India's AI data-centre boom is creating an unexpected winner: engineers from mechanical, electrical and industrial backgrounds, according to a report in Business Today. As companies race to build energy-intensive AI infrastructure, these roles—long overshadowed by software jobs—are back in demand, commanding hefty salaries and opening a new career path for industrial talent.
Companies Driving the Hiring Surge
The companies actively hiring span the full AI infrastructure chain. They include colocation players such as Equinix, STT GDC India, Yotta, CtrlS and NTT; hyperscalers including AWS, Google and Microsoft; and engineering and cooling majors such as L&T, Tata Projects, Schneider Electric, Vertiv, Siemens, Honeywell and Johnson Controls. For India's engineers, the AI boom is increasingly becoming a physical infrastructure story, driven by substations, cooling plants and power systems as much as by code.
Data Centre Capacity Expansion
The hiring surge is being fuelled by the rapid expansion of India's data-centre industry. According to Avendus Capital, operational data-centre capacity is expected to rise from about 1.6GW in 2025 to 5GW by 2030. More than 3GW of capacity is already under development, requiring nearly $25 billion in investments, while AI-specific capacity is expected to quadruple.
New Specialised Roles Emerging
Exclusive hiring data shared with TOI by executive search firm Ishwa Consulting shows specialised roles emerging across AI data centres. These include AI infrastructure architects, liquid cooling specialists, power procurement heads and grid resilience managers.
Salary Packages on the Rise
The salaries are eye-catching. The following table summarises the compensation ranges for key roles:
| Role | Annual Salary Range |
|---|---|
| AI infrastructure architects | Rs 1 crore – Rs 1.5 crore |
| Greenfield site heads | Up to Rs 1.8 crore |
| Heads of critical facilities and specialist cooling teams | Rs 50 lakh – over Rs 1 crore |
| Engineers with 7–12 years experience | Rs 15 lakh – Rs 30 lakh |
| Entry-level cooling and critical-facility engineers | Rs 5 lakh – Rs 8 lakh |
Cooling Engineers in Highest Demand
The biggest hiring rush is happening in cooling. Companies are actively recruiting data-centre cooling engineers, HVAC design engineers, critical facilities engineers, commissioning engineers and liquid cooling specialists. BMS (building management systems) and controls engineers are also seeing strong demand as facilities become increasingly automated.
Implications for Technology Leaders
For technology procurement leaders and supply chain managers, the talent crunch in AI data-centre infrastructure signals the growing importance of physical infrastructure alongside software. The demand for engineers with expertise in power systems, cooling, and grid resilience will likely intensify as AI workloads expand. Companies investing in AI capabilities must factor in the cost and availability of skilled industrial engineers, whose compensation packages are now competing with software roles.
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