Data Center Infrastructure Mechanical Engineer

About this role

OpenAI seeks a senior mechanical engineer to design and scale cooling and thermal systems for high-density, liquid-cooled AI data centers. This role involves defining infrastructure architectures, evaluating vendor equipment, leading testing and validation, and collaborating across teams to ensure reliable, efficient facility operations at scale.

What you'll do

• Define mechanical and cooling infrastructure requirements, reference architectures, and technical specifications for AI data center campuses
• Review and develop design documents, P&IDs, thermal models, hydraulic models, and commissioning requirements for cooling systems
• Evaluate mechanical architectures for high-density liquid-cooled compute, including CDU topology, manifolds, heat exchangers, and leak detection
• Lead factory and site acceptance testing, pressure testing, thermal performance testing, and integrated systems validation for critical equipment
• Define telemetry and controls requirements for mechanical systems including temperature, flow, pressure, and alarm monitoring
• Analyze operational data and incidents to improve designs, vendor quality, and reliability models; mentor partner teams on technical standards

What they're looking for

• Data center mechanical and cooling systems design
• Liquid cooling architecture and direct-to-chip cooling systems
• Chilled water, condenser water, and thermal management systems
• Equipment evaluation and vendor technical assessment
• Factory and site acceptance testing and commissioning
• Thermal and hydraulic modeling and CFD analysis
• Controls, telemetry, and monitoring system design
• Technical documentation and standards development