Principal Mechanical Engineer – Data Centres
Location: London, UK (Hybrid Working)
Salary: Up to £90,000 + Benefits
Visa Sponsorship: Available if required
Job Type: Permanent
Lead the Design of Next-Generation Data Centre Infrastructure
A leading international engineering and design consultancy is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join its growing Data Centres team in London.
This role offers the opportunity to lead the mechanical design of large-scale, mission-critical data centre facilities, supporting the infrastructure that powers global digital services and cloud computing. You will play a key role in delivering innovative, resilient, and energy-efficient mechanical systems for hyperscale and colocation data centre environments.
As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across complex engineering projects, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-performance building services solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the mechanical design and technical delivery of data centre and mission-critical infrastructure projects.
- Develop HVAC and cooling strategies for high-density computing environments.
- Oversee the preparation of engineering calculations, technical specifications, drawings, and design documentation.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers and project teams.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including electrical engineers, architects, sustainability specialists, and BIM teams.
- Act as a key technical interface with clients, contractors, and project stakeholders.
- Ensure designs meet performance, resilience, and sustainability requirements.
- Support project planning, risk management, and design coordination across multiple projects.
Required Skills & Experience
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
- 10+ years experience in mechanical design engineering within building services or consulting engineering.
- Strong expertise in HVAC systems, cooling plant, and mechanical infrastructure design.
- Experience leading complex building services or mission-critical engineering projects.
- Ability to guide and mentor engineering teams while managing technical deliverables.
- Experience producing and reviewing engineering calculations, reports, and design documentation.
- Proficiency with BIM and design tools such as Revit MEP.
- Strong client-facing and stakeholder management skills.
Desirable Experience
- Experience delivering data centre or mission-critical infrastructure projects (preferred but not essential).
- Knowledge of data centre cooling systems such as chilled water systems, CRAH/CRAC units, or liquid cooling technologies.
- Experience designing energy-efficient or low-carbon building services solutions.
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with CIBSE or IMechE.
What’s On Offer
- Salary up to £100,000
- Visa sponsorship available for eligible candidates
- Hybrid and flexible working options
- Opportunity to work on large-scale global data centre projects
- Structured career progression and leadership opportunities
- Chartership and professional development support
- Collaborative and innovative engineering culture