Technical Lead Data Center Pumps

Technical Lead - Data Center Pumps

The Technical Lead Data Center Pumps leads pump engineering activities supporting data center liquid cooling and thermal management applications and manages a team of Development and Process Engineers. The role is accountable for engineering team performance, technical direction, resource priorities, product and process development, validation, industrialization, and customer technical support.

This leader translates customer and business priorities into scalable pump solutions for Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs), server rack and tray cooling systems, and broader liquid cooling architectures. The role requires strong mechanical & fluid expertise combined with knowledge of electric motors, electronics, controls, and system integration.

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Compensation: $175,000 - $215,000 base salary 15% bonus.

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD, 401k Match 6%, 3 weeks vacation, etc.

Relocation assistance offered for candidates moving.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical & Product Leadership

• Serve as the technical leader for electric water pumps and pumping systems used in data center liquid cooling applications, providing direction across hydraulics, motors, electronics, controls, materials, reliability, and system integration.
• Set technical priorities and make authoritative engineering decisions from concept through commercialization, balancing performance, cost, quality, timing, manufacturability, and customer requirements.
• Lead development of product specifications, operating envelopes, electrical/control requirements, design reviews, risk assessments, verification plans, and engineering changes.
• Anticipate emerging customer, industry, and technology needs; benchmark competitive solutions and contribute to pump product and technology roadmap.
• Lead resolution of unique and complex technical problems with broad business impact using rigorous analysis, sound judgment, and innovative solutions.

People & Engineering Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Development Engineers and Process Engineers supporting pump technology, new product development, and industrialization.
• Set team objectives, allocate engineering resources, manage competing program priorities, and ensure delivery against customer commitments and business plans.
• Provide performance management, technical coaching, career development, and succession planning; build team capability in pump design, fluid systems, controls, validation, manufacturing processes, and structured problem solving.
• Create an accountable, collaborative engineering culture focused on safety, quality, innovation, speed, technical rigor, and continuous improvement.

Customer, Application & Systems Engineering

• Serve as a senior technical interface with CDU manufacturers, OEMs, system integrators, and other strategic customers; translate cooling architectures and system requirements into pump performance requirements.
• Guide pump selection, sizing, configuration, controls, and integration considering flow, pressure, temperature, coolant compatibility, efficiency, redundancy, operating conditions, and reliability.
• Lead or support customer design reviews, technical presentations, prototypes, qualification activities, and issue resolution; communicate complex concepts and influence technical decisions with senior stakeholders.
• Provide leadership for integration of pumps with electric motors, electronics, sensors, controls, and customer systems, including CAN and Modbus (RTU/TCP) where applicable.

Validation, Industrialization & Cross-Functional Execution

• Define and oversee development, qualification, durability, and reliability testing; establish performance benchmarks and lead failure analysis, root cause, and corrective action activities.
• Partner with Product Management, R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, and Supply Chain to deliver manufacturable, scalable products and processes that meet performance, cost, quality, and timing objectives.
• Establish engineering operating rhythms, resource plans, and priorities across multiple development and process engineering programs; identify risks and drive decisions to maintain execution.
• Support product launches, customer commercialization, technical training, continuous improvement, and opportunities to extend pump technologies into adjacent thermal management applications.

Qualifications Seeking:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Fluid/Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Typically 11-15 years of progressive engineering experience in pump technology, fluid systems, thermal management, mechatronic products, electric motors, or related engineered products.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including leading engineers, setting priorities, allocating resources, coaching and developing talent, and managing performance.
• Strong expertise in pump design/application, fluid mechanics, hydraulic performance, product development, validation, reliability, and electro-mechanical systems.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional technical programs and solving multi-dimensional engineering problems with significant customer or business impact.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence engineering, commercial, executive, and customer stakeholders; ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• Direct experience with electric water pumps, variable-speed pumps, motors, embedded electronics, controls, sensors, PCB technology, CAN, Modbus, or similar communication protocols.
• Experience with data center cooling, CDUs, liquid cooling, or mission-critical thermal management applications.
• Experience with pump performance mapping, hydraulic/durability testing, reliability engineering, failure analysis, OEM integration, and global engineering/manufacturing teams.