Mechanical Engineer –Power Generation & Heat Recovery Systems
Location: Dallas, TX
Overview
Our client, a growing high-performance computing and cloud infrastructure company, is seeking a
Mechanical Engineer to design, integrate, and commission the power generation and central plant systems supporting a self-powered data center campus.
This position focuses on infrastructure outside the data halls, including gas turbines, turbine inlet cooling, heat recovery, fuel systems, industrial piping, and plant auxiliaries. These systems support continuous campus operation without utility grid backup.
The engineer will own three distinct programs:
- Turbine inlet air chilling to recover available generation capacity.
- Exhaust heat recovery and absorption chilling to supply chilled water to select data halls.
- Combined-cycle generation, using a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to supply a steam turbine for additional electrical output.
Working closely with engineering disciplines, equipment vendors, environmental specialists, and project leadership, this individual will align system performance, equipment procurement, construction sequencing, and commissioning. The role carries
commissioning sign-off authority and requires demonstrated experience validating failover under load.
Key ResponsibilitiesGas Turbine & Fuel Infrastructure
- Select, size, and specify aeroderivative gas turbine equipment for continuous primary power generation.
- Evaluate turbine packages, including platforms such as GE Vernova LM6000-class or Baker Hughes NovaLT16-class equipment.
- Design fuel delivery infrastructure and dual-fuel backup diesel systems.
- Verify gas supply capacity and operating headroom independently of emissions permit allowances.
- Develop acoustic enclosure and vibration isolation solutions to protect adjacent server halls.
Turbine Inlet Cooling
- Lead the design, equipment selection, integration, and commissioning of turbine inlet air chilling systems.
- Evaluate the effect of inlet cooling on usable generation capacity.
- Reconcile manufacturer performance studies with confirmed measured results.
- Coordinate cooling system interfaces and delivery milestones with turbine and campus requirements.
Exhaust Heat Recovery & Absorption Chilling
- Design systems that recover turbine exhaust heat to operate absorption chillers serving selected data halls.
- Use thermodynamic simulation to assess output across ambient conditions and turbine operating loads.
- Coordinate lithium bromide handling, piping requirements, and material compatibility with Process and Piping Engineering.
- Establish performance requirements, equipment interfaces, and delivery schedules for the absorption cooling program.
Combined-Cycle Systems
- Design and integrate HRSG equipment downstream of turbine exhaust to produce steam for additional power generation.
- Develop a dedicated performance model and execution schedule for the combined-cycle program.
- Assess equipment lead times, procurement dependencies, and operating risks.
- Evaluate system response to thermal transients, step loads, and turbine operating changes.
Balance-of-Plant Engineering
- Design industrial piping connecting generation and data center infrastructure in accordance with ASME B31.1/B31.3.
- Develop water treatment and chemical dosing systems for boilers and cooling towers.
- Select and integrate feed pumps, condenser pumps, compressors, and other auxiliary equipment.
- Coordinate mechanical design with Structural, Electrical, Controls, and Process and Piping teams.
- Provide required engineering sign-off for balance-of-plant piping design and commissioning documentation.
Controls & Environmental Coordination
- Integrate turbine controllers, HRSG dampers, and balance-of-plant valve automation with the master SCADA system.
- Coordinate controls requirements for load sharing, emergency shedding, and transient response.
- Partner with the site environmental team on NOx emissions budgets and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system design.
- Identify cross-system dependencies and address potential single points of failure.
Testing, Commissioning & Delivery
- Witness Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), including turbine string testing and HRSG hydrostatic testing.
- Lead mechanical execution of Level 4/5 Integrated Systems Testing (IST).
- Verify that backup response following turbine loss maintains uninterrupted critical IT load.
- Demonstrate that step-load events do not produce unacceptable HRSG thermal shock or nuisance turbine trips.
- Document test results, resolve deficiencies, and exercise commissioning sign-off authority.
- Sequence inlet chilling, absorption chilling, and combined-cycle activities around their respective equipment lead times.
- Communicate technical risks, schedule dependencies, and recommended actions to project leadership.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent.
- Professional Engineer (PE) license, supporting Engineer of Record sign-off responsibilities for balance-of-plant piping and commissioning documentation.
- 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, including hands-on design or commissioning of gas turbine generation, combined-cycle systems, or absorption cooling.
- Experience designing HRSG systems and separately integrating turbine exhaust heat with absorption or steam turbine-driven chillers.
- Understanding of the distinct performance models, equipment requirements, failure modes, and delivery schedules associated with these systems.
- Proficiency with Thermoflow, GateCycle, or equivalent thermodynamic simulation software.
- Demonstrated experience designing ASME B31.1/B31.3 piping, water treatment systems, and heavy auxiliary equipment for continuously operating industrial facilities.
- Training relevant to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and ASME B31.1/B31.3.
- Experience coordinating turbine controls, HRSG dampers, and automated plant valves with a master SCADA system.
- Experience evaluating system performance during step-load transients.
- Direct experience witnessing FAT and leading site-level IST that demonstrates critical-load continuity during a real or simulated turbine trip.
- Strong technical judgment, documentation, and cross-functional communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal/Fluids, Power Plant Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Manufacturer-specific training on aeroderivative gas turbine platforms.
- Data center, hyperscale, or campus-scale mission-critical infrastructure experience.
- Experience supporting fully self-powered sites operating without utility grid backup.