Principal Mechanical Design Engineer (Data Centres) - London | Hybrid

Principal Mechanical Engineer – Data Centres

Location: London, UK (Hybrid Working)

Salary: Up to £100,000 + 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