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MEP Manager job

What a data center MEP manager does day to day, how the role differs from an MEP coordinator, and how MEP coordinators and managers from other building types move into it.

By Czarina Tabayoyong, Founder, Critical Path Hiring

Last reviewed · First published

Reviewed as terms, pay and markets change.

The job

An MEP manager owns mechanical, electrical and plumbing coordination on a data center build. They run the coordination model and submittals, set the order the trades work in and hand systems to commissioning. Companies add the role when there is more coordination than one MEP coordinator can handle.

A typical day

  • Coordinate the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and controls trades
  • Oversee clash resolution in the coordination model
  • Track submittals, RFIs and long-lead equipment
  • Line up the trade sequence and crew sizes with the master schedule
  • Hand systems to the commissioning team when they are ready to test

Location and schedule

Data center construction sites. Roles on traveling programs add per diem and rotation terms.

Skills and certifications

Required

  • Leading MEP trade coordination on large builds

Helpful

  • Data center experience
  • Working with commissioning teams at turnover

Routes in

MEP coordinators move up into this role. MEP managers from commercial, healthcare and semiconductor projects also move in once they learn data center electrical layouts, redundancy and the commissioning handoff.

Next roles

This role leads to construction project manager.

Pay

Pay varies by market and level, and the current ranges are in our data center salary guide.

Questions

How is an MEP manager different from an MEP coordinator?
The coordinator runs the model and the clash log. The MEP manager deals with the trades directly, sets the order of work and commits to the schedule dates.
Do I need data center experience to become an MEP manager?
Not always. MEP managers from commercial, healthcare and semiconductor projects move in, then learn the electrical layout, redundancy and commissioning handoff specific to data centers.
How do I become an MEP manager?
Most people move up from MEP coordinator. Construction project manager is a common next step.

Next steps