Mechanical Engineer (Data Centers) - Saudi National Only

Role Overview

Mechanical Engineer / Mechanical Operations Subject Matter Expert (Data Centers) at Decima International, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is a project-based position for Saudi nationals only, supporting mission-critical data center projects through design review, commissioning, operational readiness, and facility operations.

Company Overview

Decima International is a professional services company providing project management and controls services to clients in the United States and the Middle East. The company's mission is to become the premier professional services provider across all industry sectors it engages in. Decima International approaches each client engagement as a partnership, creates an environment that attracts talented professionals and allows them to flourish, and regulates growth to maintain excellence in service standards.

Role Purpose

Provide technical expertise and strategic guidance for critical mechanical systems supporting Tier III and Tier IV data centers throughout the facility lifecycle. Develop and validate operational procedures, evaluate system performance and risk, and serve as a trusted technical advisor to clients on mechanical infrastructure design, commissioning, operations, and maintenance.

Key Responsibilities

Design & Technical Review

• Provide technical expertise for critical mechanical systems, including chilled water plants, CRAH/CRAC systems, cooling towers, pumps, heat exchangers, direct and indirect evaporative cooling systems, HVAC equipment, fuel systems, and fire protection systems.
• Review mechanical designs for operability, maintainability, reliability, and alignment with client operational standards.
• Evaluate mechanical system performance, operational risk, maintenance access, redundancy, resilience, and reliability objectives.
• Conduct technical reviews of procedures for operational accuracy, safety, risk mitigation, and alignment with actual facility configurations.
• Verify that mechanical systems operate in accordance with design intent, approved sequences, client requirements, and operational reliability objectives.

Commissioning & Operational Readiness

• Participate in design reviews, constructability reviews, commissioning readiness reviews, operational readiness assessments, project meetings, and technical workshops.
• Review maintenance procedures, commissioning reports, test scripts, and operational acceptance documentation.
• Facilitate procedure validation exercises, tabletop reviews, operational readiness workshops, and cross-functional technical reviews.

Procedures & Documentation

• Develop, review, edit, and approve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs), and Methods of Procedure (MOPs), ensuring alignment with client standards, applicable codes, safety requirements, and industry best practices.
• Develop and improve preventive maintenance strategies for critical mechanical infrastructure.
• Prepare clear and technically accurate documentation, including engineering reports, risk assessments, operating procedures, technical evaluations, and review comments.

Operations & Governance

• Support change management and operational governance programs related to mechanical systems, maintenance activities, and facility operations.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to clients and coordinate with engineering, commissioning, construction, contractor, project management, and operations teams.

Business Development

• Support business development activities by providing mechanical technical expertise during client engagements, where required.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• 10 or more years of experience in mechanical engineering, mechanical operations, commissioning, mission-critical engineering, facility operations, or comparable technical environments.
• Minimum 5 or more years of direct data center or critical facilities operations experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Strong understanding of mechanical infrastructure supporting critical facilities and Tier III / Tier IV data centers.
• Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, and validating SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs.
• Strong technical knowledge of chilled water plants, CRAH/CRAC systems, cooling towers, pumps, heat exchangers, evaporative cooling systems, HVAC equipment, fuel systems, and fire protection systems.
• Experience evaluating mechanical systems for operational risk, redundancy, resiliency, maintainability, reliability, and compliance with operational requirements.
• Ability to review mechanical designs, commissioning documentation, test procedures, maintenance practices, operating procedures, and technical reports.
• Working familiarity with mission-critical and data center standards, codes, and operational practices, including ASHRAE, NFPA, ISO, IEC, Uptime Institute Tier Standards, TIA-942, BICSI, local authority requirements, and applicable international building, mechanical, electrical, and fire codes.
• Ability to apply engineering standards to real-world data center design, commissioning, operations, maintenance, operational readiness, and emergency response.
• Strong understanding of change management, Permit-to-Work systems, Lockout/Tagout, risk assessments, incident response, root cause analysis, preventive maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent technical writing, documentation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively with clients, contractors, commissioning authorities, facility operations teams, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, organizational, and time management skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preferred

• Direct experience supporting mission-critical facilities in Saudi Arabia or the broader GCC region.
• Experience supporting hyperscale data centers such as AWS, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, or similar environments.
• Experience with colocation providers such as QTS, Equinix, Digital Realty, Compass Datacenters, Vantage, Aligned, or similar operators.
• Minimum 5 or more years of project or program management experience leading complex, multidisciplinary technical projects.
• Familiarity with Uptime Institute Tier Standards, ASHRAE guidance, and applicable NFPA standards.
• Professional Engineer (PE), Chartered Engineer status, or equivalent professional registration.
• Experience working with commissioning authorities, Owner's Engineer teams, Owner's Representative teams, or client-side technical advisors.
• Professional certifications related to data centers, mechanical systems, commissioning, operations, or project management.

Additional Information

• Position Classification: Project-Based
• Position Status: This position is part of Decima International's anticipated expansion in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The position is not currently active and is associated with the planned launch of operations in the region. This is a future opportunity and not an offer of immediate employment.
• Saudi National Requirement: Saudi nationals only.
• Equal Opportunity Commitment: Decima International is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the safety and well-being of all. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law.