Design Engineering Manager

Data centers are among the most technically complex built environments in the world. Managing the design of one requires more than engineering knowledge. It requires the ability to lead across disciplines, challenge assumptions early, manage external consultants effectively, and hold the technical integrity of a project together from feasibility through to delivery. If you have built that capability and you are ready to apply it across a portfolio of European data center projects, this role deserves your full attention.

Company Information

Our client is one of the most established and respected engineering consultancies in the Netherlands, operating across a broad range of technically demanding sectors including data centers, infrastructure, water, and the built environment. Their data center practice works with major operators across Europe on large-scale, mission critical facilities where the engineering standards are exacting and the delivery expectations are high. This is an organisation where technical excellence, sustainable design, and cross-discipline collaboration sit at the core of everything they do.

Vacancy Information

As Design Manager, you will serve as the technical lead across a wide portfolio of data center projects in the Netherlands and across Europe. Your involvement spans the full project journey from early feasibility studies and conceptual design through to design validation and delivery. You will develop conceptual and functional designs, manage external engineering consultants, and ensure that all design outputs align with internal standards and applicable regional regulations.

You will work closely with project managers and senior stakeholders, influencing design strategy and driving technical innovation across multiple European sites. Whether the work involves greenfield development or the upgrade of an existing facility, your ability to maintain design integrity, identify issues early, and keep multidisciplinary teams aligned will be central to your success in this role. This is a position that offers both strategic influence and genuine hands-on technical involvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Serving as technical lead across a portfolio of data center design projects from feasibility through to design validation and delivery.
• Developing conceptual and functional designs for large-scale data center and mission critical facilities across multiple European sites.
• Managing and reviewing work produced by external engineering consultancies to ensure quality, accuracy, and alignment with project requirements.
• Ensuring all design outputs comply with internal standards, client specifications, and applicable regional regulations across European markets.
• Working closely with project managers and senior stakeholders to influence design strategy and contribute to sustainable growth across the portfolio.
• Identifying and resolving design issues early, challenging assumptions where necessary, and maintaining technical integrity throughout the project lifecycle.
• Driving technical innovation and continuous improvement across the data center design practice.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural disciplines to deliver fully integrated design solutions.
• Travelling across Europe as required to support project delivery and stakeholder engagement.

What You Need

• Bachelor degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a comparable technical discipline.
• Significant experience in data center design, engineering, or construction with a strong understanding of what makes mission critical facility design different from standard commercial or industrial projects.
• Deep technical knowledge of power distribution, cooling systems, redundancy architectures, and data center infrastructure across both mechanical and electrical domains.
• Proven ability to lead, coordinate, and critically review work from external engineering consultancies within a project environment.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to identify design risks and resolve them before they become project problems.
• Solid experience working within multidisciplinary engineering environments and managing cross-discipline design integration.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills with the confidence to contribute at a senior level across project and client teams.
• Willingness to travel across Europe as project requirements demand.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.

If you do not meet every requirement but have a strong background in data center or mission critical facility design and a genuine interest in stepping into a design leadership role, we still encourage you to apply. The right combination of technical experience, motivation, and willingness to grow can make you a strong candidate.

Relocation

This position is based in the Netherlands and will require relocation. We understand that making an international move is a significant decision and we are here to make that process as straightforward as possible.

As part of your contract, FairPlay Engineering provides a Premium Relocation Package. This includes visa sponsorship, guidance before your move, and dedicated support from a relocation consultant throughout the process. You can find more information on the Relocating with us page on our website.

Apply

We appreciate every application we receive. Because this is a specialised role, we will contact candidates whose experience closely matches the requirements.

If you have not heard from us within two weeks, your application has unfortunately not been selected for the next step.

FairPlay Engineering specialises in recruiting engineers for roles in the Netherlands. If this vacancy is not the right match for you, keep an eye on our vacancies page for future opportunities.