Type of Requisition:Regular
Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:Top Secret/SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:Top Secret/SCI
Public Trust/Other Required:None
Job Family:IT Infrastructure and Operations
Job Qualifications:Skills:Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), Data Center Operations, Enterprise IT
Certifications:None
Experience:8 + years of related experience
US Citizenship Required:Yes
Job Description:Data Center Operations Technician is responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, troubleshooting, and decommissioning of data center infrastructure, including bare-metal servers, storage systems, and network switches. This role ensures the reliability, availability, and operational readiness of critical infrastructure while providing technical expertise, proactive problem-solving, and clear communication to internal stakeholders.
The ideal candidate combines strong hands-on technical skills with the ability to identify risks, remove roadblocks, recommend solutions, and act as a trusted advisor for infrastructure-related initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Infrastructure Deployment & Installation
- Rack, stack, cable, and deploy servers, storage arrays, network switches, and supporting infrastructure.
- Install and configure bare-metal systems according to documented hardware and networking requirements and documenting anything new in the environment.
- Perform hardware validation, burn-in testing, and deployment verification.
- Configure network connectivity, VLAN assignments, IP addressing, and port mappings as directed by engineering standards.
- Maintain accurate asset inventory and rack elevation documentation.
Hardware Lifecycle Management
- Execute hardware refreshes, upgrades, migrations, and decommissioning activities.
- Ensure proper sanitization, removal, disposal, or return of retired equipment according to cyber, organization, and company policy.
- Track asset movement and maintain accurate inventory records throughout the hardware lifecycle.
- Coordinate equipment receiving, staging, deployment, and retirement processes.
Troubleshooting & Incident Response
- Diagnose and resolve server, storage, networking, and cable issues.
- Perform root cause analysis for hardware failures and operational incidents.
- Replace failed components including drives, memory, CPUs, power supplies, NICs, and other field-replaceable units.
- Escalate complex issues appropriately while maintaining ownership through resolution.
- Participate in incident response and maintenance activities to minimize service disruption.
Operation Excellence
- Follow and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs), installation guides, and operation runbooks.
- Ensure all work is performed according to quality, safety, and change management processes.
- Identify opportunities to improve deployment efficiency, operational reliability, and documentation accuracy.
- Support capacity planning, hardware audits, and infrastructure optimization initiatives.
Technical Advisory & Continuous Improvement
- Serve as a subject matter expert for data center hardware deployment and operational best practices.
- Provide recommendations regarding infrastructure design, deployment methodologies, hardware standards, and operational processes.
- Advise leadership and engineering teams on potential risks, dependencies, and infrastructure readiness.
- Communicate project status, risks, roadblocks, and mitigation plan clearly and professionally.
- Collaborate with engineering, network, systems, facilities, and project management teams.
- Provide timely updates during deployment, incidents, and maintenance activities.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED
Bring your technology expertise and drive for innovation to GDIT. The IT Operations Manager must have:
• Experience: 8+ years of related experience
• Technical skills: Experience installing, configuring, and decommissioning bare-metal servers, storage systems, and network devices. Strong understanding of data center cabling standards and rack layout best practices. Familiarity with TCP/IP networking, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing fundaments, and switch connectivity.
• Security clearance level: TS/SCI
• US citizenship required
• Role requirements: Security+ certification required, CDCMP, CCNA, and ITIL certifications preferred
• Physical Requirements:
- Ability to lift and move equipment up to 50lbs
- Ability to work in raised floor data center environments
- Ability to install equipment in racks and perform cable management
- Ability to stand, bend, climb ladders, and work in confined spaces for extended periods
The likely salary range for this position is $142,792 - $184,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.
Scheduled Weekly Hours:40
Travel Required:Less than 10%
Telecommuting Options:Onsite
Work Location:USA VA Newington
Additional Work Locations:Total Rewards at GDIT:Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.
Our Identity Verification Process:
As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.