# Mechanical Lead, R&D

**Company:** [Fluidstack](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/fluidstack)
**Location:** Austin, TX, New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Salary:** $284k – $340k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** mechanical design, data center cooling, piping systems, chilled water plants, liquid cooling, mechanical engineering calculations, vendor qualification, modular construction, pe license
**Posted:** 2026-07-17

> Lead mechanical engineering R&D for cooling, piping, and mechanical systems in modular data centers and power infrastructure. Own reference designs, enforce technical standards, review vendor packages, and grow the team while solving the hardest problems.

## Job Description

## Role Scope
- Lead mechanical engineering for R&D: cooling, piping, and mechanical plant for modular units and behind-the-meter systems.
- Own the mechanical reference designs: released, revision-controlled, and defensible to the megawatt.
- Set the technical bar: calcs checked, standards enforced, and vendor packages reviewed for real.
- Grow the team: hire, mentor, and delegate while carrying the hardest problems.

## Requirements
- Led mechanical design for data centers, power plants, or heavy industrial systems.
- Released mechanical packages that got built at scale.
- Check calcs personally and catch what juniors miss.
- Qualified major mechanical equipment with vendors.
- Balance innovation against the schedule that ships.

## Nice-to-Haves
- Liquid cooling depth.
- Chilled water plants.
- PE license.
- Modular construction.

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**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/6df969f7-d93d-4331-a3b7-3e1b8b94093c