Lead Mechanical Engineer (MCF/Data Centres)

Haskoning; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent contract

Hybrid working

20 vacation days per year

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Haskoning in South Africa seeks a Lead Mechanical Engineer (MCF/Data Centres) to lead the SA mechanical team, drive complex data-centre projects and collaborate with global colleagues. You will deliver block design packages, calculations and detailed drawings for live data-centre environments while mentoring engineers.

Ideal candidates bring 15+ years in building services, strong HVAC expertise, and a track record in mission-critical design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 15+ years of building services mechanical design experience.
• Data centre design experience in mission critical environments.
• Proficiency with HVAC load calculations and CAD/BIM tools.
• ECSA PrEng registration preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the South African Mechanical Engineering team and report to leadership.
• Maintain relationships with global teams and stakeholders.
• Provide technical project leadership and mentor design engineers.
• Define scope, deliver design calculations, sketches and drawings.
• Prepare tender docs, cost reviews and risk assessments.
• Represent Haskoning at factory acceptance tests and site commissioning.

Skills

HVAC design

Mechanical engineering

Project leadership

Mentoring

Client interaction

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Excel calculations

Revit/Revizto

Education

Bachelor’s / Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Revit

Revizto

Bluebeam Revu

CAD tools

Job description

The global digital revolution is expanding prosperity worldwide, enabled by reliable, resilient data centres. Drawing on our pioneering experience, we help clients achieve dependable and profitable data centre investments globally.

Our established Mission Critical Facilities (MCF) team partners with leading data centre providers and users across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the UK, with offices across the globe.

Data centres are a strategic market for Haskoning, ranked among the industry’s top five design and engineering firms. To support our growth in innovative, sustainable data centres, we seek experienced professionals in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and South Africa.

What you do as a Lead Mechanical Engineer (MCF/ Data Centres)

Role Objectives Include

As a Lead Mechanical Engineer, you work with some of the most demanding data centre clients globally and collaborate proactively with colleagues across borders. Our MCF projects require advanced, specialist knowledge beyond standard building services engineering. Clients expect you to think along with them and to deliver increasingly detailed 3D designs up to working documentation level. Within our Brown Field Services team, you operate in live data centre environments, where your daily work includes risk management, technical assessments and involvement in testing and commissioning protocols. This translates into the following core role objectives and responsibilities:

• Lead the South African Mechanical Engineering team, reporting to the Director Advisory Group.
• Maintain strong relationships and communication with global teams.
• Provide technical project leadership and mentor design engineers and technologists. Support business development, bids and proposals.
• Collaborate with global teams on data centre projects.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

Deliver mechanical work packages across multiple projects.

• Define scope, design and management objectives; deliver quality documentation for contractors, vendors and regulatory authorities.
• Prepare design calculations, sketches and detailed drawings using relevant software (Revit, Revizto, etc.); check others’ work before issue.
• Write technical specifications and reports, including tender documents.
• Support the project manager with cost reviews and risk assessments.
• Maintain vendor relationships to support ongoing technical development.
• Review contractor pre-qualifications and proposals, prepare tender evaluations and recommend vendors to clients.
• Represent Haskoning at factory acceptance tests and site testing and commissioning.
• Report project status to directors and clients through formal and ad hoc updates.
• Manage team meetings, priorities, workloads and leave cover; support recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, performance and development; promote wellbeing, collaboration and knowledge sharing; and resolve team issues with management and HR.

You work within a multidisciplinary, internationally operating team and contribute to the optimisation of internal processes and the safeguarding and sharing of technical knowledge within your discipline.

Where you will work

Haskoning is an independent, employee-owned international consultancy combining engineering, design, consultancy, software and technology to deliver our mission: “Enhancing Society Together.”

With 140+ years of expertise and over 6,800 employees in more than 25 countries, we deliver challenging, purpose-driven international projects in infrastructure, climate resilience, renewable energy, industrial decarbonisation and sustainable mobility.

As Lead Mechanical Engineer (MCF/ Data Centres) in South Africa, you will join our Global Mission Critical Facilities (MCF) team.

Our global MCF team delivers multidisciplinary consultancy and integrated data centre designs for colocation operators, internet service providers and telecom companies. Our specialists span electrical and mechanical engineering, construction, architecture, fire safety, controls and security. You will join a dedicated team recognised among the world’s best in data centre design and engineering. Here you will find examples of some our projects.

Our preferred base location is Sandton, with Cape Town and Umhlanga as our second and third choices, respectively. As our South Africa team is in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, travel between offices will be required to meet operational demands. The role will also require occasional travel to Haskoning/ client offices/ project sites both in the overseas and mainly in the EU.

What you bring

You take ownership of complex mechanical scopes and operate with a proactive, solution driven mindset. You can balance technical depth with client interaction and understand the impact of design decisions on availability, risk and operational continuity. In multidisciplinary and international environments, you act decisively, safeguard quality and maintain a structured approach to delivery. This profile translates into the following requirements:

• A Bachelor’s and/ or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, providing the technical foundation required to design and assess mission critical mechanical systems;
• At least 15 years of relevant experience in building services mechanical design, with HVAC mandatory and the candidate’s dominant mechanical subdiscipline, enabling you to take independent responsibility for complex projects and make sound engineering decisions. Experience in other mechanical subdisciplines, such as wet services, fire, and mechanical utilities, is advantageous but not mandatory;
• Proven data centre design experience within mission critical or high availability environments, essential for understanding redundancy principles, operational constraints and reliability driven design;
• Strong knowledge of standard practices in the design and construction industry, required to ensure compliance, buildability and coordination across disciplines;
• Demonstrable experience in consulting engineering multidisciplinary project environments and detailed design development, necessary to deliver coordinated documentation up to working documentation level.
• ECSA Professional registration as a PrEng is preferred;
• Strong digital engineering capability, including proficiency in Excel-based mechanical calculations and PDF review tools such as Bluebeam Revu or equivalent; working knowledge of Revit, ACC and Revizto; and experience with relevant HVAC load calculation, duct and pipe sizing, and hydraulic analysis tools. The ability to interpret and critically review data centre CFD and energy‑modelling studies is required, with hands‑on specialist modelling, automation and approved AI‑tool experience advantageous.

What We Offer

At Haskoning, we believe that the well‑being of our employees is essential to our shared success. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support both your professional development and personal well‑being.

• A solid foundation: A permanent contract with a competitive base salary and personal allowances. A bonus based on company profit might also be applicable;
• Work‑life balance: 20 vacation days per annum (based on full‑time employment), hybrid working model and flexible working hours;
• Development opportunities: A wide range of training and development programs, including tailored learning paths, learning weeks, and various knowledge‑sharing groups; and access to latest digital tools for your work.
• Informal and inclusive culture: A welcoming and open environment where people come first, diversity is embraced, team spirit is high, and everyone is approachable. And with voluntary social and sports activities, and employee networks such as Pride and Young Haskoning;
• A dynamic workplace in our vibrant offices in Sandton / Cape Town / Umhlanga, including a laptop and all necessary accessories shall be applicable.

Are you our new colleague?

At Haskoning, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered. Regardless of your experience, background, age, gender, or personal characteristics, you are welcome here. Learn more about our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion initiatives on our website.