Opens in a new tab

Data centre engineer jobs.

The role

What the job involves.

Perigon Search recruits data centre engineers for operators, hyperscalers and the FM providers that run critical facilities for them. The job is keeping the data hall's power and cooling running: planned maintenance, fault finding and reactive work on UPS, generators, switchgear, chillers, CRAC and CRAH units, pumps and the BMS, all under the site's change control. Most data centre shift engineer roles are multi-skilled, with a mechanical or electrical lead.

A data centre doesn't get a quiet night. The site runs around the clock and every task is planned around redundancy, with method statements, permits and change approval before anything is touched. Engineers who work to that discipline, and who hold HV authorisation or deep mechanical skills, are the ones clients chase. HV AP alone moves pay up noticeably at the same level.

Shifts or days. Most roles are static on one site, on continental 12-hour shifts such as four on, four off, with a shift allowance or a higher base to match. Some roles are days only. Mobile roles cover several smaller sites.

Salary and progression

What it pays.
Where it leads.

Salary

What data centre engineers earn.

On top of base, many roles add a shift allowance, overtime and a bonus, and some pay extra for HV authorisation. When an offer comes in, we negotiate it for you, base and package. Typical base salaries in London and the M4 corridor, updated October 2026. Regional sites typically pay less.

Data centre engineer
£48,000 to £60,000 base
Senior engineer
£55,000 to £62,000 base
Shift lead or supervisor
£55,000 to £66,000 base
Where it leads
Shift lead
Running the shift team and the site's response when something goes wrong.
Critical facilities manager
Running the site's engineering, the maintenance programme and the client.
HV authorised person
HV authorisation is the clearest pay step on a data centre.
Commissioning engineer
Level 1 to Level 5 testing on new data halls before they go live.
Project engineer or manager
Running upgrades and new halls, from design to handover.
Liquid cooling
CDUs and direct-to-chip cooling are arriving in data halls, and mechanical engineers who learn them are in demand.
Latest jobs

Live data centre jobs.

No data centre engineer roles are live right now. Register with us and we'll come back to you when one is.
Shortlisting

What gets you shortlisted.

Multi-skilled is the norm. What moves a CV up the pile is live data hall experience and authorisation.

Systems
UPSGeneratorsSwitchgearChillersCRAC and CRAH
Skills
Fault findingChange controlPermits and RAMSCommissioningIncident response
Tickets
HV AP18th EditionF-GasNVQ Level 3HNC
Employers
OperatorsHyperscalersFM providersColocationFinancial services
FAQ

Data centre engineer questions.

What does a data centre engineer do?
A data centre engineer maintains and fault-finds the power and cooling that keep a data hall running: UPS, generators, switchgear, chillers, CRAC and CRAH units and the BMS. Day to day that's planned maintenance, rounds, permits and reactive work, all under strict change control. Most roles are on one site, on shifts.
Do data centre engineers work shifts?
Most do. Continental 12-hour shifts, such as four on, four off, are the norm, covering days and nights. Some employers pay a shift allowance on top of base, often around 10%, while others build it into a higher base. A smaller number of roles are days only.
What qualifications do I need to be a data centre engineer?
Most employers want an NVQ Level 3 or City and Guilds in electrical or mechanical engineering. Electrical roles ask for the 18th Edition, mechanical roles for F-Gas, and HV authorisation is valued everywhere. An HNC helps for senior and lead roles.
Can I get into data centres without data centre experience?
Yes. Some employers say data centre experience isn't essential and hire strong building services and M&E maintenance engineers. What they'll check is that you can work to a critical site's rules: permits, method statements and changes planned around redundancy.
Do you recruit data centre engineers outside the UK?
Yes. We recruit across the UK and EMEA, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Scandinavia. Data centre growth in mainland Europe means there's work for engineers open to it.