Lead Mechanical Engineer

We are Deerns, an international engineering and consultancy firm specialising in mechanical and electrical building services, energy and sustainability. We are seeking senior professionals to help develop our Portugal office and deliver Data Centre projects, working with our team in Spain and our international network.

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead Data Centre projects and act as the main client contact. You will take responsibility for scope, programme, fees, resources and quality, while contributing to the growth of our local team.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design from feasibility and concept through detailed design and construction support, in line with the agreed scope.

• Define design bases, heat loads, system balances, temperatures and flow rates, together with redundancy and continuous cooling strategies.

• Design HVAC, chilled water and liquid cooling systems and their CDU interfaces; coordinate public health, drainage and fire protection systems.

• Oversee calculations, hydraulic schematics, equipment selection, specifications, drawings and control sequences with the BMS team.

• Assess energy efficiency, water use, maintainability and whole-life cost; coordinate CFD and failure analysis where required.

• Coordinate interfaces with electrical, architectural, structural and BIM teams; lead technical reviews and deliverable quality checks.

• Plan discipline resources and hours, mentor the team, and support bids, tender reviews, site queries and commissioning reviews.

Requirements

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or an equivalent discipline.

• At least 10 years of mechanical design experience, including 5 years in Data Centres and experience leading teams.

• Proven experience in mission-critical cooling, hydraulic systems, redundancy and control sequences.

• Knowledge of technical and regulatory requirements applicable in Portugal and international Data Centre standards.

• Ability to review calculations and technical documentation and work with Revit teams and discipline calculation tools.

• Fluent Portuguese and advanced spoken and written English. Technical autonomy, client communication skills and willingness to travel.

Desirable experience

Experience in liquid cooling for AI, CFD, reliability analysis, commissioning and EN 50600, Uptime Institute or ASHRAE standards. Spanish would be an advantage.

What we offer

• An opportunity to help develop our Portugal office, with autonomy and responsibility from the outset.

• Complex international projects and collaboration with specialists across engineering disciplines.

• A permanent full-time position and a competitive salary reflecting your experience and expertise.

• Training, professional development and flexibility in line with project needs and local policy.