Head Mechanical Engineer- Critical Facilities

Who are we?

Joining our operations team means being at the center of everything – maintaining and evolving critical infrastructure that powers the digital world and delivers real impact for our customers, communities and society. You’ll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you—because when you feel valued, you’re empowered to do your best work.

Job Summary

We are looking for a highly mechanically proficient Critical Facilities Specialist to join our UK Operations team, supporting the reliability, performance and continuous improvement of our data centre infrastructure.

This role is a mixture of hands-on, technically focused skills with a stakeholder engagement at the highest level and being an analytical problem solver. The role is suited to someone with strong experience in mechanical systems in critical environments such as data centres, the military, hospitals, manufacturing, or similar high-availability sites.

You will play a key role in maintaining and optimising cooling infrastructure, supporting incident response, and driving operational excellence across site facilities at our most critical data center in the UK and where needed, supporting the campus across Slough.

This role carries no line management responsibilities. It is designed for a technically credible individual who operates at a leadership level influencing outcomes, supporting others, and driving standards without formal people management accountability

Responsibilities

Mechanical Systems & Technical Expertise

Operate, maintain and troubleshoot critical mechanical infrastructure, including:

• CRAC/CRAH units

• Chillers and cooling plant

• Cooling towers

• Liquid cooling systems / CDUs

• Air flow management

• Drive improvements in cooling efficiency and environmental performance (e.g. PUE optimisation)

• Support root cause analysis (RCA) for mechanical failures and contribute to long-term solutions

• Use CAFM systems to manage maintenance activities, asset data and reporting

Site Operations & Project Delivery

• Support planned maintenance, upgrades and infrastructure projects across the site

• Assist with planning and execution of switching activities and mechanical works

• Collaborate with vendors and contractors, ensuring safe and high-quality delivery

• Contribute to project planning, scheduling and technical reviews

Incident Management

• Act as a technical specialist during incidents involving mechanical systems

• Diagnose faults, identify failed components and support rapid resolution

• Contribute to post-incident reviews and continuous improvement actions

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with cross-functional teams including electrical, operations, and project teams

• Effectively communicate technical issues and solutions in a clear and practical way

• Support and share knowledge across the team, contributing to a strong learning environment

Vendor & Contract Management

• Manage and oversee specialist mechanical maintenance contractors on site

• Review and validate contractor deliverables, sign-off reports and PPM records

• Ensure contractor compliance with site rules, security and safety standards

Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Maintain up-to-date O&M documentation, single-line diagrams and standard operating procedures (SOPs)

• Develop and review emergency response procedures for mechanical systems

• Support onboarding and technical training of team members

Qualifications

Technical & Operational Experience

• Strong background in mechanical engineering within a critical infrastructure environment

• Proven experience working with complex cooling systems (CRAC/CRAH, chillers, cooling towers, liquid cooling)

• Experience supporting uptime-critical environments with strict SLA requirements

• Solid understanding of root cause analysis methodologies

Professional Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability

• Ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced, high-availability environment

• Clear communicator, able to simplify complex technical concepts

• Highly collaborative with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset

• Committed to safety, quality and engineering best practice

Desirablev

• Experience improving energy efficiency or PUE performance

• Familiarity with CAFM systems

• Exposure to automated monitoring / BMS systems

What We’re Looking For

• Someone with deep mechanical capability rather than generalist engineering

• Experience in environments where failure is not an option

• A technically credible individual who can support others without needing to be a formal people manager

• A mindset focused on continuous improvement, innovation and accountability

Why Should You Apply?

• Competitive Salary: Attractive compensation including a non-contractual 15% bonus based on performance and a Reserved Stock Unit package

• Generous Leave: 25 days of holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional days (pro rata for shift positions)

• Comprehensive Insurance & Health Benefits: Life Assurance, Income Protection, Critical Illness Insurance, Private Healthcare, Eye Care Coverage, and Gymflex Membership

• Investment Opportunities: Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Company Pension Plan

• Travel Benefits: Cycle to Work Scheme and Annual Season Ticket Loan

• Career Growth: Excellent opportunities for growth and advancement within the company

Equinix is committed to ensuring that our employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability.  If you are a qualified candidate and need assistance or an accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.

Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and, in the U.S., an Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law. 

We use artificial intelligence in our hiring process. Learn more here.

This posting is for a backfill position, meaning it is to fill an existing vacancy within our organization.