Level

xAI

Lead Engineer, Data Center - Memphis

xAI is hiring a Lead Engineer, Data Center - Memphis. Level rates it ; you can apply on xAI.

Level's read on this job

  • Level rates this role Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
  • The posting mentions Nfpa 70, Nfpa 70b and Nfpa 70e among its tools and skills.
  • Level classes it as a lead role.
  • xAI has 296 other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

Lead electrical infrastructure engineering for high-capacity AI training data centers and supercomputers.

nfpa-70nfpa-70bnfpa-70enescieee
electrical-engineeringdata-center-designpower-systemsgpu-rack-architecture

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today, SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary and expanding consciousness to the stars.

SpaceXSI is building Super Intelligence to help humanity understand the universe. Our teams are building the full Super Intelligence stack: from our Colossus supercomputers, to Grok models, to our suite of applications, including Grok Bot, Grok Build, Grok Imagine, Grok Voice, and X. We're creating a powerful flywheel where more compute trains better models, better models power more useful products, and what we learn from people using those products shapes what we build next.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Join the High Power Engineering team supporting SpaceXSI to design, build, operate, and maintain electrical infrastructure for AI training campuses. As a Lead Engineer for Data Center electrical, you will work with a small on-site team to scale high-capacity power systems on a schedule set by compute demand. The position is based in Memphis, TN, with potential travel to other sites.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Own the electrical architecture from the medium-voltage bus to the GPU rack — topology, redundancy, and standards — for halls scaling with AI compute load.
  • Set and defend the redundancy basis; prove split-feed and cross-feed schemes against bus-fault, transformer-loss, and switchgear-loss contingencies.
  • Establish the campus electrical design standard: equipment tagging, drawing conventions, approved vendor list, insulation coordination, grounding, and arc-flash boundaries.
  • Own the interface with the compute organization on rack density, step-load behavior, power-capping strategy, and actual-versus-nameplate utilization.
  • Own the interface with mechanical and cooling engineering on CDU, sidecar, and pump electrical loads and their contribution to hall demand.
  • Lead design reviews with EPCs, OEMs, and owner's engineers; approve vendor drawings and factory acceptance test procedures.
  • Direct Design, Commissioning, R&D, BIM/Designer, and Protection & Controls engineers on the Data Center team as those seats fill.
  • Collaborate with Transmission & Distribution and Battery Storage leads so hall design, interconnection, and storage dispatch stay on one model of record.
  • Ensure compliance with NFPA 70, 70B, 70E, NESC, and IEEE standards, prioritizing safety and engineering excellence.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or another engineering discipline.
  • 10+ years of electrical power design experience, with a focus on high-power, high-voltage or mission-critical systems.
  • Experience owning medium-voltage distribution architecture at 10 kV to 35 kV class.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES:

  • Professional Engineering license or intention to actively seek a PE license.
  • 5+ years in mission-critical, hyperscale, or heavy industrial facilities.
  • Experience with high-density AI compute and liquid-cooled deployments.
  • Experience delivering a repeatable design across multiple identical halls or phases.
  • Experience with power systems analysis software and tools: ETAP, SKM, EasyPower, PowerWorld, Matlab, PSCAD, PSEE, Simulink, etc.
  • Fluency in NEC, NFPA 70E, the IEEE 3000 series, and an internal reliability framework.
  • Experience building and leading an engineering team from the first hire.
  • Proven ability to lead teams, work independently, and thrive in dynamic, high-stress environments with tight deadlines.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Perform hands-on work in all environments (heat, cold, rain), in tight quarters or at heights.
  • Work extended hours and weekends as needed to support construction, energization, and operations.
  • Remain focused in hazardous environments while wearing appropriate PPE.
  • Lift up to 25 lbs. unassisted.
  • Provide 24/7 on-call support for emergencies.
  • Willing to work on-site in Memphis, TN. This is not a remote or hybrid role.
  • Travel up to 25% for factory witness testing, vendor and OEM engagement, and supporting other sites.
  • Valid driver's license.

SpaceXSI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice.

How we rate this

Lead Engineer, Data Center - Memphis at xAI rates 65 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Electrical EngineeringData Center DesignPower SystemsGPU Rack ArchitectureNfpa 70Nfpa 70bNfpa 70eNesc

Questions you could be asked

  1. Tell me about a project where electrical engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
  2. Tell me about a project where data center design was part of your work. What did you do?
  3. Tell me about a project where power systems was part of your work. What did you do?
  4. Tell me about a project where gpu rack architecture was part of your work. What did you do?
  5. Walk me through how you've used Nfpa 70 in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

  • List these exact terms on your resume: Electrical Engineering, Data Center Design, Power Systems, GPU Rack Architecture, and Nfpa 70. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
  • Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
  • Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.

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