Mechanical Technical Director Mission Critical (Data Centres)

Key Responsibilities • Provide technical leadership and governance across multiple mission critical and data centre projects globally. • Define and oversee mechanical engineering strategies for hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-driven data centre developments. • Lead the development and review of cooling architectures, including chilled water systems, liquid cooling solutions, direct-to-chip cooling, CDUs, heat rejection systems, and high-density thermal management strategies. • Drive technical excellence through peer reviews, design assurance processes, and the development of engineering standards, best practices, and quality procedures. • Act as the senior technical authority for mechanical engineering matters, providing guidance and support to project teams throughout all project phases. • Support the development, adaptation, and optimisation of global standard reference designs, modular data centre solutions, and bespoke engineering approaches. • Interface directly with clients, operators, contractors, technology providers, and other stakeholders, acting as a trusted technical advisor and subject matter expert. • Lead technical workshops, value engineering exercises, feasibility studies, master planning activities, and technical due diligence assignments. • Ensure designs achieve the required performance, resilience, maintainability, energy efficiency, sustainability, and operational objectives. • Support project delivery teams in managing technical risks, programme requirements, budgets, and quality objectives. • Maintain strong client relationships and proactively identify opportunities for repeat business and long-term partnerships. • Support business development activities, client engagement, and strategic growth initiatives across the Mission Critical sector. • Lead and support pursuits, proposals, bids, interviews, and technical presentations to help secure new project opportunities. • Collaborate with regional and global leadership teams to develop and execute growth strategies for the Data Centres and Mission Critical business. • Monitor emerging technologies, market trends, and client requirements to ensure GHD remains at the forefront of data centre engineering. • Mentor and develop Lead Engineers and other team members, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. Experience & Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering. • Chartered Engineer status (CEng, PE, RPEQ, or equivalent) preferred. • Minimum 15 years of relevant engineering experience, including significant experience within mission critical and data centre environments. • Proven track record leading the design and delivery of hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-focused data centre facilities. • Extensive knowledge of data centre cooling systems, including chilled water plants, CRAH/CRAC systems, liquid cooling technologies, CDUs, cooling towers, dry coolers, and advanced control strategies. • Strong understanding of resilience and redundancy philosophies, including N+1, 2N, and concurrent maintainability principles. • Strong understanding of mechanical-electrical integration, controls and BMS systems, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness. • Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across international projects and geographically distributed delivery environments. • Demonstrated experience undertaking technical reviews, design assurance, engineering governance, and quality management activities. • Familiarity with CFD modelling, thermal analysis, energy modelling, digital engineering, and BIM delivery processes. • Strong commercial awareness with experience supporting business development, client management, and project pursuits. • Experience with hyperscale and AI data centre cooling strategies is highly desirable. • Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) certification is highly desirable. • Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills. • Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Building Services Engineering. • Chartered Engineer status (CEng, PE, RPEQ, or equivalent) preferred. • Minimum 15 years of relevant engineering experience, including significant experience within mission critical and data centre environments. • Proven track record leading the design and delivery of hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-focused data centre facilities. • Extensive knowledge of data centre cooling systems, including chilled water plants, CRAH/CRAC systems, liquid cooling technologies, CDUs, cooling towers, dry coolers, and advanced control strategies. • Strong understanding of resilience and redundancy philosophies, including N+1, 2N, and concurrent maintainability principles. • Strong understanding of mechanical-electrical integration, controls and BMS systems, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness. • Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across international projects and geographically distributed delivery environments. • Demonstrated experience undertaking technical reviews, design assurance, engineering governance, and quality management activities. • Familiarity with CFD modelling, thermal analysis, energy modelling, digital engineering, and BIM delivery processes. • Strong commercial awareness with experience supporting business development, client management, and project pursuits. • Experience with hyperscale and AI data centre cooling strategies is highly desirable. • Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) certification is highly desirable. • Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.