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Data Center Design Lead

AI Summary
Nebius is seeking a senior Data Center Design Lead to own end-to-end facility design for new and expanding AI data centers in the United States. The role leads internal electrical and mechanical engineers, manages external design partners, and serves as the final technical authority for data center design decisions. Key work includes high-density GPU power and cooling strategy, MEP coordination, network-ready physical layouts, regulatory compliance, commissioning support, and repeatable design standards. The position requires 12+ years of data center design experience and strong leadership across construction, operations, and engineering stakeholders. It is a remote US role supporting a fast-moving AI cloud infrastructure environment.
Remote from
USA
Salary
USD 90k–220k / yr
Employment
Full Time
Experience
Senior
Published
Apply before
5 Dec 2026
Listing views
26
Application actions
1
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Opportunity details

About this role.

About Nebius:

Nebius is leading a new era in cloud infrastructure for the global AI economy. We are building a full-stack AI cloud platform that supports developers and enterprises from data and model training through to production deployment, without the cost and complexity of building large in-house AI/ML infrastructure.

Built by engineers, for engineers. From large-scale GPU orchestration to inference optimization, we own the hard problems across compute, storage, networking and applied AI.

Listed on Nasdaq (NBIS) and headquartered in Amsterdam, we have a global footprint with R&D hubs across Europe, the UK, North America and Israel. Our team of 1,500+ includes hundreds of engineers with deep expertise across hardware, software and AI R&D.

The Role

The Data Center Design Lead will partner with internal infrastructure, hardware, and operations teams, as well as external consultants, engineers, and construction firms, to deliver designs that support rapid deployment and long-term operational excellence.

This role leads internal electrical and mechanical engineers, oversees third-party design partners, and ensures all designs meet Nebius standards, local regulations, and operational requirements.

You will be responsible for both hands-on design oversight and technical leadership, serving as the final authority on data center design decisions.

Location: Remote, US

Responsibilities:

Design Leadership
• Own the end-to-end design process for new data center builds and expansions.
• Translate business, hardware, and workload requirements into facility design specifications (power, cooling, network, and floor space).
• Ensure designs optimize density, reliability, and efficiency while supporting rapid scalability.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers and consultants to deliver detailed designs.

Power & Cooling Strategy
• Define requirements for high-density rack power, redundancy and UPS configurations.
• Lead cooling design trade-offs (air, liquid, immersion) to meet GPU cluster needs.
• Evaluate and integrate renewable energy and sustainability initiatives.

Network & Infrastructure Integration
• Work closely with network and hardware teams to ensure physical layout supports cabling, interconnects, and future expansion.
• Plan for modular design that enables incremental GPU cluster growth.

Compliance & Standards
• Ensure all designs comply with international and regional standards (e.g., Uptime Institute Tier guidelines, local building codes).
• Incorporate safety, fire suppression, and physical security measures.
• Define documentation and as-built standards for ongoing operations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Coordinate with construction project managers and external contractors during build phases.
• Provide design oversight during commissioning and handover to operations.

Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate emerging GPU data center technologies and integrate innovative solutions.
• Develop playbooks and design templates for repeatable, fast deployments.
• Benchmark efficiency (PUE, WUE) and reliability across sites to drive improvement.

Requirements:

  • 12+ years of experience designing data centers.
  • Direct experience with electrical, mechanical, and architectural DC design.
  • Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Architecture (or equivalent).
  • Proven leadership experience managing technical design teams.
  • Strong stakeholder communication skills across construction, operations, and external partners.
  • Experience designing high-density data centers, including: Air-cooled environments & Liquid-cooled technologies

Nice to Haves:

  • Experience designing data centers for hyperscalers or neoclouds 
  • Prior experience supporting GPU dense or AI infrastructure environments.

Key employee benefits:

  • Health insurance: 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and families.
  • 401(k) plan: Up to 4% company match with immediate vesting.
  • Parental leave: 20 weeks paid for primary caregivers, 12 weeks for secondary caregivers.
  • Remote work reimbursement: Up to $85/month for mobile and internet.
  • Disability & life insurance: Company-paid short-term, long-term and life insurance coverage.

Compensation
We offer competitive salaries, ranging from $90,000-$220,000 based on your experience

Benefits & Perks:

  • Competitive compensation
  • Career growth and learning opportunities
  • Flexibility and ownership
  • Collaborative and innovative culture
  • Opportunity to work on impactful AI projects
  • International environment and talented teams

What’s it like to work at Nebius:

Fast moving – Bold thinking – Constant growth – Meaningful impact – Trust and real ownership – Opportunity to shape the future of AI

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.

Apply now >

This job listing has been manually reviewed by the Jobicy Trust & Safety Team for compliance with our posting guidelines, including verification of the company's legitimacy, accuracy of job details, clarity of remote work policy, and absence of misleading or fraudulent content.

Role DNA

A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.

Job Complexity

5/5
EasyHard

Pace & Pressure

5/5
RelaxedFast-paced

Autonomy Level

5/5
GuidedFull ownership

Communication Load

5/5
IndependentCollaborative
AI insightThis is a highly senior infrastructure design leadership role requiring deep multidisciplinary expertise in electrical, mechanical, architectural, cooling, and high-density GPU data center systems. The lead is accountable for consequential technical decisions while coordinating internal teams, consultants, contractors, and operations stakeholders.

Salary analysis

Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.

Estimated job median (per year)Below market
$155,000
US market range (per year)$175k–$250k
AI insightThe yearly pay period is inferred from the job context; it was not explicitly stated by the employer. The employer discloses a salary range of $90,000–$220,000 USD. The annual cadence is inferred because the posting does not state a pay period, but the amount and senior US full-time role context strongly indicate yearly base salary. Estimated US market compensation for an experienced data center design leader is $175,000–$250,000 USD per year.

Core skills

Skills and capabilities most closely associated with this opportunity.

Sample interview questions
How would you translate GPU cluster requirements into a data center power and cooling design?

I would begin with rack-level power density, growth forecasts, redundancy targets, workload profiles, and hardware thermal characteristics. I would model the electrical path from utility through UPS and distribution, compare air, direct-to-chip liquid, and immersion cooling options, and validate capacity, maintainability, efficiency, and phased expansion requirements.

Describe your approach to balancing reliability, density, speed of deployment, and cost in a new data center design.

I establish measurable design criteria early, including availability objectives, target rack density, deployment milestones, PUE/WUE goals, and lifecycle cost limits. I then evaluate design options with engineering, operations, and construction stakeholders, documenting trade-offs and selecting modular solutions that protect reliability while allowing economical scaling.

What is your experience leading MEP engineers, consultants, and construction partners?

I set clear design standards, deliverables, review gates, and decision ownership at project initiation. Throughout execution, I run structured technical reviews, resolve interface risks across disciplines, track design changes, and ensure final documentation supports commissioning and long-term operations.

How do you ensure a facility design is compliant while still supporting rapid deployment?

I incorporate code, permitting, fire protection, safety, and applicable Uptime Institute requirements into the design basis from the outset rather than treating them as late-stage checks. Standardized design templates, early authority engagement, and disciplined review milestones help accelerate delivery without compromising compliance.

How would you improve energy and water efficiency across a growing data center portfolio?

I would benchmark each site using metrics such as PUE and WUE, identify the largest contributors to losses, and prioritize improvements based on operational impact and lifecycle value. Opportunities may include cooling-system optimization, higher-temperature operating strategies where hardware permits, renewable-energy integration, and standardized lessons learned across future builds.

This analysis is generated from the job description. Salary estimates, role characteristics and sample answers are guidance, not employer-provided facts.
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