Lead Architect (Data Center)

Short company description

At AECOM, we believe infrastructure creates opportunity for everyone – uplifting communities, improving access and sustaining our planet.
We’re committed to managing our business with the upmost responsibility and to always strive for better — be that reducing emissions, creating social value or diversifying our senior leadership and workforce.

We understand both the urgency of the challenges facing our society and our responsibility to act in an impactful and enduring way. We’re leading the change towards a more sustainable and equitable future, partnering with those who want to make a positive difference in the world.

We’re listening to clients and the communities we serve in order to improve lives and livelihoods, and to create sustainable legacies for generations to come.

Thinking without limits is what keeps us at the vanguard. Ideas have no borders, and this ethos is embedded in our culture. The full scope of our global expertise is available to anyone who needs it, wherever they are based.

We’re trusted advisors — planners, designers, engineers, consultants and program and construction managers — delivering professional services spanning cities, transportation, buildings, water, new energy, and the environment. Working throughout the project lifecycle, we’re one team driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world.

Our History

AECOM launched when a handful of employees from design and engineering companies shared a dream of creating an industry-leading firm dedicated to delivering a better world.

We became an independent company formed by the merger of five entities. While our official founding was in 1990, many of our predecessor firms had distinguished histories dating back more than 120 years.

Since then, more than 50 companies have joined us and, in 2007, we became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.

Requirements

- 10+ years of architectural experience with a strong focus on mission‑critical or large‑scale data center projects.
- Expertise in architectural planning, building design, and coordination for complex technical facilities.
- Demonstrated experience in data center projects. Coordination with MEP and Structural disciplines. Reviewing multi‑disciplinary submittals and resolving design issues.
- Proficiency with architectural design tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, and BIM platforms.
- Experience managing complex, multi‑phase, or large‑scale projects/ data center design programs.
- Understanding of sustainability frameworks such as LEED, BREEAM, or similar (preferred).

Responsibilities

Lead End‑to‑End Data Center Architectural Design

- Drive the architectural vision and strategy for data center projects from concept through commissioning.
- Develop site planning, building layouts, white space strategies, and modular growth approaches.
- Ensure architectural solutions align with client requirements, operational goals, and industry best practices for mission‑critical facilities.

Define Architectural Concepts and Facility Topology

- Establish the architectural basis of design, integrating resiliency, maintainability, scalability, and efficiency.
- Shape decisions around facility topology (e.g., hyperscale, colocation, edge DCs), building massing, structural considerations, and space optimization.

Functional and Spatial Planning

- Lead the design of critical spaces such as data halls, electrical rooms, mechanical galleries, security zones, loading docks, NOCs, offices, and support areas.
- Optimize circulation for personnel, equipment pathways, and maintenance accessibility.

Coordinate Multi‑Disciplinary Engineering

- Manage the integration of architectural design with all engineering disciplines (MEP, structural, fire protection, controls, security).
- Ensure cohesive integration between mechanical cooling strategies, electrical distribution layouts, structural requirements, and architectural constraints.
- Resolve cross‑discipline design conflicts while maintaining performance, cost, and schedule.

Uptime, Standards, and Compliance

- Interpret and apply regulatory, fire safety, life‑safety, and accessibility standards to architectural solutions.

Sustainability and Efficiency in Architecture

- Integrate high‑performance building design strategies focused on energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and sustainable materials.
- Support strategies such as optimized building envelopes, water use reduction, waste heat reuse, etc.

Design Documentation and Technical Leadership

- Oversee the preparation and quality of architectural drawings, specifications, BIM models, site plans, and technical reports.
- Lead internal and external design reviews, ensuring alignment on design intent and technical dependencies.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

- Serve as the primary architectural point of contact for clients and key partners.
- Communicate clearly and persuasively with stakeholders, presenting design concepts, risk assessments, and design evolution updates.

Construction Support, Quality Assurance, and Commissioning

- Support construction activities, respond to RFIs, review shop drawings, and ensure design integrity during build‑out.

Stay Current with Industry Trends

- Maintain a deep understanding of emerging data center technologies, architectural innovations, modular solutions, and trends such as liquid cooling, high‑density zones, and automation.
- Contribute to design standards, playbooks, and continuous improvement initiatives within the organization.

Benefits

• Medical subscription
• Life insurance
• Trainings
• Meal vouchers