Lambda
Director of Construction - Data Center
Lambda, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Lambda, The Superintelligence Cloud, builds Gigawatt‑scale AI Factories for Training and Inference. Lambda’s mission is to make compute as ubiquitous as electricity and give every person access to artificial intelligence. One person, one GPU.
Overview You will own the full lifecycle of Lambda’s AI‑ready data center build program — from greenfield site development through commissioning. You’ll define construction strategy, manage budgets and vendors, and deliver facilities on time and on budget to power the world’s fastest AI training clusters. This is a highly visible role, interfacing directly with executive leadership and driving innovation in how Lambda builds mission‑critical infrastructure at scale.
Responsibilities
Lead all phases of data center construction: site prep, utilities, core/shell, CSA/MEP systems, commissioning, substantial completion, deferred commissioning, and warranty resolution.
Build and manage relationships with general contractors, EPCs, and subcontractors; oversee bids, contracts, and change orders, ensuring accountability.
Partner with design engineering, operations, real estate, and supply chain to align builds with Lambda’s capacity roadmap.
Coordinate with capacity, construction contractors, equipment suppliers and internal financing/accounting teams to ensure efficient use of capital in line with reported projections.
Establish scalable standards for cost, schedule, safety, and quality across multiple programs.
Report progress, risks, and financials directly to executive leadership.
Push innovation in delivery models (modular builds, prefabrication, liquid cooling) to accelerate timelines and boost resiliency.
Guide teams through troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis during commissioning.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Civil, Structural, or Architectural Engineering (or related).
15+ years of construction leadership, including hyperscale data centers or other mission‑critical facilities, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
Deep understanding of constructability elements of CSA and MEP systems, high‑density compute environments, and large‑scale commissioning.
General contractor and vendor management experience (RFPs, bidding, change orders, QA/QC, RFIs, submittals).
Proven track record delivering $100M+ construction projects with full budget accountability.
Strong financial acumen and contract negotiation skills, with demonstrated ability to deliver projects on budget.
Experience building and scaling high‑performing teams; demonstrated success in talent attraction, development, and retention.
Nice to Have
Proficient in enterprise construction tools (Procore, MS Project, Primavera, Bluebeam).
Familiarity with sustainable building practices and green certifications (LEED, ISO, etc.).
Professional certifications such as PE, PMP, CCM, or OSHA 30.
Deep knowledge of construction codes, regulations, and permitting processes.
Strong cross‑functional MEP system knowledge.
Salary Range Base pay range: $253,000.00/yr – $422,000.00/yr
Benefits
Generous cash & equity compensation
Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
Wellness and commuter stipends for select roles
401(k) plan with 2% company match (USA employees)
Flexible paid time off plan that we all actually use
About Lambda
Founded in 2012 with ~400 employees (2025) and continuing to grow fast
Investors include Andra Capital, SGW, Andrej Karpathy, ARK Invest, Fincadia Advisors, G Squared, In‑Q‑T, KHK & Partners, NVIDIA, Pegatron, Supermicro, Wistron, Wiwynn, US Innovative Technology, Gradient Ventures, Mercato Partners, SVB, 1517, Crescent Cove
Our systems experience extremely high demand with year‑over‑year profitability
Research has been published in top conferences such as NeurIPS, ICCV, SIGGRAPH, and TOG
Equal Opportunity Employer Lambda is an Equal Opportunity employer. Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation and identity, genetic information, veteran status, citizenship, or any other factors prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
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Overview You will own the full lifecycle of Lambda’s AI‑ready data center build program — from greenfield site development through commissioning. You’ll define construction strategy, manage budgets and vendors, and deliver facilities on time and on budget to power the world’s fastest AI training clusters. This is a highly visible role, interfacing directly with executive leadership and driving innovation in how Lambda builds mission‑critical infrastructure at scale.
Responsibilities
Lead all phases of data center construction: site prep, utilities, core/shell, CSA/MEP systems, commissioning, substantial completion, deferred commissioning, and warranty resolution.
Build and manage relationships with general contractors, EPCs, and subcontractors; oversee bids, contracts, and change orders, ensuring accountability.
Partner with design engineering, operations, real estate, and supply chain to align builds with Lambda’s capacity roadmap.
Coordinate with capacity, construction contractors, equipment suppliers and internal financing/accounting teams to ensure efficient use of capital in line with reported projections.
Establish scalable standards for cost, schedule, safety, and quality across multiple programs.
Report progress, risks, and financials directly to executive leadership.
Push innovation in delivery models (modular builds, prefabrication, liquid cooling) to accelerate timelines and boost resiliency.
Guide teams through troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis during commissioning.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Civil, Structural, or Architectural Engineering (or related).
15+ years of construction leadership, including hyperscale data centers or other mission‑critical facilities, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
Deep understanding of constructability elements of CSA and MEP systems, high‑density compute environments, and large‑scale commissioning.
General contractor and vendor management experience (RFPs, bidding, change orders, QA/QC, RFIs, submittals).
Proven track record delivering $100M+ construction projects with full budget accountability.
Strong financial acumen and contract negotiation skills, with demonstrated ability to deliver projects on budget.
Experience building and scaling high‑performing teams; demonstrated success in talent attraction, development, and retention.
Nice to Have
Proficient in enterprise construction tools (Procore, MS Project, Primavera, Bluebeam).
Familiarity with sustainable building practices and green certifications (LEED, ISO, etc.).
Professional certifications such as PE, PMP, CCM, or OSHA 30.
Deep knowledge of construction codes, regulations, and permitting processes.
Strong cross‑functional MEP system knowledge.
Salary Range Base pay range: $253,000.00/yr – $422,000.00/yr
Benefits
Generous cash & equity compensation
Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
Wellness and commuter stipends for select roles
401(k) plan with 2% company match (USA employees)
Flexible paid time off plan that we all actually use
About Lambda
Founded in 2012 with ~400 employees (2025) and continuing to grow fast
Investors include Andra Capital, SGW, Andrej Karpathy, ARK Invest, Fincadia Advisors, G Squared, In‑Q‑T, KHK & Partners, NVIDIA, Pegatron, Supermicro, Wistron, Wiwynn, US Innovative Technology, Gradient Ventures, Mercato Partners, SVB, 1517, Crescent Cove
Our systems experience extremely high demand with year‑over‑year profitability
Research has been published in top conferences such as NeurIPS, ICCV, SIGGRAPH, and TOG
Equal Opportunity Employer Lambda is an Equal Opportunity employer. Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation and identity, genetic information, veteran status, citizenship, or any other factors prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
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