Design Manager - Mechanical

Zerra develops and operates hyperscale data centre campuses across Australia, Japan and India, delivering capacity at scale into markets driven by the growth of cloud and AI. Zerra's flexible campus developments support hyperscale and neocloud organisations, enabling some of the world's fastest-scaling technology businesses to grow with certainty and ambition. 

At Zerra, we empower exceptional people to challenge convention, drive innovation and make a real impact in digital infrastructure. Our culture fuses entrepreneurial agility with global expertise, enabling our teams to deliver results that matter. 

We believe that diverse perspectives, inclusive leadership and equitable opportunities are essential to building stronger teams and better outcomes. We are committed to fostering a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and empowered to thrive. 

Zerra is part of AGP, an independently owned investor and asset manager that develops and operates real assets across the energy, digital and real estate sectors. 

Western Downs Digital Park 
Western Downs Digital Park (WDDP) is a master-planned digital and energy precinct in regional Queensland, developed and operated by Zerra. Planned across multiple delivery phases, WDDP brings together AI-ready data centres, energy infrastructure and a purpose-built campus environment. 

Located close to major power infrastructure within the Western Downs Special Industry Area, WDDP represents a major investment in Queensland's digital future and an opportunity to help deliver the critical infrastructure supporting the continued growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence. 

• Degree qualification in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent relevant experience. Chartered status with Engineers Australia and registration on the National Engineering Register, or equivalent, is preferred.
• At least 10 years of mechanical design or design-management experience, with meaningful exposure to hyperscale data centres, mission-critical facilities or comparable large-scale industrial infrastructure.
• Strong working knowledge of Australian mechanical and building-services codes and standards, including relevant NCC and AS/NZS requirements for ventilation, cooling, pressure systems, fire and life safety.
• Demonstrated capability in mechanical systems relevant to data centres, including cooling and heat rejection, chilled-water systems, ventilation, hydraulics, redundancy, energy efficiency and interfaces with liquid cooling and controls.
• Strong design assurance and problem-solving capability, with the judgement to distinguish critical issues and translate complex technical matters into clear actions.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of Australian construction-market dynamics, mechanical equipment and vendor capability and major cost drivers.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the confidence to engage consultants, contractors, suppliers and senior project leaders.
• Ability to adapt to changing project needs, manage competing priorities and drive technical decisions to closure in a high-pressure delivery environment.
• Willingness to travel regularly to WDDP and other project locations as required.

The Design Manager - Mechanical will lead mechanical design management and quality assurance for WDDP, translating project requirements into coordinated, compliant and buildable mechanical design outcomes. Reporting to the Technical Director, the role will act as the mechanical subject matter expert through design reviews, technical assurance and delivery-stage resolution. 

The role will work across the multidisciplinary design and engineering team and with external consultants to maintain Zerra standards, manage mechanical design interfaces and improve quality, performance and cost effectiveness throughout the project lifecycle. 

Responsibilities 

• Lead mechanical design management, with the technical ability to conceptualise, review and drive mechanical designs to the required outcome.
• Review and provide QA/QC assurance over mechanical design deliverables to ensure compliance with the approved project baseline, Zerra standards and applicable Australian codes and standards.
• Audit mechanical designs to identify inconsistencies, discrepancies, missing information and interface risks, and track observations through to close-out.
• Act as the mechanical subject matter expert in design reviews and respond to mechanical design escalations from the WDDP project team.
• Coordinate mechanical design interfaces with electrical, high-voltage, controls, energy storage, civil, structural, architectural, fire and life-safety disciplines.
• Support technical discussions, knowledge sharing and the continued development of Zerra Design Engineering Guidelines and standards.
• Participate in project gating reviews and provide clear advice on mechanical design maturity, risks, decisions and required actions.
• Provide leadership and guidance across the WDDP Design and Engineering team on mechanical design matters.
• Support the selection, briefing and performance review of mechanical design consultants and specialist advisers.
• Enforce the use of Zerra standards and templates for mechanical design documentation, adapted where required to Australian codes, standards and building-services requirements.
• Engage actively with external consultants, contractors, suppliers and internal workstreams to improve mechanical design management and delivery.
• Identify mechanical quality and latent-defect risks and lead design development toward practical, safe and durable resolution.
• Evaluate mechanical product, vendor and digital design improvements that may improve performance, resilience, constructability or whole-of-life cost.