Principal Mechanical Engineer, NA

About Vantage

Vantage powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world's well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

This position can be based in any of our US locations:
Denver, CO;
Phoenix, AZ;
Santa Clara, TX;
Ashburn, VA;
New Albany, OH, Shackelford County, TX;
Atlanta, GA;
Quincy, WA in accordance with our flexible work policy (3 days onsite required, 2 days remote).

Vantage is seeking a
Principal Engineer, Mechanical Engineering
to serve as a senior technical leader within the Design Engineering Department, driving innovation, quality, and performance across hyperscale data center projects. This individual contributor role is responsible for setting engineering direction, solving complex technical challenges, and influencing cross-functional initiatives. The Principal Engineer will act as a trusted advisor across teams, mentor other engineers, and represent the mechanical discipline in strategic planning and customer engagements.

• Define and drive mechanical engineering strategy across North American data center projects.
• Lead complex technical problem-solving and provide expert guidance on design, construction, and operations.
• Influence engineering standards, design principles, and long-term planning across the organization.

• Provide technical leadership on major projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Review and approve critical design decisions, submittals, and change management actions.
• Support commissioning, turnover, and operational readiness activities.

• Partner with internal teams including electrical, architectural, operations, and innovation engineering to ensure integrated solutions.
• Represent mechanical engineering in Centers of Excellence (CoE), strategic forums, and executive-level discussions.
• Support customer-facing engagements, including RFP responses, technical presentations, and post-lease coordination.

• Mentor and support engineers across all levels, fostering technical growth and knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to onboarding, training, and development of mechanical engineering talent.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.

• Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies, applying insights to improve system performance and efficiency.
• Lead efforts to refine Vantage's mechanical design standards and best practices.
• Conduct forensic analysis and root cause investigations for operational issues and failures.

• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5-8 years of experience in mechanical design, construction, and operations, with data center or mission-critical experience required.
• Proven track record of leading complex technical initiatives and influencing cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in design and documentation tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, BIM, CFD modeling) and reporting platforms (e.g., Excel, Power BI).
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Deep knowledge of building codes, standards, and industry best practices (e.g., ASHRAE).
• Travel is expected to be up to 15-25% but may increase as the business evolves.

The…