Development Program Manager (Fa/Fp Protection Engineering)

Who we are:

It's pretty exciting to find yourself standing in a pivotal moment in time. It's even more exciting to be out front leading it. At QTS, our world-class data centers are supporting our customers' most strategic growth initiatives, positioning us at the forefront of today's dynamic digital transformation.

As AI and cloud drive the demand for increased speed, capacity and capability, QTS has emerged as the global digital infrastructure leader, committed to connecting the world for good. Driven by purpose and fueled by a spirit of innovation, QTS designs, builds and operates some of the world's most advanced, forward-thinking data centers. QTS is a portfolio company of Blackstone.

QTS is Powered by People. People who play a vital role in our company's culture, innovation and growth. People who are committed to contributing to the communities where we operate and work. People who are knowledgeable, resourceful and mission driven. Together, we do great things.

Who You Are:

The Program Manager (FA/FP Protection Engineering) is responsible for providing technical leadership and strategic direction for fire alarm and fire protection (FA/FP) engineering across mission‑critical development projects.

This role operates within the Design and Engineering team and serves as a key technical authority supporting the design, construction, and commissioning of data center facilities. The Senior Manager interacts daily with Facilities, Contractors, Designers, Engineers, Commissioning Agents, Vendors, and Data Center Operations teams, requiring strong written and verbal communication skills commensurate with executive‑level engagement.

What You Will Do:

• Manage a group of project managers and engineers responsible for reviewing drawing packages for adherence to established design standards

• Oversee multiple design and engineering efforts across projects nationwide

• Create and communicate development engineering program updates and milestone status on a monthly basis, suitable for executive‑level reviews

• Present technical information clearly to support efficient and informed decision‑making

• Collaborate with internal and external design teams to ensure designs meet company standards, local codes, and AHJ requirements

• Partner with stakeholders to define project scope, manage deviations from standards, and communicate requirements to design teams

• Support construction, commissioning, and risk management teams by resolving RFIs and value engineering inquiries

• Collaborate with procurement teams to review OFCI equipment submittals for compliance with standard design criteria

• Support direct reports and project teams in resolving design issues identified during construction and commissioning

• Work with consultants to develop and review fire alarm, fire protection, and life safety calculations for compliance with design standards

The Impact You Will Have:

• Make decisions impacting regional projects and overall team direction

• Drive best practices across the engineering team

• Mentor junior engineers and new hires

• Promote simplicity and innovation in solving complex technical challenges

• Develop scalable, maintainable, and efficient engineering solutions

• Drive engineering standards, quality, and consistency

• Influence priorities and system architecture decisions

• Actively develop team members and perform onboarding functions regularly

What You Will Need to be Successful (basic qualifications):

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Construction Management, or equivalent professional experience

• 8-10+ years of professional experience in design engineering or the construction industry, related to fire alarm and fire protection design of data centers

• 4-8+ years of experience managing mission‑critical design, implementation, and project management

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, specifically:

• PowerPoint for executive‑level communication

• Excel for summarizing engineering deliverables and calculations

• Demonstrated interest in a long‑term career within property design, engineering, development, or construction

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time (typically every other week for 2-3 days)

• U.S. Citizenship required due to federal customer contracts

Other Key Skills:

• 8-10+ years of experience designing fire alarm and fire protection systems for data centers, construction, operations, and facility maintenance

• Project Management or Project Lead experience on large‑scale projects

• Direct experience with construction of:

• Data centers

• Critical medical facilities

• Industrial, oil & gas, or large‑scale mechanical and power systems

• Expert‑level knowledge of fire alarm and fire protection industry standards, procedures, and methodologies

• Experience with performance‑based alternatives to prescriptive designs

• Expert knowledge of fire alarm and fire protection systems and their integration into mission‑critical environments

• Advanced multidisciplinary understanding of mission‑critical systems, design processes, pre‑construction, and construction execution

• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to senior leadership and non‑technical audiences

• Professional Engineering (PE) license preferred, not required

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface across all organizational levels

• Proven team player who fosters strong internal and external collaboration

• Strong problem‑solving skills at both tactical and functional levels

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

The Perks (and these are just a few!):

• Q-Rest Sabbatical

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

• QTS scholarship for dependents

• Eagle Club Award Trip Eligibility

• Paid Volunteer and Floating days

• Tuition Assistance, Parental Leave and Military Leave Assistance

We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim.

The "Know Your Rights" Poster is included here:

Know Your Rights (English)

Know Your Rights (Spanish)

The pay transparency policy is available here:

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted

QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to talentacquisition@qtsdatacenters.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.