Senior Director, Engineering

Job description

About our Company:

Based in Denver, Colorado, Cologix is North America’s leading network-neutral interconnection and hyperscale edge data center company. Our platform gives customers access to 45+ digital edge and ScalelogixSM hyperscale edge data centers in 12 markets across the United States and Canada along with a carrier-dense ecosystem of 710+ networks, 360+ cloud providers, 30+ onramps and seven Internet exchanges.  We provide our nearly 2,000 customers with direct access to our local operations teams, resulting in strong partnerships enabled by exceptional operational support and unparalleled customer service. Backed by one of the largest North American infrastructure funds, Cologix’s experienced leadership team, certified staff and commitment to ESG initiatives help form a culture that values our people, our environment and our clients.

About the Position:

The Senior Director, Engineering is primarily responsible for leading and managing the engineering efforts to support the Design and Construction Team in delivering innovative, high-quality, and efficient data center projects, especially related to future industry trends to ensure Cologix remains at the forefront of data center development. This role involves overseeing the technical aspects of all projects in design, ensuring alignment with company standards, client expectations, and industry best practices, as well as maintaining the company standards with an understanding it is a living document that continuously evolves to meet the future expectations of the market.

What you do daily:

• Provide expert technical engineering guidance for data center projects, ensuring compliance with building codes, safety regulations, and industry standards.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for consulting engineers and direction, ensuring engineering designs align with Cologix’s best practices, customer expectations, contract requirements, project budgets, and operational requirements.
• Regularly review and update all engineering basis of design documents to ensure designs meet the project schedule, budget and operational needs.
• Conduct ongoing audits and enhancements of Cologix’s design and build standards to drive innovation in data center design, including liquid cooling, sustainability, and on-site generation alternatives.
• Continually assess and update owner furnished equipment specifications for relevance to current and future designs, constructability, and coordination with all controls systems.
• Interface with the supply chain group to ensure alignment with equipment designs, availability, and cost.
• Work directly the internal Cologix DCIM, IT, and security teams to ensure alignment with all design standards and consulting engineering design documents.
• Regular interface with the project construction and operations teams to continually assess design and equipment adequacy related to builds, constructability, schedule, cost, and maintenance.
• Develop and implement company training plans related to the dissemination of key engineering elements that affect sales and operations, such as liquid to chip cooling processes, noise abatement approach to high decibel servers, etc.
• Recruit, train, and provide technical leadership to internal engineering personnel. Assign tasks to align with staff abilities and project needs, fostering professional development and skill enhancement.
• Oversee engineering group capital costs (hours and expenses) to align with annual budgets, manage personnel resources, and optimize overhead utilization while scaling the team to support project workloads.
• Work with the development team to prepare consultant design budgets for new projects, and maintain existing consultant design budgets on projects in design.
• Support the energy strategy group in technical discussions with utility companies when assessing existing and future utility service strategies and agreements.
• Support the business strategy group in performing due diligence for prospective opportunities as well as developing scopes of work for third party consultants in performing due diligence where required.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to enhance processes and protocols, ensuring Cologix remains an industry leader in multi-tenant and hyperscale colocation data center design and construction.
• Develop data-driven designs and equipment specifications to mitigate project risks through innovative planning and partnerships, presenting information to support executive decision-making.
• Review project documents for quality and consistency throughout the design process, from conceptual design through IFC documents.
• Conduct site walks as needed during construction to ensure designs meet specifications, and support RFI responses between design teams and internal management where required.
• Work closely with the commissioning team to ensure vendors and contractors are aligned with the design documents in order to achieve successful project turnover to customers.

What Makes You a Good Fit:

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in electrical and mechanical engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within the data center or mission-critical industry.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in a relevant discipline (e.g., Mechanical or Electrical) is preferred but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management or a related field. A master’s degree in a related field is advantageous but not required.
• Extensive experience in design-assist and design-build construction, particularly in data center projects, with a strong understanding of preconstruction planning, construction oversight, and commissioning processes.
• Expertise to focus on MEP disciplines, as well as a working knowledge of low voltage BMS, EPMS, IT, security, and life safety systems. Knowledge of typical data center civil and structural disciplines a plus.
• Understanding of utility service requirements, points of demarcation and responsibilities required. Knowledge of substation design, procurement, and construction a plus.
• In depth knowledge of data center QAQC and commissioning processes.
• Proven ability to lead and manage a team of engineers, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to engage with corporate executives, external partners, and cross-functional teams.
• Collaborative nature with the ability to be the decision maker when needed. Regularly source alternate opinions with the ability to assess the critical factors that best represent the company and stakeholders requirements.
• Strong knowledge of building codes, safety regulations, and industry-specific standards.
• Proficiency in engineering design software, construction management tools, cloud-based commissioning platforms, and financial management software.
• Ability and willingness to travel in the US and Canada to support project and team needs.

***Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in Canada. We are unable to sponsor or transfer sponsorship of an employment visa / work permit at this time.***

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Cologix is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.  If you need assistance in applying for any of our open positions, please contact us at [email protected] or call 720-940-2551.

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Cologix’ data centers are ISO 27001:2022 certified. ISO 27001:2022 certification and the Cologix portfolio of information security, information privacy and other industry recognized certifications represents our dedication to insuring the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of company and customer information systems and assets. At Cologix, information security is everyone’s responsibility. Cologix employees are responsible for:

• Understanding and following Cologix’ information security, cybersecurity and privacy policies, procedures, and standards.
• Ensuring conformance to all information security, cybersecurity and privacy policies, procedures, and standards.
• Remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity or possible vulnerabilities, weaknesses, threats, or breaches in Cologix information security to company information security and privacy officers.
• Actively participating in Cologix’ efforts to maintain and improve information security