Lead Engineer, Data Center - Memphis
xAI · Memphis, United States · 1mo ago
SpaceXAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
Join the High Power Engineering team supporting SpaceXAI to design, build, operate, and maintain electrical infrastructure for AI training campuses. As a Lead Engineer for Data Center electrical, you will work with a small on-site team to scale high-capacity power systems on a schedule set by compute demand. The position is based in Memphis, TN, with potential travel to other sites.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Own the electrical architecture from the medium-voltage bus to the GPU rack — topology, redundancy, and standards — for halls scaling with AI compute load.
- Set and defend the redundancy basis; prove split-feed and cross-feed schemes against bus-fault, transformer-loss, and switchgear-loss contingencies.
- Establish the campus electrical design standard: equipment tagging, drawing conventions, approved vendor list, insulation coordination, grounding, and arc-flash boundaries.
- Own the interface with the compute organization on rack density, step-load behavior, power-capping strategy, and actual-versus-nameplate utilization.
- Own the interface with mechanical and cooling engineering on CDU, sidecar, and pump electrical loads and their contribution to hall demand.
- Lead design reviews with EPCs, OEMs, and owner's engineers; approve vendor drawings and factory acceptance test procedures.
- Direct Design, Commissioning, R&D, BIM/Designer, and Protection & Controls engineers on the Data Center team as those seats fill.
- Collaborate with Transmission & Distribution and Battery Storage leads so hall design, interconnection, and storage dispatch stay on one model of record.
- Ensure compliance with NFPA 70, 70B, 70E, NESC, and IEEE standards, prioritizing safety and engineering excellence.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or another engineering discipline.
- 10+ years of electrical power design experience, with a focus on high-power, high-voltage or mission-critical systems.
- Experience owning medium-voltage distribution architecture at 10 kV to 35 kV class.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES:
- Professional Engineering license or intention to actively seek a PE license.
- 5+ years in mission-critical, hyperscale, or heavy industrial facilities.
- Experience with high-density AI compute and liquid-cooled deployments.
- Experience delivering a repeatable design across multiple identical halls or phases.
- Experience with power systems analysis software and tools: ETAP, SKM, EasyPower, PowerWorld, Matlab, PSCAD, PSEE, Simulink, etc.
- Fluency in NEC, NFPA 70E, the IEEE 3000 series, and an internal reliability framework.
- Experience building and leading an engineering team from the first hire.
- Proven ability to lead teams, work independently, and thrive in dynamic, high-stress environments with tight deadlines.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Perform hands-on work in all environments (heat, cold, rain), in tight quarters or at heights.
- Work extended hours and weekends as needed to support construction, energization, and operations.
- Remain focused in hazardous environments while wearing appropriate PPE.
- Lift up to 25 lbs. unassisted.
- Provide 24/7 on-call support for emergencies.
- Willing to work on-site in Memphis, TN. This is not a remote or hybrid role.
- Travel up to 25% for factory witness testing, vendor and OEM engagement, and supporting other sites.
- Valid driver's license.
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