Lead Critical Facility Engineer

This position is onsite in Royse City, TX. Relocation Assistance is available if not local in the area. Salute is a leading provider of cutting-edge Data Center Infrastructure Services, dedicated to serving data center clients worldwide. We pride ourselves on delivering sustainable solutions, unparalleled reliability, and outstanding customer service. As we continue to grow, we are seeking a dynamic and experienced Lead Critical Facility Engineer to join our team and drive our relationships with hyperscale clients to new heights.

Benefit Information:

Salute Benefits That Put You First We know life doesn’t stop when work begins, that’s why we offer perks designed to support your well-being, your family, and your future:

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy 8 company-paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, and PTO so you can rest, celebrate, and take care of what matters most.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Including Medical, Dental, and Vision that you can enroll in starting on Day 1. Coverage begins the first of the month following 30-days of employment.
• Peace of Mind: The Employee Assistance Program is available to all employees, even if you do not participate in the benefits package.
• Your financial future matters: Enjoy our employer-supported 401(K) with immediate 100% vesting, plus a 3% employer match and a 50% match on the next 2%.
• Wellness Support: Access to HSA, mental health resources, and gym discounts - because your health matters.
• Extra Protection & Perks: Through discounted group programs, such as legal services, home & auto insurance, pet insurance, and ID theft protection for life’s unexpected moments.

The Lead Critical Facility Engineer will report directly to the Data Center Manager and will serve as the primary technical and operational authority on-site for a mission-critical facility. This role directly manages four (4) 12-hour rotational shift teams (4-on, 3-off schedule) - each led by a Critical Facility Engineer 3 (Shift Lead) and staffed with a mix of Journeyman (CFE 2) and Apprentice (CFE 1) engineers - ensuring seamless 24x7x365 coverage, procedural discipline, and technical consistency across all watches. The Lead Engineer governs all electrical, mechanical, Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC), fire/life safety, and Operational Technology (BMS/EPMS/CMMS) operations. The Lead Engineer owns site-wide preventive and corrective maintenance governance, MOP/SOP/EOP authoring and approval, third-party vendor oversight, and Qualification Card (Qual Card) technical training progression.

Key Responsibilities

• Uncompromising Safety Leadership & AHJ Compliance: Place SAFETY at the top of anything and everything done - without fail. Serve as the site’s senior Electrical and Mechanical Safety Authority, enforcing strict compliance with Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), arc flash protection (NFPA 70E), NEC, NFPA 72/25, and OSHA standards across all shift personnel and subcontractors; champion Stop Work Authority (SWA) and act as primary Authorizing Engineer for complex switching evolutions and annual de-energized outages.
• Multi-Shift Operations & Workforce Governance: Manage, schedule, and audit four (4) 12-hour shift teams (4-on, 3-off rotation) comprising CFE 3 Shift Leads, CFE 2s, and CFE 1s to maintain continuous 24x7x365 engineering coverage. Enforce shift-turnover rigor, watch-round integrity, and staffing minimums.
• Technical Authority & Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) Ownership: Govern day-to-day operations, continuous condition monitoring (BAS/BMS/EPMS), and anomaly remediation across all Covered Systems outside the White Space, including MV/LV switchgear, standby diesel generators, fuel systems, static/rotary UPS, overhead busways, chillers, CRAHs, Dedicated Outside Air Systems (DOAS), and ABB VFDs. Direct high-density Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) operations, including Facility Water Systems (FWS), Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs), secondary loops, PG-25 (25% propylene glycol) chemistry/pH testing, and nitrogen pressurization systems for RMA/warranty shipping.
• Grey/White Space Boundary Coordination: Coordinate all required operational interfaces at the demarcation boundary between Grey Space and Customer White Space (flow, pressure, temperature delivery conditions, setpoints, alarm routing, and restoration sequencing) to guarantee uninterrupted power and thermal delivery without crossing White Space IT exclusions.
• Incident Command, Emergency Stabilization & SLA Defense: Serve as Incident Commander during critical facility events, driving immediate stabilization to meet contractual response standards within delegated emergency authority.
• Forensic Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Lead forensic Root Cause Analysis (RCA) following any abnormal event or excursion; compile empirical telemetry, BMS/EPMS trend logs, and causal-responsibility.
• Procedural Governance & Reference Library Ownership: Own the site Reference Library and procedural lifecycle - authoring, peer-reviewing, and approving Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Method of Procedures (MOPs), Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs).
• CMMS Governance, Spare Parts Stewardship & Monthly Reporting: Audit CMMS hygiene across all four shifts, ensuring 100% on-time completion of daily, weekly, and monthly self-performed PMs, accurate Anomaly Ticketing, and semi-annual audits of the Critical Spare Parts Program (CSPP), Attic Stock, and Normal Stock.
• Vendor Management: Direct third-party OEMs and specialty contractors in performance of work, placing high importance on site risk mitigation.
• Qual Card Administration & Technical Mentorship: Partner with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Training Managers to build and administer the site Qualification Card (Qual Card) framework, practical drills, and emergency operations playbooks; coach CFE 3 Shift Leads on watch command and drive structured technical progression for CFE 2 and CFE 1 engineers.
• Schedule & On-Call Requirement: On-Site Day Operations with rotational oversight across all four 12-hour shifts and 24x7x365 on-call escalation availability for S1/S2 critical emergencies, planned outages, and high-risk maintenance windows.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: A minimum of 8+ years of directly related hands-on experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting mission-critical data center infrastructure, industrial power generation, or high-availability facilities, including 3+ years in a Chief Engineer, Lead Engineer, or multi-shift supervisory capacity managing senior shift leads and multi-tiered technicians.
• Education & Trade Credentials: Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Technology, a verified Journeyman/Master Electrician or HVAC/Mechanical license, Military Nuclear/Power Propulsion training (e.g., US Navy Nuclear), or an equivalent combination of technical education and field experience.
• Electrical & Mechanical Systems Mastery: Expert-level hands-on proficiency operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting medium- and low-voltage switchgear (13.8kV/480V/208V), standby diesel generators and paralleling gear, static UPS systems, multi-string VRLA/Li-Ion battery systems, ATS/STS units, overhead busway distribution, chillers, CRAHs, DOAS units, and VFDs.
• Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) & Controls Proficiency: Direct hands-on experience with Liquid-to-Chip / Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) infrastructure, Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs), Facility Water Systems (FWS), PG-25 closed-loop glycol/water chemistry testing, nitrogen pressurization systems, PLC/relay logic controls, EPMS, and BAS/BMS platforms.
• Regulatory, Code & Commercial Acumen: Working knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70E, NFPA 72, NFPA 25, OSHA standards, and electrical/mechanical one-line diagrams, combined with demonstrated ability to manage contractual SLAs, enforce Grey/White Space scope demarcation, author defensible technical RCAs, and govern OEM vendor scopes.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry heavy equipment and tools, up to 40 lbs.
• Ability to climb ladders (up to 16 feet) and multiple flights of stairs to access elevated equipment.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods in various work environments.
• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, and reach to perform equipment-related maintenance tasks.
• Basic physical fitness and mobility to move quickly and efficiently within various work environments to troubleshoot issues or respond to emergency situations.
• Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity for working with small components, test instruments, and connectors.
• Clear vision, with or without correction, to perform tasks requiring attention to detail and precision while wearing required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety glasses and arc flash gear.
• Ability to work indoors across a wide variety of temperature zones and outdoors in various weather conditions, including extreme temperatures, rain, or snow.
• Capability to work in environments with elevated noise levels while wearing required hearing protection.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license for work-related travel, as required.

If you are a motivated and results-driven individual with a passion for data center services and a knack for building strong client relationships, we want to hear from you. Join us in revolutionizing the data center industry and apply today!

Salute is an equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity, creating an inclusive environment for all employees, and providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants; if you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our Human Resources department at hr@salute.com for more information. (For specific Recruitment related questions, please contact our Talent Acquisition department at recruiting@salute.com.)

Compensation & Benefits Disclosure The base pay range for this role is $114,400 – $125,000 per year this range reflects a good‑faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to pay upon hire, based on factors such as skills, experience, education, and market/location. Our comprehensive benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA), gym discount, mental health, Discounted Group Life & AD&D, Discounted Group Short & Long-term Disability, 401(k) retirement matching, PTO/paid holidays, and parental leave. Final compensation will be determined by job‑related factors consistent with applicable law.