Principal Mechanical Product Engineer at Tract Capital Management, LP – Seattle, Washington

Fleet Data Centers designs, builds and operates mega-scale data center campuses. Fleet provides its customers flexibility and predictability to meet their upside demand forecasts, addressing a key need in the market as traditional leased models are struggling to keep pace with the demand for new Cloud and AI infrastructure. Fleet is led by a team of industry veterans that have already made a lasting imprint on the evolution of global digital infrastructure and are committed and uniquely capable of upleveling data center development scale and operations in the face of rising demand. Fleet is well positioned to bring in-house design, engineering and operational capabilities to collaborate with customers on tailored solutions for campuses of 500MW+. This unique model enables Fleet to provide the world’s largest and most sophisticated customers a seamless extension of their own data center fleets with constant access to design innovation. Fleet is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices in Seattle, WA and Arlington, VA.

Position Overview:The Principal Mechanical Product Engineer bridges the gap between product vision and execution, and ensures mechanical products are manufactured efficiently and effectively by external providers to the design intent. They collaborate closely with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers to achieve optimal product outcomes within the contract manufacturing context. They interact with product managers, product engineers and the data center building engineering teams to develop mechanical products and processes to support the successful design, validation and production to support projected volumes at a global scale. The Principal Mechanical Product Engineer ensure the product solutions achieve the design intent while evaluating tradeoffs to achieve cost targets and timelines. Additionally, adherence to jurisdictional and global compliance requirements are table stakes in successful product development to production volumes.

The Principal Mechanical Product Engineering will advise on product roadmaps and market requirements and will focus closely on transitioning engineered products and prototypes to volume production. Collaboration with product engineers, data center project engineers, project managers, procurement professionals, compliance agents, commissioning agents, and contract manufacturers are all required for successful product introduction and the scaling of deployments.

Key Responsibilities:

Design Development: Influence and drive the development of products and solutions for data centers demonstrating industry leading efficiency, capacity, and use of new technologies to solve customers’ most challenging issues.Manufacturing Engagement / Oversight: Early collaborative engagement in product design stages to help define the end-to-end transition of products from engineering prototypes to scalable, manufacturable, production-ready units meeting quality, cost, and timeline targets. Team up with partners to define and implement manufacturing strategies that align with product requirements and mutual business goals.Supplier Management: Managing relationships with manufacturers, ensuring they understand the product requirements and expectations. Project Management: Influencing product design process, including component and concept design decisions, timelines, budgets, and resources. Collaboration: Collaborating with internal teams (e.g., building design engineering, operations, project management, construction, commissioning, procurement, and financing) and external suppliers to ensure smooth product development and delivery. Code / Compliance: Liaise with external legal and compliance teams to interpret and drive regulatory requirements at a site level. Work with partners to ensure packaging, labeling, and documentation meet regulatory and market requirements.Planning: Open partnership in driving and managing supply chain alternatives for production materials, components, and finished goods. Collaboration with external partners for production planning that aligns with demand forecasts, quality standards, delivery timelines, and inventory targets. Align production and delivery timelines with go-to-market strategies and commercial launch plans to ensure seamless product deployment.Quality / Test: Work in partnership to develop and provide clear, non-subjective Quality Testing Criteria for factory and on-site equipment and product testing within systems. Co-development of testing requirements and mechanisms with external partners for functional compliance to drive seamless execution. Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for test failures during New Product Introduction (NPI) stage.Communication: Support partners in new product introductions by helping to align manufacturing capabilities with design requirements. Act as the central point of contact to facilitate clear communication between engineering, manufacturing, quality, logistics, and commercial teams to identify and mitigate risks across the product lifecycle. Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable strategies for both technical and non-technical audiences. Delivering written and verbal presentations to internal leadership teams. Interfacing with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders.Documentation: Collaborate to define Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for material handling, product production, shipping, and deployment.

Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field10+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, with at least 5 years focused on data center design and operations.10+ years of experience with refrigeration and water-based heat rejection products and systems for mission critical applications.Proven history of delivering mechanical systems for large-scale data center projects, including experience with HVAC and cooling systems. Familiarity with structural and electrical equipment.Familiarity with mechanical design software (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, CFD, etc.) and proficiency in tools for modeling and analyzing thermal and fluid dynamics.Expertise in sustainability, energy efficiency, and cost-saving measures related to data center mechanical systems.Communication: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable strategies for both technical and non-technical audiences.Stakeholder Management: Strong ability to influence and manage key stakeholders across engineering, product, and operations teams.Analytical Skills: Demonstrated success in analyzing program data, defining KPIs, and reporting on success metrics.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in global data center projects, navigating region-specific regulations and environmental conditions.Hyperscaler: Familiarity with cloud providers’ data center requirements (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and Meta).Data Center Cooling Technologies: Extensive experience developing data center cooling systems for both air and liquid-cooled environments in mixed ratios.Global Experience: Experience leading product launches in global markets, including knowledge of international land, energy, and/or data center regulations and compliance.Technical Background: A strong technical understanding of cloud services and infrastructure products and systemsVendor Management: Experience managing third-party vendors or contractors in the data center product, construction, and/or engineering launch lifecycle.

Key Competencies:

Integrity and Ethical Standards: Build trust, ensure fairness, and foster long-term, transparent relationships with suppliers.Effective Communication: The ability to clearly convey expectations and requirements to suppliers and negotiation parties, while understanding their needs and concerns. Comfortable delivering written and verbal presentations to internal leadership teams.Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Ability to understand the emotions, cultural nuances, and motivations of others, while effectively managing one's own emotions during high-pressure negotiations.Strategic Thinking: Ability to think big picture while also managing granular details.Adaptability: Proven track record of managing change and ambiguity in a fast-paced environment.Leadership: Ability to manage cross-functional teams and external vendors.Experience with complex, multi-site projects: Manage multiple projects under tight deadlines and deliver exceptional results.Excellent communication and presentation skills: Capable of interfacing with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders.Creative problem-solver: Ability to troubleshoot and optimize system performance effectively.Team Building: Ability to lead and develop a diverse, cross-functional team in high-pressure environments.

Working Conditions:

This role requires occasional travel to data center sites and vendor/partner across multiple regions (up to 40% travel).Ability to work in both office environments manufacturing facilities, and active construction sites, adhering to all safety protocols.

Expected Salary Range: $160,000 - $200,000 Salary + Bonus

Location: Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Alexandria, VA; Austin, TX. Will also consider well qualified remote candidates.

Fleet Data Centers EmploymentFleet Data Center employees enjoy competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401K program, standard paid holidays, and unlimited PTO.NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the organization’s ongoing needs.Fleet Data Centers is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

To apply for this position or if you need assistance applying for any of our open positions, please contact us at info@fleetdatacenters.com.

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