Design Director

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Texas.

📋 Description

• Lead the master planning of campus development from initial land acquisition to the entitlement process.

• Facilitate the design-oriented site selection and due diligence, evaluating power, water, geotechnical, floodplain, wetlands, and fiber limitations.

• Manage phasing plans, easements, rights-of-way, and decisions regarding utility sizing.

• Establish design criteria related to land use, zoning, noise, visual impact, traffic, and water consumption.

• Define design and delivery methodologies for remote locations with limited labor, extended material lead times, and minimal municipal services.

• Develop strategies for prefabrication, modularization, transport-envelope considerations, and on-site versus shipped-complete solutions.

• Oversee design solutions for water treatment, storage, wastewater management, fire water supply, temporary and permanent power, and workforce logistics.

• Create standardized reference designs that can be adapted for various sites.

• Draft, maintain, and enforce the company's Basis of Design, design standards, and reference designs across multiple disciplines.

• Manage project requirements and ensure traceability throughout design, commissioning, and turnover phases.

• Conduct milestone design reviews, oversee comment logs and backchecks, and formally approve designs.

• Maintain the design risk register and manage technical matters escalated to executives and investors.

• Scope, bid, award, and oversee contracts with architectural, engineering, civil, geotechnical, environmental, and specialty consultants.

• Monitor consultant performance, implement design change control measures, and address scope creep.

• Collaborate with design-build and general contractor teams on RFIs, submittals, change orders, field-driven modifications, and record documents.

• Replace underperforming consultants and manage transitions effectively.

• Partner with development, construction, procurement, operations, and commissioning teams.

• Represent the design function in discussions with utilities, regulatory authorities, permitting agencies, investors, and potential clients.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in designing or delivering mission-critical, industrial, or heavy utility infrastructure.

• At least 3 years of experience leading a design function or managing a multi-discipline design team.

• Direct experience on the owner-side managing architectural and engineering firms.

• Proficiency in writing scopes, evaluating proposals, conducting structured design reviews, and ensuring consultants meet their deliverables.

• Comprehensive knowledge across mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering disciplines.

• Practical understanding of IBC/IFC; NFPA standards 70, 70E, 72, 75, and 855; ASHRAE thermal and energy standards; Uptime Institute Tier topology; ANSI/TIA-942; and permitting processes in Texas and other regions.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, or construction management.

• Willingness to travel 40–50% of the time.

• Capability to work at active construction sites, fulfilling required PPE and safety training, navigating uneven terrain, enduring extreme temperatures, and working outside standard hours during energization and commissioning.

• U.S. work authorization status is required.

• Preferred: Experience in greenfield campus-scale projects from site selection through construction.

• Preferred: Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) licensure, or ability to obtain licensure in target states.

• Preferred: Experience as an owner or developer.

• Preferred: Familiarity with on-site water treatment, wastewater, or on-site generation.

• Preferred: Experience with startups or first-project engagements.

• Preferred: Experience in liquid-cooled and high-density deployment projects.

🏝️ Benefits

• 40 to 50% travel, which includes multi-day site visits, factory witness testing, and supplier audits.

• Overnight stays and travel expenses are covered for site visits.

• Opportunity to influence the company’s Basis of Design, standards, and reference designs.

• Leadership role in the design function and major technical decision-making.