heat rejection (chillers, cooling towers, dry coolers, fluid coolers), pumping and distribution, air‑moving equipment, and large‑scale liquid cooling deployments.
• Apply heat transfer, thermodynamic, and fluid dynamic fundamentals to validate system‑level heat balance, pressure drop, airflow management, and heat exchanger performance against design intent.
• Review mechanical drawings, P&IDs, equipment submittals, and vendor selections; identify single points of failure, serviceability gaps, and constructability issues before they reach the field.
• Support customer rack deployments by providing mechanical and project management support for end‑to‑end rack installation, from capacity planning through thermal turnover.
• Act as the expert on pumps, fans, motors, VFD controls, bearings, seals, and couplings — including alignment, balancing, and vibration analysis — to ensure reliable operation of critical rotating assets.
• Own piping system integrity, including valve selection and operation, hydraulic modeling, expansion and support design, material compatibility, and joint and weld standards.
• Define and optimize control sequences and alarm thresholds; collaborate with Automation teams to implement PLC/BMS setpoints, trending, and fail‑safe interlocks that protect equipment and load.
• Support the commissioning process for mechanical systems, including factory witness testing, hydro‑testing, air and water flow balancing, pump curve verification, and thermal validation under load.
• Lead root‑cause analysis (RCA) for mechanical and thermal incidents; develop the continuous improvement (CI) roadmap and predictive maintenance program (vibration, thermography, oil and water analysis) to reduce repeat failures, improve MTBF, and lower MTTR.
• Establish rigorous preventive maintenance protocols, critical spares strategies, and water treatment programs (filtration, biocides, corrosion inhibitors) to protect critical infrastructure.
• Develop enterprise‑level SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs, along with training programs to upskill site technicians on the safe handling and operation of mechanical and pressurized systems.
• Ensure work aligns with applicable standards and safe work practices, including ASME B31 piping, ASHRAE guidelines, NFPA requirements, lockout/tagout, stored‑energy release, and confined space entry.

What You’ll Have

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical systems within critical infrastructure, heavy industrial, power generation, or data center environments, with a deep focus on large‑scale thermal and fluid systems.
• Proven experience with hyperscale or enterprise data center mechanical plant — including liquid cooling deployment and maintenance — is strongly preferred.
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent hands‑on field experience; PE, CEM, CxA, or equivalent certifications are a plus.
• Mastery of heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics as applied to operating systems.
• Expert‑level knowledge of pumps, fans, industrial valves, heat exchangers, and heat rejection equipment.
• Proficiency in reading and developing P&IDs, mechanical schematics, and equipment layouts.
• Working knowledge of rotating equipment reliability practices, including alignment, balancing, and vibration analysis.
• Hands‑on experience with industrial controls (PLC/BMS), alarm management, CMMS‑driven maintenance programs, and data‑driven troubleshooting.
• Ability to manage complex projects and influence cross‑functional teams (Construction, Engineering, Operations, Vendors) without direct authority.
• Comfortable working in an active industrial and construction environment, including outdoor conditions, elevated work, and occasional after‑hours response for critical events.

Riot is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.