Description The Senior Data Center Operations Engineer is responsible for leading the daily operation, maintenance, and reliability of mission-critical electrical, mechanical, and cooling infrastructure within a high-density, liquid-cooled AI data center. This position serves as the senior technical resource for the facility, working closely with the Facility Manager to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operations.
The Senior Data Center Operations Engineer will provide technical leadership to the site operations team and serve as the primary technical resource when the Facility Manager is unavailable. Responsibilities include overseeing critical power and cooling systems, managing preventive maintenance activities, leading incident response, coordinating vendors and contractors, and maintaining operational readiness.
The position also plays a key role in developing site procedures, technical training, and employee qualification programs as the company expands its data center operations. This is a hands-on critical facilities position focused on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) infrastructure rather than IT, networking, or cabling.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead daily operations of mission-critical electrical, mechanical, and cooling systems, including UPS systems, switchgear, power distribution units (PDUs), generators, chillers, computer room air handlers (CRAHs), and liquid cooling infrastructure.
- Monitor critical facility equipment and ensure reliable operation of electrical and mechanical systems.
- Manage and improve preventive maintenance programs to support equipment reliability and operational readiness.
- Maintain facility documentation, maintenance records, and procedures to ensure audit readiness.
- Lead incident response activities during equipment failures, outages, and operational escalations.
- Make sound technical decisions under pressure to restore service and minimize operational disruptions.
- Monitor and optimize facility performance using Building Management Systems (BMS), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and ticketing platforms.
- Mentor, train, and coach junior engineers and technicians on technical procedures, safety practices, and equipment operations.
- Assist with developing technical training materials, operating procedures, and employee qualification programs.
- Coordinate and oversee third-party vendors and contractors performing maintenance and service activities.
- Support customer remote hands requests, technical escalations, and service recovery activities.
- Develop, review, and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Methods of Procedure (MOPs), and Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs).
- Collaborate with the Facility Manager on operational planning, equipment reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Participate in a periodic on-call rotation with the Facility Manager.
Must-Have Skills, Experience, and Education:
- 5+ years of hands-on, on-site data center operations experience in a colocation, hyperscale, or enterprise data center environment.
- Experience must involve direct data center facility operations; field service or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendor experience does not satisfy the required five years.
- Strong working knowledge of mission-critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure.
- Hands-on experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting critical power or cooling systems.
- Strong understanding of data center electrical infrastructure, including UPS systems, switchgear, PDUs, and generators.
- Strong understanding of data center mechanical and cooling infrastructure, including chillers, CRAH units, and associated cooling systems.
- Experience using Building Management Systems (BMS).
- Experience using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS).
- Experience leading incident response activities during equipment failures, outages, or operational emergencies.
- Ability to troubleshoot critical infrastructure issues and make effective technical decisions under pressure.
- Experience training, mentoring, or leading junior technicians or engineers.
- Ability to provide technical leadership and guidance to data center operations personnel.
- Strong understanding of preventive maintenance programs and critical equipment reliability.
- Ability to coordinate maintenance activities while minimizing operational risk.
- Ability to work effectively with vendors, contractors, customers, and internal operations teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate technical findings, operational concerns, and service recovery activities clearly and professionally.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently and serve as a senior technical resource for the facility.
- Strong commitment to workplace safety, operational reliability, and continuous improvement.
Requirements:
- Ability to work 100% on-site at the Reno / Sparks, NV facility.
- Ability to work Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
- Ability to participate in a periodic on-call rotation with the Facility Manager.
- Ability to lead critical facility operations when the Facility Manager is unavailable.
- Ability to respond effectively to equipment failures, outages, and operational escalations.
- Ability to oversee electrical, mechanical, and cooling infrastructure in a mission-critical environment.
- Ability to maintain and improve preventive maintenance programs.
- Ability to maintain accurate maintenance records, operational documentation, and audit readiness.
- Ability to develop, review, and follow SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs.
- Ability to use BMS, CMMS, and ticketing systems to monitor and manage facility operations.
- Ability to coordinate and oversee vendors and contractors performing on-site work.
- Ability to support customer remote hands requests, technical escalations, and service recovery.
- Ability to train and mentor junior engineers and technicians.
- Ability to support the development of technical training and qualification programs.
- Ability to maintain safe working practices and follow established critical facility procedures.
Nice-to Have Skills, Experience, and Education:
- Experience with liquid cooling systems in data center environments.
- Experience supporting high-density data center infrastructure.
- Experience working in AI or High-Performance Computing (HPC) data centers.
- Experience operating or maintaining advanced cooling technologies.
- Military technical background.
- U.S. Navy nuclear training or experience.
- Military electrician or engineering experience.
- Experience working at a newly commissioned or rapidly expanding data center facility.
- Experience helping establish operations at a new data center site.
- Experience developing technical training and qualification programs.
- Experience creating or improving SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs.
- Experience implementing preventive maintenance improvements.
- Experience supporting data center expansion projects.
- Experience improving operational processes and equipment reliability.
- Experience coordinating customer service recovery activities in mission-critical environments.
