Project Manager (Data Centers)
WSP Portland, Oregon, United States · $102K–$182K/yr
Professional Services · 10,001+ employees
About the role
Lead and oversee cross-functional teams in the delivery of power distribution and utility engineering projects for data center campuses. Manage project lifecycles including financial performance, technical execution, scheduling, and compliance with regulatory standards.
What they look for
Requirements
Requires a Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Civil Engineering and at least 7 years of experience in power distribution or utility engineering. Candidates must possess strong analytical skills and familiarity with industry standards such as NERC, IEEE, and NEC.
Benefits
Full description
This Opportunity
WSP is currently initiating a search for a Project Manager (Data Centers) to join us in Houston, TX. The following locations will also be considered: San Diego, CA, New York, NY, Houston, TX, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. This position can be offered remotely.
As demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure accelerates, our clients are developing some of the world's largest, most complex, and most power-intensive facilities. In this role, you will help deliver the electrical infrastructure that enables next-generation data center campuses—projects requiring hundreds of megawatts of power and unprecedented levels of planning, engineering, and coordination. You will work across the full project lifecycle, playing a key role in delivering critical infrastructure for some of the industry's most prominent clients.
What makes this opportunity unique is the breadth of collaboration across WSP's global organization. You will work alongside top experts in their field to solve highly complex infrastructure challenges. This multidisciplinary environment provides exposure to the full range of technical and strategic considerations required to successfully develop large-scale data center campuses. You will contribute to the planning and design of substations, transmission interconnections, and site electrical infrastructure while supporting fast-paced projects that demand innovation, technical excellence, and strong collaboration.
If you're energized by large-scale infrastructure projects, enjoy solving complex technical challenges, and want to help shape the future of digital infrastructure, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact while accelerating your career on some of the most significant power delivery projects being developed today.
Provides technical project supervision and guidance in managing the administrative, commercial, and technical components of critical high-voltage infrastructure for data center projects in alignment with WSP’s core values and contractual commitments. Tasks include responsibility for overall performance of distribution system and grid modernization projects of moderate size/complexity and/or local/regional scope. Oversight includes financial performance, technical execution, client satisfaction, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), safety, and schedule adherence.
Ensures that responsibilities throughout the full project lifecycle (feasibility, engineering design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and closeout) are executed in compliance with corporate standards, regulatory requirements (e.g., NERC, IEEE, NEC), and utility industry best practices.
Your Impact
- Lead and oversee cross-functional teams delivering power distribution and utility engineering projects, ensuring execution of design and construction deliverables.
- Manage multiple concurrent projects involving distribution lines, feeders, and grid infrastructure upgrades, including budgets, schedule, cost control, and resource allocation.
- Develop and manage project scopes, cost estimates, schedules, and resource plans for utility capital improvement programs and distribution projects.
- Build and maintain Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) aligned with engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) project delivery models.
- Ensure compliance with utility standards, environmental regulations, permitting requirements, and safety protocols (OSHA, utility HSE standards).
- Participate in proposal development, RFP responses, and business development efforts within the power & energy market.
- Perform margin analysis, risk assessments, and contingency planning for power delivery projects.
- Coordinate contract negotiations, client presentations, and stakeholder meetings with utilities, municipalities, and regulatory agencies.
- Develop and maintain project plans including PMP, Safety Plans, Risk Management Plans, and QA/QC procedures.
- Collaborate with engineering teams specializing in all aspects of distribution design.
- Partner with Project Accounting to manage financials including forecasting, earned value management (EVM), and profitability tracking.
- Lead efforts in change management, scope control, and claims mitigation.
- Coordinate with technical managers on staffing for overhead and underground distribution projects.
- Ensure adherence to health, safety, and environmental (HSE) standards, escalating issues when necessary.
- Provide reporting to clients and leadership on project performance, risks, schedule, and budget status.
- Manage project closeout activities, including lessons learned and continuous improvement for future projects.
- Stay current on power industry trends, grid resilience, distributed energy resources (DER), and electrification initiatives.
- Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or related field.
- 7+ years of experience managing projects in power distribution, transmission & distribution (T&D), or utility engineering environments.
- Proven experience delivering feeder, distribution line, or grid modernization projects.
- Strong understanding of utility operations, power systems engineering, and electrical distribution design.
- Familiarity with NERC, IEEE standards, NEC codes, and utility regulatory requirements.
- Experience with EPC project delivery, capital programs, and infrastructure projects within the energy sector.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills in complex utility environments.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills working with utilities, clients, regulators, and internal engineering teams.
- Experience with project management tools (MS Project, Primavera P6), financial tracking, and reporting systems.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams including engineering, design, procurement, and construction professionals.
- Knowledge of QA/QC processes, risk management, and safety compliance in utility projects.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Engineering.
- Professional Engineer (PE) license.
- PMI Certification (PMP or CAPM).
WSP Benefits:
WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.
Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $102,200 - $182,200
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.
Expected Salary (Colorado only): $95,000 - $159,000
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position within the state of Colorado, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.
#LI-PR1
About WSP WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
www.wsp.com
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:
WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.
Similar roles
-
Construction Project Manager
Jaxon Engineering and Maintenance Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States · $105K–$125K/yr
-
Sales Project Manager
Residential Elevators Tallahassee, Florida, United States
-
Residential Drain & Plumbing Project Manager
Dixie Electric, Plumbing, Air and Doors Montgomery, Alabama, United States
-
IT Project Manager
Digital Consultants, LLC Hampton, Virginia, United States
-
Project Manager
PERIMETER SOLUTIONS GROUP LLC Tampa, Florida, United States
-
Project Manager (m/w/x)
Doctorflix Berlin, Germany