Mechanical Engineer, Data Center Design Engineering

Meta Meta · Big Tech · Menlo Park, CA

Mechanical Engineer for Meta's data center design engineering team, focusing on next-generation liquid cooling and thermal systems at large scale. The role involves owning system design from concept through construction, setting technical direction, and driving programs for compute capacity. Responsibilities include technical roadmap development, programmatic designs, managing equipment, and design localization. The engineer will lead and/or assist on new data center product designs, own mechanical systems strategies, drive design and development of airside and hydronic systems, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. The role also involves managing contracts, participating in testing and commissioning, supporting R&D initiatives, and representing Meta's interests as an owner's representative. Experience with AI tools for workflow optimization is mentioned as a plus.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead and/or assist on new data center product designs, integrating technological advancements while balancing cost, efficiency, time-to-delivery, and sustainability
  2. Own data center product mechanical systems strategies and infrastructure designs — including liquid cooling, chiller plant design, and heat rejection systems — from concept through construction administration
  3. Drive the design and development of airside and hydronic systems including CDU, Valve Train, Fan Coils, Central Chiller Plants, Drycoolers, and Cooling Towers
  4. Develop design documentation and drive design execution across all design and delivery phases (SD, DD, CD, CA) for self-builds (greenfield), lease facilities and retrofit projects
  5. Work closely with CSLA, Electrical, Connectivity and Controls Engineering teams to achieve holistic product designs optimized for cost, construction speed, operational efficiency, and long-term flexibility

Skills

Required

  • Mechanical Engineering degree or equivalent practical experience
  • 15+ years of experience in mechanical engineering for mission-critical facilities or data centers
  • Demonstrated expertise in liquid cooling systems, chiller plant design, and/or hydronic system designs
  • Experience leading large-scale mechanical design programs from concept through construction
  • Experience with all phases of design delivery (SD, DD, CD, CA)
  • Experience communicating technical concepts in writing and presentations
  • Experience with prefabricated/modular construction methodologies (DfSMA)
  • Experience with operations and deployment handover for data center mechanical systems
  • Deep expertise in availability and reliability engineering for critical infrastructure
  • Track record of mentoring engineers and building team capability

Nice to have

  • AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact
  • Hardware engineering thermal (HWE-Thermal) background
  • Background in R&D or piloting new mechanical technologies in production environments
  • Acoustics/noise engineering and regulatory compliance
  • Controls system fluency — understanding of BMS/EPMS integration and mechanical controls logic
  • Familiarity with advanced tooling, simulation, or AI-driven design optimization

What the JD emphasized

  • design authority for systems that do not have a playbook yet
  • decisions directly shape what gets built
  • set technical direction
  • drive programs that land real megawatts of compute capacity
  • technical roadmap
  • emerging technologies
  • programmatic designs
  • owner furnished equipment
  • design localization
  • mechanical systems strategies
  • liquid cooling
  • chiller plant design
  • heat rejection systems
  • airside and hydronic systems
  • CDU
  • Valve Train
  • Fan Coils
  • Central Chiller Plants
  • Drycoolers
  • Cooling Towers
  • design execution
  • self-builds
  • lease facilities
  • retrofit projects
  • holistic product designs
  • cost
  • construction speed
  • operational efficiency
  • long-term flexibility
  • prefabricated
  • modular component offerings
  • Building Block strategy
  • new design products
  • environmental impacts
  • water use efficiency
  • sustainability targets
  • integrated mechanical control strategies
  • system-level optimization
  • rack-level thermal and mechanical requirements
  • power density
  • coolant flow/pressure
  • temperature limits
  • facility mechanical system design
  • manage risk
  • critical mechanical equipment
  • owner's representative
  • deliverables
  • performance
  • RFPs
  • award recommendations
  • contracts
  • change orders
  • VE proposals
  • shop drawings
  • submittals
  • RFIs
  • factory tests
  • on-site testing
  • commissioning
  • quality checks
  • project lifecycle
  • short-term delivery priorities
  • industry standards
  • emerging trends
  • long-term strategy
  • Engineering Tech Strategy team
  • new technologies
  • alternate materials
  • liquid enablement solutions
  • cost
  • environmental impact
  • R&D initiatives
  • pilot programs
  • next-generation mechanical systems
  • Research Lab
  • reliability
  • availability engineering
  • downtime risk
  • system readiness
  • design-to-break-ground program schedules
  • milestones
  • completion dates
  • change management
  • resolution
  • Owner's representative
  • self-performed
  • leased facility projects
  • Site Selection
  • site due diligence
  • master planning projects
  • design engineers
  • field teams
  • new design types
  • specific projects
  • operations
  • knowledge sharing
  • handover
  • deployment planning
  • design to live operations
  • technical guidance
  • startup sequencing
  • system validation
  • travel