Head of Data Center Development

About Maincode
Maincode makes Matilda, an Australian-made AI stack we own end to end, from tin to token. We own and operate our own infrastructure here in Australia, we train and maintain our own frontier models, and we run multiple surfaces on top of them, including chat, coding and API. Everything we ship is built on capability we control ourselves. We are hiring someone who cares about that. You should be passionate about Australian-made technology, a builder first, and keen to execute at the highest levels of physical infrastructure.
The role
Building and training Matilda taught us what it takes to power compute at scale. We are now expanding our infrastructure footprint by upgrading and maintaining our existing sites while developing new data centers from the ground up.
You will be our foundational boots on the ground leader, turning our physical infrastructure roadmap into reality. You will own the entire lifecycle of getting our sites live. This includes managing the improvement of current facilities and leading greenfield site acquisition and high voltage grid connections. If you are currently building critical infrastructure at a massive scale but want to escape legacy bureaucracy to build high density compute facilities, this is your opportunity to build a lean operation from day one.
What you will do.
- Manage the upgrade and maintenance of existing data centers, improving power, floor loading, and cooling architectures for high density clusters.
- Navigate local councils, zoning laws, and state environmental regulations to rapidly secure optimal sites and permits for greenfield construction.
- Lead negotiations with AEMO, state grid operators, and energy providers to secure the massive high voltage power agreements required for compute across both new and existing sites.
- Oversee the end to end construction and fit out of new facilities, ensuring the physical build supports in-row CDUs, direct to chip plumbing, and advanced heat rejection.
- Source, vet, and direct top tier construction partners, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) contractors, and specialist vendors, holding contracting teams accountable to strict budgets and timelines.
- Act as the primary owner of our physical footprints, defining repeatable and lean processes for new builds and establishing the operational playbook for long term site management.
What you will bring.
- 10+ years of experience in critical infrastructure delivery, data center construction, or massive scale telecom build outs.
- A proven track record of successfully delivering facility upgrades alongside large greenfield builds.
- Deep technical fluency in commercial real estate, heavy electrical provisioning (substations, high voltage), and the unique physical constraints of high density compute environments.
- An established network of top tier subcontractors, MEP consultants, and vendors in the Australian market who deliver when you call.
- A project manager's mindset who thrives on site. You have the pedigree of a massive enterprise but the operational speed of an entrepreneur, capable of executing without the bloated support staff of a legacy telco.
Highly regarded.
- Experience at a tier-one Australian operator (e.g. Telstra, AirTrunk, NextDC, CDC).
- Prior exposure to liquid cooling architectures and high power density deployments.
Eligibility.
- Must have the right to work in Australia.
- Willingness to undergo background and national police checks as required for critical infrastructure management.
Details.
- Location: Melbourne, VIC (or Hybrid/On-Site across Australia). Regular work from active construction sites and Maincode offices.
- Type: Full time, permanent.
- Remuneration: Negotiable based on experience, plus super and equity.
Who thrives here
Builders who want to spend time on site, and infrastructure leaders who actually execute. If you care about Australian-made technology and you would rather spend your week getting shovels in the ground, upgrading sites, and getting power connected than sitting in steering committee meetings, you will do well here.

Employment type
FullTime

Work arrangement
No