Chief Power Engineer (Data Centers)
The Role
The Data Center Chief Power Engineer is responsible for the operation, maintenance, reliability, and optimization of all electrical power infrastructure within a hyperscale or mission-critical data center environment in Lappeenranta, Finland. This role leads electrical engineering strategy, ensures continuous uptime, manages high-voltage and low-voltage systems, and oversees compliance, safety, and emergency response activities in accordance with Finnish and European regulations.
The Chief Power Engineer works closely with facilities teams, operations, construction, commissioning, utility providers, vendors, and executive leadership to ensure reliable delivery of power to critical IT loads while supporting sustainability and energy-efficiency goals aligned with Nordic data center operations.
Key Responsibilities, Power Infrastructure Operations
- Utility service entrances
- Medium-voltage and low-voltage switchgear
- UPS systems
- Generators and paralleling gear
- PDUs and RPPs
- Busways and power distribution systems
- Battery systems (VRLA and Li-ion)
- Grounding and bonding systems
- SCADA, BMS, and EPMS platforms
Ensure continuous uptime and redundancy performance (N+1, 2N, or higher).
Lead electrical switching procedures, outage planning, and emergency response activities.
Review, approve, and maintain electrical SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs.
Coordinate with local utility providers and transmission operators in Finland.
Reliability & Risk Management
Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programs for mission-critical electrical systems.
Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) for electrical and power-related incidents.
Lead failure investigations and corrective action programs.
Monitor electrical system performance, capacity utilization, and load trends.
Manage arc flash, electrical safety, and lockout/tagout (LOTO) programs.
Ensure compliance with
- Finnish electrical safety regulations
- SFS electrical standards
- IEC and IEEE standards
- EU energy and environmental regulations
- OSHA-equivalent safety practices and internal corporate safety requirements
Engineering & Design Oversight
Review electrical designs for expansions, retrofits, and new deployments.
Support commissioning, integrated systems testing (IST), and acceptance testing.
Coordinate with consultants, contractors, OEMs, and utility providers.
Support capacity planning and long‑term infrastructure strategy.
Evaluate resiliency improvements and modernization initiatives.
Participate in design reviews for high‑voltage systems typically ranging from 10kV-36kV.
Leadership & Team Management
Lead and mentor power engineers, technicians, and critical facilities operators.
Coordinate contractor and vendor activities to ensure safe and compliant work execution.
Provide technical escalation support during critical incidents and infrastructure events.
Participate in a 24/7 on‑call rotation supporting mission‑critical operations.
Promote a strong culture of operational excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.
Energy & Sustainability
Optimize Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).
Support sustainability and energy‑efficiency initiatives aligned with Nordic and EU environmental goals.
Analyze electrical load growth and future capacity requirements.
Evaluate renewable energy integration, energy storage solutions, and backup power strategies.
Collaborate with sustainability teams on carbon reduction and energy optimization initiatives.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Electrical Engineering
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Power Engineering
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Energy Systems Engineering
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Related technical field
Experience
- 8-15+ years of experience in Data center facilities engineering
- 8-15+ years of experience in Mission‑critical operations
- 8-15+ years of experience in Industrial or utility‑scale power systems
- 8-15+ years of experience in High‑availability electrical infrastructure
- Experience with Tier III or Tier IV environments preferred.
- Experience managing medium- and high‑voltage systems (typically 10kV-36kV).
- Experience working within European or Nordic regulatory environments is highly preferred.
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of Power distribution systems
- Strong knowledge of Protective relaying and coordination
- Strong knowledge of Generator synchronization and controls
- Strong knowledge of UPS topologies
- Strong knowledge of SCADA/BMS/EPMS systems
- Strong knowledge of Load flow and coordination studies
- Strong knowledge of Electrical testing and commissioning
- Strong knowledge of Arc flash analysis and mitigation
- Strong knowledge of Mission‑critical infrastructure reliability practices
- Familiarity with cold‑climate operations and energy‑efficient cooling strategies is advantageous.
Certifications (Preferred)
- Professional Engineer (PE) or European equivalent
- Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP)
- Data Center Certified Associate/Professional (DCCA/DCCP)
- NFPA 70E or equivalent electrical safety certification
- OSHA 30 or equivalent industrial safety training
- Licensed High Voltage Switching Operator (where applicable in Finland/EU)
Benefits & Perks
- Competitive compensation
- Career growth and learning opportunities
- Flexibility and work-life balance
- Collaborative and innovative culture
- Opportunity to work on impactful AI projects
- International environment and talented teams
Equal Opportunity Statement
Nebius is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace and to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants must be authorized to work in the country in which they apply and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility as a condition of hire. If you need accommodations during the application process, please let us know.