Director, Mechanical Engineering

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

📋 Description

• Serve as Volta's mechanical subject matter expert and design authority across all AI factories in EMEA and AMER, from initial concept through to commissioning and handover.

• Create, implement, and uphold mechanical design standards, specifications, and foundational design documents.

• Provide mechanical insights for Volta's AI factory Reference Design.

• Oversee liquid cooling architecture, which includes facility water systems, technology cooling systems, and coolant distribution units.

• Ensure alignment of cooling architecture with rack, GPU, and thermal specifications in collaboration with CTO and CPO organizations.

• Support ongoing projects from concept development through detailed design, construction, and commissioning phases.

• Monitor the evolution of AI hardware and cooling technologies, translating these advancements into mechanical standards.

• Lead mechanical design reviews and ensure technical assurance.

• Act as the design authority for any deviations from mechanical standards.

• Collaborate with subject matter experts in electrical, controls, and structural fields.

• Partner with Procurement to standardize specifications for long-lead mechanical equipment, facilitating framework agreements, prefabrication, and modular delivery.

• Advocate for safety, reliability, maintainability, and energy and water efficiency.

• Integrate lessons learned from delivery and operations into mechanical standards.

• Guide external design partners, mentor engineers, and develop the mechanical engineering team.

• Communicate the status, risks, and decisions of mechanical engineering to the Senior Director, Infrastructure Engineering.

⛳️ Requirements

• A degree in mechanical or building services engineering.

• Preferred: Chartered or professional engineer status (e.g., CEng or PE).

• Extensive experience in mechanical engineering within data centers or mission-critical environments.

• Proven senior technical leadership in mechanical design for large-scale programs.

• In-depth technical knowledge of data center cooling systems, including chilled water and heat rejection systems, air-side design, hydraulic design, and cooling control philosophy.

• Demonstrated track record in developing and implementing mechanical design standards, reference designs, or foundational design documents for hyperscale, colocation, or large-scale data center developers.

• Practical experience in designing and delivering high-density and liquid-cooled environments for AI and HPC workloads.

• Familiarity with direct-to-chip cooling, coolant distribution units, and facility water systems.

• Understanding of how GPU cluster thermal requirements influence facility design.

• Knowledge of data center mechanical codes and standards in Europe and North America, including ASHRAE guidelines and NFPA standards.

• Strong commercial judgment in balancing capital expenditure, scheduling, reliability, and operability.

• Capability to articulate complex technical trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including executives.

• Collaborative mindset with the ability to uphold mechanical standards.

• Right to work in the country where the role is based.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equity in Volta.

• Retirement and pension contributions.

• Comprehensive health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits.

• Generous vacation days each year.

• Discretionary bonus.

• Global benefits tailored to support employees regardless of their location.