Senior Project Engineer – Electrical (Data Centre Retrofit) in Birmingham

As a Senior Project Engineer – Electrical, you will play a key role within Ethos’ Data Centre Retrofit area, supporting the delivery of complex upgrades across mission‑critical data centre environments. You will lead the design, specification and delivery of electrical systems, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest technical standards. Working within live environments, you will help maintain continuity of operations while delivering high‑quality engineering solutions. This role will also involve managing project delivery, mentoring junior engineers and acting as a key technical point of contact for clients and contractors across major European data centre markets.

Your Day‑to‑Day Activities

• Lead the design and delivery of electrical building services upgrades within live data centre environments, including M&E upgrades, capacity increases, technology refreshes, phased refurbishments, and lifecycle replacements.
• Develop and manage retrofit‑specific design strategies, including tie‑ins to live systems, redundancy planning, outage and staging strategies, and resilience design.
• Conduct or oversee technical due diligence of existing data centre facilities, including capacity unlock assessments (power, cooling, and white space).
• Prepare and review detailed design drawings, schematics, schedules, technical reports, and tender documentation.
• Manage project scope, budget, programme, and contracts – identifying and mitigating scope creep, risks, and live‑environment constraints.
• Liaise directly with clients (hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise operators), contractors, and vendors to ensure project goals are achieved with zero operational disruption.
• Drive quality assurance and governance across all assigned projects, adhering to WAP/PTW protocols in live environments.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineers and graduate staff within the retrofit workstream.
• Support business development by contributing to proposals, client presentations, and technical strategies for retrofit opportunities across EMEA.
• Champion innovation in live‑environment engineering and contribute to the continuous improvement of Ethos’ retrofit delivery model.
• Lead electrical system tie‑in strategies for live power distribution upgrades, including UPS changeovers, busbar modifications, and generator integration in operational environments.

Technical Skills

• Proven expertise in electrical building services design for live data centre environments, including LV/MV power distribution, UPS systems, standby generation, busbar upgrades, and life safety systems.
• Experience delivering electrical upgrades within operational mission‑critical facilities – including live switchgear replacements, UPS changeovers, and phased distribution upgrades.
• Strong working knowledge of AutoCAD, Revit MEP, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Office; experience with ETAP, Amtech, or DIALux for calculations.
• Excellent understanding of IEC, CIBSE, BS, IS, and EN standards applied to retrofit and live‑environment projects.
• Experience producing single‑line diagrams, schematics, and technical drawings for complex electrical retrofit scopes.
• Familiarity with commissioning, power system coordination studies, and compliance documentation for live data centre upgrades.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years’ experience in building services engineering, with at least 3 years focused on data centre or mission‑critical projects.
• Demonstrable experience working in live, operational data centre environments – including brownfield upgrades, M&E replacements, or phased refurbishments.
• Chartered Engineer status (or actively working towards Chartership) with Engineers Ireland or equivalent.
• Proven track record managing multi‑million‑euro MEP projects from concept to completion.
• Strong understanding of Irish and EU building regulations; knowledge of LEED/BREEAM and the EU Energy Efficiency Directive is an advantage.
• Familiarity with BMS/EPMS integration and smart building systems within mission‑critical environments is advantageous.

Soft Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with confidence in client‑facing settings.
• Strong organisational and problem‑solving abilities, capable of managing multiple concurrent retrofit projects.
• Collaborative approach to working across multidisciplinary teams including mechanical, electrical, sustainability, and BIM disciplines.
• Proactive, detail‑oriented mindset with a sharp focus on risk management and technical quality in live environments.
• Calm under pressure – able to make sound engineering decisions within constrained, operational environments.

Benefits

• Flexible Fridays and a 9‑day fortnight working schedule – enjoy every second Friday off to maintain work‑life balance.
• A culture that values flexibility, learning, and teamwork, with clear progression pathways and support toward professional accreditation.
• Opportunities to work alongside some of the most experienced engineers in the industry, within a forward‑thinking, technology‑driven consultancy.
• Flexible working times / Hybrid Working.
• 20 days of holidays.
• Pension Scheme.
• Coverage for working travel out‑of‑pocket expenses.
• Regular training, mentoring, and further college support.
• Support for Chartership.
• A professional subscription fee paid by the company.
• Heavily subsidised social committee activities (5‑a‑side football, golf society, climbing club, and regular social events).