Construction, VP

About Nscale

At Nscale, we are building the infrastructure for the AI revolution. Nscale is developing cutting-edge, sovereign generative AI solutions powered by a new generation of high-performance, sustainable data centers and GPUs built specifically for AI workloads.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented global demand for compute and GPU infrastructure. Positioned at the heart of this transformation, Nscale is delivering the platforms that will enable the next decade of innovation.

Working closely with the world's most advanced AI technology providers — including Microsoft and NVIDIA — Nscale integrates next-generation compute hardware and Next GPU clusters across both partner and self-delivered facilities. This is a unique opportunity to join Nscale's journey, play a pivotal role in delivering transformative AI infrastructure, and help shape a company designed to scale rapidly across North America, Europe, and beyond.

Reports To: SVP, Power Delivery Location: Monarch Project Site Project Scope: Multi-Billion Dollar Power Generation & Data Center Infrastructure Program

Position Summary

The Vice President of Construction will lead all field execution and construction management activities for a multi-billion dollar power generation and data center infrastructure program. This individual owns the construction strategy, budget, schedule, safety performance, and quality outcomes across one or more concurrent mega-project sites. The VP serves as the senior construction authority interfacing with ownership, EPC contractors, utility partners, regulatory agencies, and the data center end-user's technical teams, ensuring the program is delivered safely, on time, and within budget at a scale and pace consistent with critical compute infrastructure demands.

This is an on-site executive leadership role requiring deep technical credibility in heavy industrial/power construction, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to manage extreme schedule pressure inherent to AI/data-center-driven power projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership & Strategy

• Own the overall construction execution strategy for the program, aligning with corporate development, finance, and ownership objectives.

• Serve as the senior-most construction representative in executive steering committees, board updates, and investor/lender site reviews.

• Build, lead, and scale a construction organization (construction managers, superintendents, field engineers, safety, QA/QC) capable of executing a multi-billion dollar, multi-site program.

• Set the standard for construction culture: safety-first, schedule discipline, and quality accountability.

• Program & Schedule Management

• Own the master construction schedule across all work packages (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, controls, BOP, substation/interconnection, and data center shell/core where applicable).

• Identify and proactively mitigate critical-path risks, especially around long-lead equipment (turbines, generators, transformers, switchgear) and their integration into the construction sequence.

• Drive contingency planning for schedule compression, given the accelerated timelines typical of data-center-driven power projects.

• Report progress, forecasts, and risk exposure to executive leadership and ownership on a recurring basis.

• Budget & Commercial Oversight

• Own construction-phase budget (multi-billion dollar TIC), including cost forecasting, variance analysis, and contingency management.

• Oversee change order review, negotiation, and approval processes with EPC contractors and subcontractors.

• Partner with Finance and Legal on contract strategy (EPC, lump-sum, cost-plus, hybrid), claims avoidance, and dispute resolution.

• Ensure construction spend aligns with capital drawdown schedules and lender/investor reporting requirements.

• Contractor & Stakeholder Management

• Lead selection, negotiation, and management of EPC contractors, major subcontractors, and construction management firms.

• Serve as the primary construction-side liaison with the utility/grid operator on interconnection-related construction activities.

• Coordinate directly with the data center owner/operator's technical and construction teams to align on integration points, energization sequencing, and commissioning handoff.

• Manage relationships with AHJs (authorities having jurisdiction), inspectors, and regulatory bodies to ensure permit compliance throughout construction.

• Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Hold ultimate accountability for site safety performance across all contractors and subcontractors; champion a zero-incident safety culture.

• Ensure QA/QC programs are enforced across all disciplines, with particular attention to systems critical to uptime (power delivery, redundancy systems, cooling, controls).

• Ensure full compliance with NFPA, IEEE, NEC, OSHA, environmental permits, and local/state/federal codes.

• Oversee commissioning and startup readiness in coordination with engineering and operations teams.

• Risk Management

• Maintain and actively manage the program-level construction risk register.

• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for schedule slips, safety incidents, or quality escapes.

• Develop and maintain contingency and recovery plans for supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and weather/force majeure events.

• Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or Construction Management (Master's degree or MBA a plus).

• Or 15+ years of progressive construction management experience in power generation, heavy industrial, or large-scale critical infrastructure projects.

• Minimum 5+ years in a senior executive construction leadership role (VP, Senior Director, or equivalent) on projects exceeding $1B in total installed cost.

• Direct experience with power plant construction (gas turbine, combined-cycle, reciprocating engine, or renewable/battery storage) and/or large-scale data center construction.

• Proven track record managing EPC contracts, multi-contractor environments, and complex commercial negotiations at scale.

• Deep understanding of utility interconnection processes, grid codes, and substation/transmission construction.

• PE license or PMP certification preferred; OSHA 30-Hour certification required.

• Demonstrated ability to operate under compressed schedules typical of hyperscale/data-center-driven power projects.

• Preferred Experience

• Prior experience delivering behind-the-meter or co-located generation assets for data center or hyperscale clients.

• Familiarity with Tier III/IV data center reliability standards and their impact on power delivery redundancy.

• Experience with modular/phased power plant deployment strategies.

• Experience working with private equity or infrastructure fund ownership structures and lender/investor reporting requirements.

• Key Competencies

• Executive presence and the ability to represent the project to ownership, lenders, and public stakeholders.

• Strong financial and commercial acumen at a multi-billion dollar program scale.

• Decisive risk management under time and capital pressure.

• Exceptional organizational leadership across large, matrixed teams and multiple concurrent contractors.

• Clear, confident communicator across technical, executive, and regulatory audiences.

• Travel & Work Conditions

• Extensive on-site presence required; role is field-based with regular travel to project site(s), corporate HQ, and stakeholder meetings.

• Availability to respond to critical schedule, safety, or quality events outside standard hours.

• What We Can Offer You

• At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and our people are driving it.

• Highly competitive US compensation package (base + bonus + equity), with performance reviews every 12 months

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match

• Generous PTO plus US federal holidays

• A career-defining opportunity to be an early member of one of the fastest growing AI infrastructure companies in the world

• A human-first approach: We treat you as humans first. Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy needed to get the job done.

• Equal Opportunities Statement

• At Nscale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. We believe that a variety of perspectives enriches our work environment, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. If there's anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know.

• The range below reflects the base salary for the position. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs. Nscale may offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.

• Salary Range

• $230,000—$410,000 USD

• *For information on how Nscale handles candidate personal data, please see our Employee & Candidate Privacy Notice: Here.

• Nscale does not accept unsolicited candidate submissions from recruitment agencies.