Project Executive Mechanical

Project Executive – Mechanical (Data Centers / Mission Critical)

At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.

About Us:

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Job Summary: Salas O’Brien is seeking a licensed Senior Mechanical Engineer to serve as Project Executive for large-scale Data Center and Mission Critical projects within our Built-Environment North-Central Division.

This role is responsible for executive-level technical leadership and delivery oversight on complex, high-visibility projects. You will serve as the senior technical authority and client-facing executive sponsor, ensuring performance across scope, schedule, budget, and quality.

Responsibilities:

Executive Project Leadership

• Serve as Project Executive on major hyperscale, co-location, and enterprise data center projects.


• Provide executive oversight to ensure delivery commitments related to schedule, quality, cost, and risk are achieved.


• Act as Engineer-of-Record and/or senior technical authority on assigned projects.


• Lead executive-level communication with owners, developers, and strategic partners.

Technical Authority & Design Oversight

• Provide senior-level expertise in mechanical airside and hydronic system design for mission critical facilities.


• Provide mentorship of other senior leaders entering the Mission Critical market.


• Oversee development of site and facility planning, system redundancy strategies, resiliency approaches, and infrastructure coordination.


• Guide production teams in preparation of drawing and specification packages for Design-Build and Design-Bid-Build delivery.


• Support QA/QC strategy and review for high-profile projects.

Client Leadership

• Build and maintain client relationships. Ensuring consistency across projects with the same client and diverse production teams.


• Engage early with clients during program development to define technical approach and performance criteria.


• Serve as executive escalation point for technical or delivery issues.


• Strengthen long-term client relationships through consistent performance and technical credibility.

Team Leadership

• Lead multi-office, cross-disciplinary engineering teams in project execution.


• Mentor senior engineers and project managers assigned to major projects.


• Coordinate resources with division leadership to ensure proper staffing for complex assignments.

Business Development Support (Project-Focused)

• Support pursuit efforts for large mission critical projects, including technical narratives, fee development, and client interviews.


• Provide subject matter expertise during proposal and contract negotiation phases.

Qualifications and Experience:

• 15+ years of mechanical engineering experience with significant mission critical project delivery.


• Proven experience serving as Project Executive, Project Manager, or Engineer-of-Record on large-scale data center projects.


• S. in Mechanical Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution.


• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.


• Demonstrated expertise in hyperscale, co-location, or enterprise data center design.


• Strong executive presence and ability to lead high-performing technical teams.


• Experience managing risk, contract scope, and complex client relationships.

Location: Remote

Travel: Travel required based on project and client needs (anticipated weekly to bi-weekly).

Compensation & Benefits:

The expected base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $210,000 USD per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance


• 401(k) with company match


• Paid time off and company holidays


• Wellness programs and employee assistance resources


• Professional development support

For more information, visit our full benefits overview here.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.