Principal, System Architect (Pre-sales)

Job Description MISSION The System Architect Mechanical is the thermal engineering authority for assigned strategic accounts within the zone. This role owns the end-to-end cooling and thermal system design for datacenter solutions, from primary chiller plant through in-rack liquid cooling delivery. Working as a core member of the account fighting unit with the Key Account Manager and Segment Solution Architect, the SAM-Mechanical strengthens technical positioning and drives successful deal closure. The role is accountable for thermal solution quality, technical standards compliance, and building deep customer credibility at the mechanical engineering level. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Thermal System Design (Core Engineering) Design complete cooling and thermal management systems for datacenter solutions: Primary chiller plant: water-cooled and air-cooled configurations, sizing, redundancy strategies (N, N+1, 2N)Heat rejection systems: cooling towers, dry coolers, adiabatic cooling, seasonal performance modelingChilled water distribution: primary/secondary loop design, variable flow optimization, delta-T managementPrecision air systems: CRAH/CRAC sizing, hot aisle/cold aisle containment, airflow designIn-row cooling and rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx) for high-density environmentsLiquid cooling systems: CDU sizing for 30200+ kW clusters, warm water interfaces (up to 45C), OCP OLC-compliant manifoldsAI DC thermal design: GPU cluster-scale cooling, NVL72/GB200 CDU configuration, hybrid air+liquid architecturesEnergy modeling: PUE contribution from cooling, WUE analysis, free-cooling availability, economization strategiesSolution Engineering Deliverables Produce all cooling engineering outputs for bids: Cooling load calculations and psychrometric analysisEquipment sizing schedules and specificationsP&ID diagrams (concept and scheme level)Piping layout sketches and CDU configuration schedulesBill of Materials (BOM) for cooling scopeOG vendor specifications (third-party product selection)Design handover packages when solutions are wonCustomer & Consultant Engagement Lead cooling-scope technical discussions with customers; defend design decisions at engineer-to-engineer levelConduct cooling-specific technical workshops with design consultants; embed Schneider standards in RFP briefsSupport EPC contractor engagement: pre-construction design reviews, technical clarifications, interface resolutionPresent cooling technology roadmap to primary accounts, especially AI DC thermal futuresBuild and maintain direct technical relationships with customer mechanical engineering teamsFighting Unit & Bid Support Work as core member of the account fighting unit: SSA (solution strategy), SAE-Electrical (power train), SAM-Mechanical (thermal train), Digital Solution Architect, KAM (customer relationship)Co-design with System Architect Electrical: align cooling loads with electrical BoM, CDU power inputs, BMS integration pointsSubmit qualifying bid designs through Principal Architect review; address technical feedback and rework noticesParticipate in win/loss debrief reviews: capture cooling-scope decisions and lessons for reference architecture updatesSupport solution integration: ensure cooling design is competitive, technically correct, and aligned with customer needsTechnical Standards & Continuous Improvement Design to Principal Architect-defined cooling reference architectures; document deviations when customer requirements necessitate variationProvide active project inputs to Principal Architect for reference architecture evolutionPropose new OG products for qualified list when bids require capabilities not currently availableComplete required technical certifications (ASHRAE, Uptime Institute ATD, OCP OLC)Deliver internal technical sessions to zone SSAs on cooling fundamentals, AI DC thermal management, and liquid coolingTECHNICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS Expert-level competency required across all thermal domains. This person must be the most technically credible voice in the room on cooling when presenting to hyperscaler and large enterprise engineering teams. Core Technical Domains Primary Plant & Heat Rejection: Water-cooled and air-cooled chillers, cooling towers, adiabatic coolers, free-cooling analysis, hybrid economization, primary/secondary loop optimization Precision Air Systems: CRAH/CRAC selection and sizing, hot aisle/cold aisle containment (full and partial), in-row cooling, variable speed drives, economizer modes, airflow modeling basics Liquid Cooling: CDU design and sizing (30200+ kW clusters), RDHx application, OCP OLC-compliant manifold design, warm water cooling (direct-to-chip), quick-disconnect fittings, leak detection, glycol/DI water specifications AI Datacenter Cooling: GPU cluster thermal profiles (Nvidia NVL72/GB200/HGX), ASHRAE A5 addendum liquid cooling classes, warm water circuits up to 45C, NVLink/NVSwitch cooling specifications, immersion cooling feasibility Standards & Job