
Data Center Critical Environment Mechanical Engineer
Chicago, ILJob$102–202K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation team supports the infrastructure behind its cloud services. The Data Center Mechanical Engineer serves as a technical authority for on-site mechanical systems and designs, supports 24x7x365 datacenter operations, and collaborates on new builds and infrastructure upgrades. The role also coordinates maintenance and safety procedures, supports supplier execution, and helps maintain cooling and backup electrical systems.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Overview
Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) is the engine that powers our cloud services. As a CO+I Data Center Mechanical Engineer, you will perform a key role in delivering the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's online services including Bing, Office 365, Xbox, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform.
Our infrastructure is comprised of a large global portfolio of more than 200 datacenters in 32 countries and millions of servers. Our foundation is built upon and managed by a team of subject matter experts working to support services for more than 1 billion customers and 20 million businesses in over 90 countries worldwide.
With environmental sustainability and optimization at the forefront of our datacenter design and operations, we continue to grow and evolve as we meet the ever-changing business demands that hold Microsoft as a world-class cloud provider.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
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Empower a culture of safety, security, and compliance in all aspect of data center activities.
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Understand the design and functionality of your datacenter.
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Work alongside a team of industry professionals across the Information Technology (IT) and Critical Environments (CE) spectrum to support 24x7x365 on-site datacenter operations and mechanical infrastructures.
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Act as the technical authority for on-site operations of large-scale mechanical systems and designs.
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Collaborate with the Operations and Design team to develop data center (DC) mechanical designs, starting from project conception to issue for construction (IFC) for new DC projects build outs and major infrastructure upgrades.
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Establish and coordinate maintenance & safety procedures, maintaining redundant high-capacity cooling systems; to operating and supporting datacenter backup electrical systems (diesel generators, rotary UPS, etc.).
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Steward vital infrastructure supporting deployments of Microsoft's online services.
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Assist with supplier selection and overseeing mechanical supplier execution
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Learn, live, and coach the One Microsoft culture and values.
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Lead through change by bringing clarity, generating energy, and delivering success.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 1+ years' related technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 2+ years' related technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
Other Requirements:
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
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Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
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Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local government agency customers and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate’s citizenship will be verified with a valid passport.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, or related field OR Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years' related technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years' related technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
Mechanical Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $102,100 - $202,200 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $133,800 - $219,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations. (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html)
How this job compares
Set against the 7,635 open Mechanical Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$102–202K/yr
- Illinois median$99–154K/yr171 salary ranges
- US median$105–160K/yr4,576 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $152K, is 21% above the Illinois median midpoint ($126K) — in the top quarter of Mechanical Engineer salary ranges in Illinois.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 205 open Mechanical Engineer jobs in Illinois and 7,635 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Illinois
- Sargent & Lundy33 open
- Constellation27 open
- Burns & McDonnell13 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience — less than three in four Mechanical Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 6,326 postings).
- Education
- 5,245 of the 7,635 open Mechanical Engineer jobs (69%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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