Associate Director – MEP for Data Centres

About the role

WSP in the Middle East is looking for an experienced Associate/Associate Director to lead MEP engineering for mission‑critical data centre facilities in Dubai. You will act as the single technical authority, guiding projects from concept through delivery while ensuring performance, reliability and compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical contact for assigned data centre projects, leading client discussions and negotiating scopes.
• Lead and approve concept, schematic and detailed designs across electrical and mechanical disciplines, including UPS, generators, switchgear, HVAC, cooling, BMS, fire protection and life‑safety systems.
• Develop scalable, repeatable data centre solutions for UAE and KSA, standardising design methodologies.
• Conduct site assessments, capacity planning and feasibility studies aligned with Uptime Institute Tier requirements.
• Ensure compliance with international standards (Uptime Institute, TIA‑942, NFPA, ASHRAE) and local regulations.
• Mentor engineering teams, capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with supervision teams, manage vendors, control costs and mitigate technical risks.
• Contribute to technical proposals, client presentations and identify service‑enhancement opportunities.

Required profile

• Proven experience in senior MEP roles within data centre projects.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Ability to drive cross‑regional collaboration and technical excellence.
• Fluent in English with excellent communication abilities.

Required skills

• Design and specification of UPS, generators and switchgear.
• HVAC and cooling system engineering for data centres.
• Building Management Systems (BMS) integration.
• Fire protection and fire/life‑safety system design.
• Knowledge of Uptime Institute Tier standards, TIA‑942, NFPA and ASHRAE guidelines.
• Site feasibility analysis, capacity planning and technical proposal development.

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead high‑impact, mission‑critical projects in a fast‑growing discipline.
• Access to a global engineering network and continuous professional development.
• Competitive compensation package aligned with market standards.