Lead Engineer - Datacenter

Primary Purpose of Job:

Provide strategic, technical, and people leadership for Stantec’s global Data Center business. Lead the growth of the GDC’s end-to-end data center capability, leveraging multidisciplinary expertise to deliver resilient, sustainable, and scalable solutions across the full project lifecycle. Develop strong client and stakeholder relationships, support business growth, build technical and digital capability, and establish the GDC as a trusted global delivery partner for hyperscale, colocation, enterprise, and AI-driven data center projects.

Key Accountabilities:

• Provide senior strategic, technical, people leadership and project leadership for Data Center projects, ensuring delivery to quality, programme and commercial objectives.

• Lead the development and implementation of best-practice, resilient, scalable, and sustainable data center solutions across global markets.

• Provide integrated technical leadership across electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, ICT/EICT, controls, structural, architectural, civil, water and environmental disciplines.

• Act as or support the Project Technical Lead (PTL) on major projects.

• Undertake senior technical reviews and provide independent technical challenge to ensure robust and coordinated solutions.

• Support business development in Data Centers, client engagement, proposals, presentations, fee development and pursuit strategies.

• Identify opportunities to leverage the GDC for scalable global data-center delivery.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with regional Stantec teams, clients, developers, operators, and contractors.

• Establish data-center design standards, QA/QC processes, delivery methodologies, and lessons learned.

• Build, mentor and develop a high-performing data-center team, including recruitment, capability development and succession planning.

• Develop capability in emerging areas such as high-density/AI data centers, liquid cooling, energy and water efficiency, battery storage and advanced controls.

• Coordinate global project delivery, resourcing and technical support across Stantec offices.

• Maintain and grow team capability in line with the Buildings Strategic Plan.

• Complete all work in accordance with Stantec Core Values, Quality Systems and Project Quality Procedures.

• Undertake offshore travel/secondments to Stantec offices or project locations as required.

Other duties as requested by the Team Lead and Business Line Lead.
 

Person Specifications and Qualifications:

Stantec needs an experienced Data Center professional with a strong engineering background and broad multidisciplinary understanding. The ideal candidate will combine technical depth with client leadership, commercial awareness, business development and team-building capability.

• Minimum 15-20 years’ overall Buildings professional experience, with 7+ years of direct data-center experience.
• Demonstrated experience on at least three significant data-center projects.
• Experience on at least one major data center of minimum 50 MW or greater.
• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, enterprise or AI/high-density data centers is desirable.
• Multidisciplinary understanding of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, ICT/EICT, controls, architectural and structural interfaces.
• Practical understanding of critical power, generators, UPS, cooling, heat rejection, water systems, fire protection, controls and resilience.
• Demonstrated experience across design, construction administration and commissioning.
• Experience with integrated systems testing and/or live operational data centers is an advantage.
• Experience delivering projects in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or UK is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of relevant data-center standards, codes and resilience requirements, including applicable Uptime, TIA, BICSI, ASHRAE and NFPA standards.
• Proven client-facing and business-development capability, including proposals and technical presentations.
• Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring and developing technical teams.
• Bachelor's/master’s degree in engineering or architectural.
• Professional accreditation such as PE, P.Eng., CEng, CPEng, RPEQ or equivalent is preferred.
• Uptime Institute, BICSI or other data-center-specific certification is an advantage.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively across global teams and time zones.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required.

The successful candidate should be someone who understands data centers as an integrated facility, can engage credibly across disciplines, and can translate technical expertise into successful delivery, client value, business growth and development of a strong GDC team.