Principal Mechanical Design Engineer - Data Centres

Location: South London

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design and delivery of large-scale, mission-critical data centre projects. This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone with strong technical expertise in cooling systems, resilience design, and high-performance building services within critical environments.
You will play a key role in developing innovative, efficient, and resilient mechanical systems for hyperscale and colocation data centres, working closely with multidisciplinary teams and high-profile clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of major data centre projects from concept through to delivery
• Design and oversee cooling strategies including chilled water systems, CRAH/CRAC units, direct/indirect air cooling, and liquid cooling solutions
• Develop resilient systems aligned with Tier classifications (N+1, 2N, etc.)
• Provide technical leadership across engineering teams and mentor junior engineers
• Work closely with electrical, structural, and architectural teams to ensure integrated design solutions
• Engage directly with clients, contractors, and stakeholders
• Lead design reviews, ensure compliance with industry standards, and drive best practice
• Champion sustainability, energy efficiency, and low PUE design strategies

Key Requirements

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards chartership
• Significant experience delivering data centre or mission-critical projects
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Chilled water systems and plant design
  • Airflow management and thermal modelling
  • Cooling technologies for high-density environments
  • Mechanical resilience strategies for critical infrastructure
• Familiarity with industry tools (e.g., IES, Hevacomp, Revit, CFD modelling tools)
• Excellent leadership, communication, and client-facing skills

Desirable Experience

• Experience working on hyperscale or colocation data centres
• Exposure to liquid cooling or emerging cooling technologies
• International project experience
• Knowledge of sustainability frameworks and carbon reduction strategies

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead cutting-edge data centre projects at scale
• A collaborative, innovative engineering environment
• Clear progression to Associate / Director level
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Flexible and hybrid working

Apply Now

If you are a driven mechanical engineer with a passion for delivering high-performance critical infrastructure, we'd love to hear from you.