Google

Principal Engineer, Data Center Sustainability

Google$307K — $427K *
Information Technology
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in a technical field (Computer Science, Engineering) or equivalent experience.
  • 15 years in systems engineering or computer architecture, professional or academic.
  • Experience leading large, cross-functional engineering projects and technical strategy.
  • Knowledge of power management, hardware-software co-design, distributed systems or data center infrastructure.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the technical direction of Google’s sustainability computing fleet initiative.
  • Align hardware and software systems with carbon reduction goals.
  • Integrate performance metrics into roadmap for hardware platforms.
  • Drive optimization programs to reclaim idle power.
  • Collaborate with various teams to address system constraints and implement initiatives.

Benefits

  • Robust equity offerings and annual performance bonuses.
  • Comprehensive healthcare coverage.
  • Generous paid time off and flexible work arrangements.
  • Opportunities for professional development and further education.
  • Access to employee wellness programs.
Full Job Description
Minimum qualifications:
  • PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 15 years of professional or academic experience in systems engineering or computer architecture.
  • Experience leading large-scale, cross-functional engineering initiatives and driving technical strategy.
  • Technical experience in one or more of the following: power management (DVFS, C-states), hardware-software co-design, distributed systems scheduling, or data center power infrastructure.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Experience with large-scale distributed systems and software-defined infrastructure.
  • Experience with telemetry and observability systems for large-scale fleets, including data analysis and extracting actionable insights from large datasets.
  • Strong understanding of grid dynamics, renewable energy integration, and carbon accounting standards (Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions).
  • Proven ability to motivate others by creating a shared vision, communicating complex technical concepts clearly, and driving collaboration across organizational boundaries.
  • Strong track record of academic research, publications, and patents in the field of green computing, energy-efficient architecture, or distributed systems.


About the job

In this role, you will lead the systems strategy and engineering efforts to design, build, and operate an emissions-first computing fleet. You will bridge the gap between computer architecture, large-scale distributed systems, power management, and grid carbon dynamics. By optimizing across CPUs, storage, networking, GPUs, TPUs, and accelerators, you will ensure Google's infrastructure scales responsibly, unlocking power capacity while maximizing carbon efficiency.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $307000 - $427000 (USD) 30% bonus target equity benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google .

Responsibilities
  • Provide technical guidance and shape the strategic direction for Google's fleet sustainability initiative. Align hardware deployment and software scheduling systems with Google's carbon and energy reduction goals.
  • Integrate performance-per-carbon metrics directly into CPU, TPU, GPU, and storage platform roadmaps. Define the architectural features and policies for next-generation platforms to minimize both operational and embodied carbon.
  • Drive power optimization programs to reclaim idle power capacity.
  • Design and implement the telemetry machinery required to measure, attribute, and report carbon emissions.
  • Partner with chip design, platform engineering, software infrastructure, data center operations, and climate science teams to resolve system-level constraints and execute cross-functional programs.


About Google

Google is a multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. The company has grown tremendously since then and has become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Learn more about Google
Size
156,500 employees
Market Cap
$1,115.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$40.2 billion
Founded
1998
5 Year Trend
+23.3%
Revenue
$182.5 billion
NASDAQ

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