Data Center Design Engineer

Role Summary

The Data Centre Design & Infrastructure Strategy Engineer defines how the data centres are designed, expanded and modernised. Role works closely with network architecture, hosting, sourcing, external engineering consultants and colocation providers, and presents recommendations directly to senior technology leadership.

Key responsibilities

Design standards

• Define and maintain the standard data centre design classification — what a site should look like based on its network architecture and purpose, including base provisioning per rack type, power density assumptions, and structured cabling standards.

Site studies and uplift strategy

• Lead deep-dive assessments of existing sites covering power and cooling capacity, demand history, device footprint and rationalisation opportunities.

• Commission and interpret engineering feasibility studies, and translate the findings into a clear recommendation.

Expansion options and business cases

• Build costed option sets — reclaim existing footprint, add racks, or take new whitespace — with the capital, one-time and recurring cost impact of each. Present trade-offs plainly and recommend a path.

Architecture challenge

• Decide what goes into the rack: device placement, redundancy, pod versus legacy connectivity, cabling media, and uplink standards.

• Expect to question existing network and rack design where it no longer serves the business.

Vendor and partner engagement

• Negotiate power uplifts, containment modifications and cage expansion with colocation providers.

• Manage engineering consultants and cabling vendors through survey, quotation and delivery.

  Required Skills & Experience

  • Substantial experience in data centre design, engineering or infrastructure strategy, ideally in a multi-site regional role

  • Strong grounding in data centre M&E: UPS, PDU, CRAC/AHU, cooling capacity, containment, three-phase power distribution

  • Network architecture literacy — comfortable reading switch configurations, counting ports, and understanding spine/leaf and pod-based designs well enough to challenge them

  • Proven ability to build costed options and business cases, and present them to senior stakeholders

  • Track record negotiating with colocation providers, landlords and engineering consultants

  Desirable

  • Experience with DCIM tooling and capacity forecasting platforms