Plumbing and Fire Protection Designer

About Giga

Giga is building gigawatts of AI data centers to hasten a future of intelligence and abundance. We build data centers fast and at scale by combining the capabilities of an equipment supplier, engineering firm, general contractor, and real estate developer under one roof. Our team moves quickly and thinks practically. If you're ready to make an impact in an industry that matters, we're looking for people like you.

Why join Giga

• The Pace: We're building at a speed most companies talk about but never actually operate at. If you've been bored somewhere else, you won't be here.
• The Impact: Every person at Giga touches the work that matters. No layers, no waiting for approval chains. You'll see your fingerprints on what we ship.
• The Team: A team of operators defining the future of AI infrastructure. We recruit A-players from the most innovative companies in the world, and they choose Giga because the work here means more.
• The Moment: AI doesn't run without power, and that's us. Giga is the picks and shovels behind the AI revolution. This industry is about to explode, and you'll be in the room where it's already happening.

What you'll do

As Plumbing and Fire Protection Designer at Giga, you will produce the plumbing and fire protection designs for our AI data center infrastructure projects. You'll design restroom plumbing and roof drainage, lay out sprinkler systems and run the hydraulic calculations, prepare riser diagrams, and review and edit specifications. You'll collaborate with clients, architects, structural and mechanical engineers, electrical teams, code officials, and AHJs to deliver designs that meet stringent reliability, operational, and code requirements. Our Engineer of Record sets design direction and seals the drawings. This is a high-visibility, hands-on role for someone who takes pride in clean, correct drawings, works well with a team, and thrives in fast-paced, complex technical environments. 

Where you'll work

This role is based in one of our offices (Houston, TX / Long Beach, CA / San Francisco, CA / Reno, NV) or Fully Remote. We work in person because the best engineering happens when smart people are in the same room. Some travel to active project sites and client meetings should be expected.

That said, we will make exceptions for truly exceptional talent if you live outside one of our hubs. If you're the right person for this role, we'll have a conversation about what works.

Responsibilities

• Lay out sprinkler systems for data center and mission critical facilities, including data halls, support spaces, and administrative areas
• Perform hydraulic calculations for sprinkler systems, fire pumps, water storage tanks, and site fire water distribution
• Design plumbing systems for restrooms and support spaces, including domestic water, sanitary waste and vent, and fixtures
• Design roof drainage and storm drainage systems
• Prepare riser diagrams, plans, sections, details, and equipment schedules
• Review and edit project specifications
• Follow design direction from the Engineer of Record and incorporate review comments
• Coordinate designs with architectural, mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil disciplines
• Coordinate sprinkler releasing and interlock requirements with the fire alarm designer
• Support submittal and RFI review during construction
• Check your own work for cross-reference, calculation, and specification consistency before it goes out
• Work on multiple concurrent projects and keep deliverables on schedule

Requirements

• Minimum of 3+ years of plumbing and fire protection design experience
• Plumbing design experience including domestic water, sanitary waste and vent, fixtures, and roof and storm drainage
• Working knowledge of backflow prevention and cross-connection control requirements
• Sprinkler system layout and hydraulic calculation experience on large commercial, industrial, or data center projects
• Working knowledge of NFPA 13, 20, 22, 24, and 25, the International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC), International Plumbing Code (IPC), and FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD, and in hydraulic calculation software such as Elite Fire, AutoSPRINK, HASS, or HydraCALC
• Able to follow direction from the Engineer of Record, incorporate review comments, and revise documents accordingly
• Able to read, review, and edit specifications
• A team player who communicates clearly, coordinates well with other disciplines, and is easy to work with
• Able to carry multiple concurrent design assignments and deliver on schedule
• Comfortable working with minimal day-to-day oversight and moving fast in a high-velocity environment

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification
• NICET certification in Water-Based Systems Layout, Level III or higher
• Data center and mission-critical facility experience, particularly with hyperscale, colocation, and AI-focused deployments
• Experience with preaction, clean agent, and special hazards systems
• Experience with rainwater harvesting systems
• Familiarity with fire alarm systems, smoke detection systems
• Experience with liquid-cooled, high-density compute halls
• Experience developing or maintaining design standards and specification templates
• Texas project experience and familiarity with local AHJ processes

How We Work

We value people who take ownership, raise risks early, communicate directly, and follow through. Incomplete information is part of the job. Make the best decision you can, document it, and adjust as the facts change. Move quickly on reversible decisions and take more care when security, safety, financial, employee, or customer risk is involved.

Benefits

• Subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
• Equity (options) in a rapidly growing startup
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• Unlimited PTO
• Parental leave
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Commuter benefits, where applicable
• Opportunities to collaborate in person at periodic team and company on-sites

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement