VP, Data Center Mechanical Engineering — Hyperscale Cooling Leader

Tetra Tech; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Tetra Tech is seeking a Vice President of Data Center Mechanical Engineering to lead our data center practice in the United States. This high-visibility role requires strategic thinking and hands-on technical leadership across mechanical infrastructure, cooling, and high-density environments.

You will guide multidisciplinary teams, shape design standards, and drive business development while ensuring exceptional client service and project delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure.
• 10+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience, with significant experience in mission-critical or data center environments.
• Experience leading mechanical engineering design for data centers, central plants, or high-density facilities.
• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, or multi-building data center campus projects.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC, cooling, plumbing, fire protection coordination, heat rejection, controls interfaces, redundancy strategies, and resilient mechanical infrastructure.
• Experience developing or applying basis-of-design standards for data center facilities.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate complex technical work across offices and disciplines.
• Strong client-facing communication skills, including advising owners, developers, contractors, and executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to support business development, proposals, interviews, client strategy, and market growth.
• Experience managing technical quality, project budgets, schedules, staffing, and risk.
• Familiarity with building codes, energy codes, ASHRAE guidance, and best practices for mission-critical facilities.
• Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead data center mechanical engineering strategy with a focus on technical excellence, market growth, client service, and profitable project delivery.
• Serve as a mechanical engineering subject matter expert for data center projects, pursuits, and other client engagements.
• Provide leadership for mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, and cooling infrastructure design for mission-critical facilities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing technical teams across mechanical engineering and related disciplines.
• Support the development and refinement of basis-of-design standards for data center facilities including air-cooled and liquid-cooled systems.
• Lead or advise on large-scale hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and campus data center projects.
• Partner with market sector, operations, and technical leaders to grow data center portfolio and client relationships.
• Support business development activities, including client meetings, capture strategy, proposals, interviews, and go/no-go evaluations.
• Provide senior technical review and quality assurance for design documents, calculations, and deliverables.
• Guide teams through concept design, construction documentation, permitting, commissioning support, and closeout.
• Collaborate with architects, electrical, structural, civil engineers, and vendors.
• Evaluate innovative technologies for high-density computing, liquid cooling, energy efficiency, and resilience.
• Support resource planning, staffing, risk management, and financial performance for data center work.

Skills

HVAC systems

Data center experience

Leadership

Project management

Revit

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Energy efficiency

Hyper-scale data centers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) licensure

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Tetra Tech is seeking a Vice President of Data Center Mechanical Engineering to lead our data center practice in the United States. This high-visibility role requires strategic thinking and hands-on technical leadership across mechanical infrastructure, cooling, and high-density environments.

You will guide multidisciplinary teams, shape design standards, and drive business development while ensuring exceptional client service and project delivery.