Job description

The VP, Mechanical Innovation is the senior mechanical engineering leader in IREN's Innovation organization, leading a team of principal mechanical engineers who serve as the subject matter experts in mechanical engineering across the Innovation organization. This team provides deep technical authority across the Next-Generation Data Center Architecture program, the Industrialized Delivery & Modular Construction program, and the broader engineering, construction, and commissioning organizations.
This role ensures that mechanical systems strategy - spanning cooling infrastructure, fluid systems, thermal management, and structural integration - is developed with a unified approach and applied consistently across every program that shapes how IREN designs, builds, and operates its data center infrastructure.

Job requirements

• 15+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience with demonstrated expertise in cooling system design, thermal management, fluid systems, and standards development within data center, mission-critical, energy, or industrial infrastructure.
• Proven track record as a senior mechanical authority on complex, multidisciplinary programs - establishing technical standards, governing interface decisions across mechanical, electrical, and structural disciplines, and delivering high-performance mechanical systems at scale.
• Deep expertise in air-side and liquid cooling architectures, cooling distribution design, fluid system engineering, thermal modeling and CFD, and mechanical system commissioning - with working familiarity across applicable codes and standards (ASHRAE, SMACNA, ASME, NFPA).
• Experience working across the innovation-to-execution boundary - developing concepts in ambiguous, research-stage environments and translating them into rigorous standards adopted by construction-stage teams; strong cross-functional influence and executive communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering required; Master's degree or PE registration preferred. Hyperscale or owner-operator data center experience highly valued. Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required (estimated 20-35%).

Job responsibilities

Mechanical Innovation Strategy & Leadership

• Define and own IREN's mechanical innovation roadmap - establishing the strategic direction for how cooling, fluid, thermal, and structural systems are architected and standardized across the next-generation portfolio, with a mandate to drive improvements in PUE, deployment speed, reliability, and cost per MW.
• Translate emerging developments in advanced air-side cooling architectures, liquid cooling distribution, high-density thermal management, and computational fluid dynamics into concrete design positions and engineering standards that shape IREN's long-term infrastructure strategy.
• Monitor the frontier of mechanical engineering innovation - including next-generation cooling topologies, modular mechanical plant designs, prefabricated fluid systems, and advanced structural integration - identifying opportunities that could materially improve IREN's infrastructure performance or competitive position.

Program Support - Next-Gen Architecture & Industrialized Manufacturing

• Partner with the VP, Next-Gen Data Center Architecture to define the mechanical architecture of future-state data center concepts from the earliest design stages - evaluating cooling topologies, thermal envelopes, fluid system layouts, and structural integration options before concepts are committed to prototype.
• Partner with the VP, Industrialized Delivery & Modular Construction to define the mechanical architecture of IREN's modular systems - ensuring cooling distribution units, mechanical skids, fluid handling assemblies, and prefabricated plant modules are designed for factory assembly, FAT validation, and rapid field installation.
• Establish mechanical interface standards for all modular systems - defining pipe connection points, fluid system boundaries, structural attachment interfaces, and field tie-in procedures - to ensure industrialized components integrate predictably into IREN's broader mechanical infrastructure without field rework.

Coordination with Engineering, Construction & Commissioning

• Serve as the primary mechanical interface between Innovation and IREN's engineering, construction, and commissioning teams - ensuring that mechanical standards and design decisions are clearly communicated, formally adopted, and consistently applied across all downstream project execution.
• Coordinate technical handoffs from innovation to engineering, ensuring designs are accompanied by complete documentation, thermal and fluid system specifications, and interface requirements that enable downstream teams to execute without rework.
• Support commissioning planning and troubleshooting for mechanical systems, and feed field learnings - including thermal performance, fluid system behavior, and installation findings - back into innovation standards and future design cycles.

Technical Standards Governance

• Own IREN's mechanical engineering standards library - maintaining and evolving design criteria, equipment specifications, thermal and fluid system standards, and testing protocols that reflect current best practices, applicable codes (ASHRAE, SMACNA, ASME, NFPA), and IREN-specific lessons learned.
• Conduct technical reviews of mechanical designs and specifications across the innovation pipeline, resolving cross-discipline interface conflicts - particularly at the mechanical-electrical and mechanical-structural boundaries - and ensuring deliverables meet the bar required for adoption at scale.
• Represent IREN in external technical forums, vendor engagement, and industry discussions; identify and escalate material mechanical risk - including thermal performance gaps, fluid system vulnerabilities, and safety hazards - to the CIO with clear mitigation recommendations.

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, build, and lead the principal mechanical engineering team - attracting engineers with deep expertise in data center cooling, thermal systems, and fluid engineering, structured to provide coverage across both the Next-Gen Architecture and Industrialized Manufacturing programs.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence and cross-functional collaboration; mentor principal engineers in mechanical architecture, standards development, and stakeholder engagement, building organizational depth as IREN's innovation programs scale.

Metrics & Performance

• Define and own the mechanical innovation performance scorecard - tracking technical milestone achievement, standard adoption rates in downstream execution, and field performance of mechanical systems against design specifications, including thermal efficiency and fluid system reliability targets.
• Report program health and pipeline status to the CIO and executive leadership; drive year-over-year improvement in the quality and adoptability of IREN's mechanical engineering standards.

Job benefits

At IREN, we offer a highly competitive compensation package that includes base salary, annual performance incentives, and opportunities to build long-term wealth through equity programs. These offerings are part of our broader total rewards package , thoughtfully designed to support your health, well-being, and long-term success.

Compensation

• Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, qualifications, and market data for the region.
• Total Compensation package may be inclusive of annual incentive bonus, equity (long-term incentive).

Health & Wellness

• 100% company paid health insurance premiums (medical, dental, and vision) for employees, 75% company paid coverage for dependents
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, critical illness, and accident coverage available
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) - when combined with the High Deductible Health Plan
• Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources

Retirement & Financial Wealth

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Access to financial planning and legal services

Time Off & Leave Programs
Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays

Growth & Development

• Internal skills training and advancement pathways
• Professional development to support certifications, continuing education, or role related training

Community & Culture

• Company events and team-building activities

We value diverse perspectives and believe that skills can be developed. If you're passionate about this role, we want to hear from you - whether you meet every criteria or not. Your unique experiences might be exactly what we need!