Meta is seeking a Design Project Lead and Architect experienced in the design and construction of Critical Facilities to become part of our Data Center Design Engineering organization. Our data centers are the foundation upon which our software operates. Building and operating reliable and efficient data centers is essential to support the growth of Meta. The Data Center Design Engineering organization collaborates with all key stakeholders to ensure design and engineering of our data centers incorporate considerations from micro-levels (servers and IT equipment design requirements) to macro-levels (mechanical cooling and power distribution options) to ensure maximum efficiency and reliability of our compute infrastructure. As an integral part of the Design Development and Delivery Team, this role will operate as the Design Project Lead and Architect overseeing the design and construction administration as an Owner’s Representative, and lead the Civil, Structural, Landscape, Architecture (CSLA) disciplines. The Design Project Lead and Architect will collaborate with multiple stakeholders including cross-discipline partners across the Design Engineering organization, internal partners such as Planning and Development, Construction Management, Quality, Safety, and Operations as well as external partners including engineers of record (EoR), general contractors, and regulatory agencies to deliver data center capacity safely, on time, within budget, and of high quality. This position is full-time providing directional guidance aligned with the pace of fast-tracked design and construction.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple projects through schematic design, design development, construction documents, construction administration and turn-over as Project Lead and technical domain lead for the Civil, Structural, Landscape, Architecture (CSLA) disciplines on new builds (greenfield), leased facilities, and retrofit projects
Lead end-to-end project planning including requirements gathering, defining scope, identifying key milestones, and allocating resources. Serve as the primary technical liaison between business stakeholders and design engineering teams
Set clear goals and expectations for teams, regularly tracking progress and communicating status updates to stakeholders. Ensure all project decisions support Meta’s broader organizational goals and technical vision
Facilitate regular project meetings, retrospectives, and reviews to drive transparency and continuous improvement
Collaborate with internal cross-functional stakeholders and external partners in resolving issues and leading risk mitigation strategies ensuring on-time and budget delivery of capacity with focus on safety, quality, operability and sustainability
Prepare and issue Request for Proposals (RFP), analyze and make award recommendations, manage and administer project/program level contracts, review/approve change cost proposals, value engineering proposals, invoices, shop drawings, submittals, requests for information, reports/audits/studies and other design related deliverables
Hold EoR teams accountable on deliverables and performance by providing actionable feedback, including from other stakeholders such as Construction Management and by participating in the project health reviews. Proactively identify risks and remove roadblocks to ensure on-time delivery of project deliverables
In collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders, analyze forward thinking ideas to identify and mitigate risks, and embedding lessons learned into current and future products. Drive opportunities to compress schedules proactively and in response to business needs
Participate in mock-ups, onsite testing, commissioning, and other quality checks throughout the project life cycle in partnership with cross-functional teams to ensure proper installation and commissioning of systems
Liaise between internal teams, consultants, and contractors across projects and campuses to ensure transparency, situational awareness of status, way forward, and timely resolution of issues
Maintain awareness of project knowledge repository, status, decision, and planning documents. Maintain accurate records and documentation. Provide regular program/project updates to internal stakeholders and information sharing, priorities, and feedback to external partners
Provide technical expertise and oversight to ensure the design and construction meet the owner's requirements and industry standards for critical facility systems including Manufactured/Owner Furnished Equipment (M/OFE)
Collaborate with other technical disciplines as required to ensure fully functioning, integrated systems. Actively guide cross-discipline technical interactions within Meta Design team and EoR to ensure multi-disciplinary team alignment
Develop and support onboarding of new teammates to ensure continuity of design support
Develop cross-discipline knowledge to ensure continuity and build breadth and depth of the overall field design team
Lead Civil, Structural, Landscape, and Architectural discipline Design, Delivery, and Quality onsite meetings to facilitate resolution of critical design issues
Collaborate and support in innovating Design-Construction technology and processes
Collaborate and engage closely with the Quality Team, with focus on area walk downs, critical benchmarks, systems integration and operation, issue resolution, commissioning script review and implementation, providing technical support and guidance on Design related matters
Support Facilities Engineering and Operations Team on knowledge sharing, technical guidance and system operation of Design throughout the project schedule

Minimum Qualifications

8+ years of professional experience in mission critical building design, construction and/or operations
Registered Architect, or equivalent licensure in Civil or Structural Engineering
Experience on large scale design and construction projects
Experience with industry standards, building codes and safety standards
Experience with Google Suite, Revit/BIM, Bluebeam, Autodesk, ACC, or similar design software applications
Project Management experience
Knowledge depth (SME) of building systems design and architectural details for steel, concrete, and mass timber structures
Knowledge in geotechnical/soils design, concrete and steel structural design, landscape architecture, sustainable design, interior/exterior finish systems, and design of culinary and physical security systems
Knowledge of mission critical building systems, including mechanical, electrical, controls, and fire protection systems
Knowledge of industry standards, building codes, and safety standards including IBC, ASCE, and European equivalents
Knowledge of Environmental, Health, and Safety programs
Proven analytical, troubleshooting, and problem solving skills
Experience providing solutions to complex projects under pressure
Presentation and communication skills to peers, stakeholders and leadership
Effective communications skills, fluent in English

Preferred Qualifications

Owner’s representative experience, or experience performing Program or Project Management, Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
Data center experience
LEED Accreditation
Experience on large scale Data Center design and construction projects
Experience with construction and cost estimating processes
Experience with Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Unifier, Visio, and Oracle P6

Design Project Lead and Architect, Data Center Design, Engineering, and Construction

Job Description