Senior Data Center Operations Engineer

Role Overview

We're seeking a Senior Engineer, Data Center Operations to lead site-level operations in a high-density, mission-critical environment. This role blends hands-on technical work with leadership in preventative maintenance, customer service, and systems optimization. The Senior Engineer ensures uptime, efficiency, and compliance while mentoring junior staff and driving continuous improvements across facilities and IT operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operational support, including equipment installation, cabling, and facility rounds.
• Oversee preventative maintenance cycles and ensure compliance with operational standards and audit requirements.
• Manage and resolve escalations during incidents; act as decision-maker in high-pressure situations.
• Operate and optimize Building Management Systems (BMS), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and ticketing systems.
• Configure, monitor, and tune infrastructure systems to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Mentor and train junior operations staff; ensure proper documentation and SOP adherence.
• Interface with strategic customers, providing remote hands support, escalation management, and service recovery.
• Partner with facilities, engineering, and customer success teams to align on operational needs and improvements.
• Maintain accurate records, logs, and reports for compliance, audits, and performance reviews.
• Support capacity planning and operational readiness for new deployments.

Technical Mastery of Mission-Critical Infrastructure

• Deep understanding of electrical, mechanical, and IT infrastructure systems (power distribution, cooling, cabling, server hardware)
• Ability to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex infrastructure issues under time-sensitive conditions
• Skilled in operating and interpreting data from BMS, CMMS, ticketing, and monitoring tools

Operational Excellence & Preventative Maintenance

• Strong command of SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs with a disciplined approach to execution
• Expertise in designing, managing, and improving preventative maintenance programs
• Detail-oriented mindset for inspections, documentation, compliance, and audit readiness

Incident Leadership & Decision-Making

• Ability to remain calm, clear-thinking, and decisive during outages or operational escalations
• Strong situational awareness and risk assessment capabilities to drive safe, effective resolutions
• Experience coordinating stakeholders and communicating clearly during high-pressure events

Systems Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Analytical approach to tuning and optimizing power, cooling, and monitoring systems for high-density environments
• Ability to identify inefficiencies, propose improvements, and drive implementation across teams
• Comfortable working with data to inform operational decisions and capacity planning

Customer Service & Communication

• Professional, customer-oriented approach when supporting remote hands, escalations, or service recovery
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, able to translate technical updates for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Skilled at balancing customer needs with site-level operational priorities

Leadership & Team Development

• Experience training and mentoring junior technicians, with an emphasis on safety, accuracy, and professional growth
• Ability to model operational discipline, set expectations, and ensure adherence to processes
• Strong collaborator who works well across facilities, engineering, and customer-facing teams

Required Experience

• 5+ years of data center or mission-critical facility operations experience, with a strong focus on hands-on field work.
• Proven expertise with power, cooling, and IT infrastructure systems in high-density environments.
• Hands-on experience with BMS, CMMS, ticketing, and monitoring tools.
• Demonstrated ability to lead incident resolution and high-pressure operational decisions.
• Prior experience mentoring or leading junior technicians preferred.

What Success Looks Like

• Zero downtime achieved through proactive monitoring, preventative maintenance, and effective incident management.
• Smooth customer experience with quick, accurate, and professional handling of remote hands requests and escalations.
• High-performing systems with optimized power, cooling, and monitoring configurations that support dense AI/HPC workloads.
• Well-trained team of operations staff that follows SOPs, executes work efficiently, and grows under mentorship.
• Accurate, compliant documentation that meets audit requirements and provides transparency for leadership and customers.
• Continuous improvements implemented in workflows, safety, and operational efficiency to scale with business growth.