Data Center MEP Engineer (Power & Cooling)

About Etched

Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of magnitude more throughput and lower latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep & parallel chain-of-thought reasoning agents.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Data Center MEP Engineer with expertise in power distribution, cooling, and plumbing to support the build-out of a new data center/lab facility in a multi-tenant building. This role requires in-depth knowledge of chiller systems, water-cooled racks, and high-power rack distribution. The engineer will work on a
1MW installation, overseeing the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems to ensure efficiency, scalability, and compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Power Distribution & Electrical Systems:

  • Design and implement power distribution for a 1MW data center/lab build-out.

  • Develop high-power rack distribution strategies for IT loads, ensuring redundancy and efficiency.

  • Work with 480V and 415V 3-phase power, PDUs, UPS systems, and backup generators.

  • Define circuit layouts, power provisioning plans, and load calculations for high-density IT racks.

  • Ensure compliance with local electrical codes (NEC, NFPA, IEEE, UL standards, etc.).

• Cooling & HVAC Systems:

  • Lead the design, installation, and integration of a roof-mounted chiller system.

  • Optimize airflow management, containment, and heat rejection strategies.

  • Work with pumps, cooling loops, and heat exchangers to maximize cooling efficiency.

  • Develop and oversee liquid-cooling solutions for water-cooled racks.

• Plumbing & Water Cooling Distribution:

  • Design and manage the chilled-water distribution system for water-cooled IT racks.

  • Work with contractors and vendors to install piping, valves, and pumps for liquid cooling.

  • Ensure proper flow rate calculations, pressure balancing, and redundancy in the cooling loop.

  • Oversee connections to rooftop chillers, heat exchangers, and cooling distribution units (CDUs).

  • Develop maintenance and emergency procedures for the liquid cooling infrastructure.

• Project & Construction Oversight:

  • Review MEP designs, construction drawings, and specifications.

  • Coordinate with architects, contractors, and multi-tenant facility managers to ensure infrastructure compatibility.

  • Oversee MEP system installation, testing, and commissioning.

  • Develop risk mitigation plans for power and cooling system failures.

  • Conduct acceptance testing, site inspections, and system validation.

• Operations & Maintenance Planning:

  • Establish preventive maintenance schedules for power and cooling systems.

  • Develop SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and EOPs (Emergency Operating Procedures) for MEP systems.

  • Train on-site facility teams on system operation and troubleshooting.

  • Ensure compliance with ASHRAE, IEEE, and TIA-942 standards for data centers.

You may be a good fit if you have

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering (or related field).

• 5+ years of experience in data center, lab, or mission-critical facility design and build-out.

• Strong experience in water-cooled IT infrastructure, chilled-water piping, and plumbing for liquid-cooled racks.

• Expertise in power distribution, high-density rack power (1MW+ installations), and PDU design.

• Familiarity with roof-mounted chillers, cooling loops, and heat exchanger systems.

• Experience working in multi-tenant buildings with complex infrastructure requirements.

• Proficiency in MEP design tools (AutoCAD, Revit, or similar).

• Knowledge of building codes, NEC, NFPA, ASHRAE 90.4, and TIA-942 standards.

• Strong problem-solving, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Strong candidates may also have

• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.

• Experience with SCADA, BMS, and DCIM monitoring platforms.

• Certification in Data Center Design (CDCDP, DCEP, or Uptime Institute ATD).

• Experience with battery energy storage systems (BESS) and microgrid integration.

Benefits

• Full medical, dental, and vision packages, with 100% of premium covered

• Housing subsidy of $2,000/month for those living within walking distance of the office

• Daily lunch and dinner in our office

• Relocation support for those moving to Cupertino

How we’re different

Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.

We are a fully in-person team in Cupertino, and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both as needed.