ABOUT THE ROLE:SpaceXAI is building and operating one of the world's most demanding AI training campuses in Memphis, including Colossus and site facilities that support it. The people who work here-and the buildings and grounds they occupy-have to keep up with that tempo.
The Sr. Manager of Facilities Maintenance owns building and grounds maintenance across the Memphis campus. This role leads a multi-layered organization of managers, supervisors, and technicians responsible for offices, industrial support buildings, and site infrastructure: work orders and preventive maintenance, building HVAC, plumbing, electrical and transformers, carpentry and building envelope, janitorial, landscaping, waste, and pest control. Facility care is a direct reflection of our values, and the impact is immense.
This is facilities maintenance, not data center facilities operations. You will not own the central utility plant, rack-level cooling, or white-space infrastructure. You will own the campus around it- air handlers that fail, transformers that need attention, grounds that have to stay presentable, leaks, and a work-order system that has to close tickets fast-so the site can operate without distraction.
RESPONSIBILITIES:- Lead and develop a multi-layered organization of managers, supervisors, and technicians across the Memphis campus to deliver reliable building and grounds maintenance with minimal disruption to site operations.
- Set campus-wide strategy, budgeting (CapEx/OpEx), and resource forecasting for facilities maintenance; drive ownership of execution, safety culture, and work quality.
- Own the campus work-order and preventive maintenance programs: ticketing, staffing, response times, backlog, and closeout for break/fix and scheduled work across offices, support buildings, and grounds.
- Oversee building systems maintenance-HVAC, plumbing, electrical and transformers, fire/life safety as building systems, and general repairs-so occupied facilities stay safe, functional, and presentable.
- Own soft services across the campus, including janitorial, landscaping and grounds, waste, and pest control; manage third-party vendors to corporate standards, SLAs, and cost.
- Partner with construction, EHS, and site operations to plan and execute office, grounds, and building improvement projects without impacting ongoing operations.
- Conduct ongoing assessment of resource needs, life-cycle costs, and staffing for multiple buildings; own long-term capital planning for building and grounds assets.
- Define, track, and communicate key performance indicators (safety, response time, work-order backlog, quality, labor productivity, and operating expenses) and drive accountability across the organization.
- Provide oversight of emergency response and on-call coverage for building emergencies (leaks, HVAC failures, power issues, safety conditions); ensure a robust after-hours support model.
- Lead talent development, succession planning, and organizational design for a high-performing facilities maintenance team.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:- Bachelor's degree in engineering, facilities management, architecture, construction management, business, or a related field.
- 8+ years of progressive experience in facilities maintenance or building operations (offices, industrial, or campus environments), including at least 3 years leading supervisors or managers.
- Demonstrated experience leading teams responsible for work orders, preventive maintenance, building systems, and vendor-delivered soft services.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:- Proven track record managing budgets, capital projects, and a complex vendor ecosystem across multiple buildings.
- Experience with computerized maintenance management (CMMS) / work-order systems and building management systems for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire/life safety, and related building equipment.
- Knowledge of building electrical and transformers, plumbing, HVAC, and general construction/maintenance practices.
- Experience negotiating contracts and comparing service costs to achieve maximum value.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate operational issues to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Strong leadership presence with a track record of building high-performing teams and delivering results in a fast-paced, high-tempo environment.
- Highly organized, self-driven leader capable of operating with significant autonomy while aligning to company priorities.
- Experience managing large-scale work under aggressive timelines with frequent changes in scope and priority.
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications such as Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:- Based at the Memphis, TN campus; travel across the site as needed and occasionally to other xAI or SpaceX locations.
- Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed.
- Ability to provide 24/7 on-call support for building emergencies and critical facility issues.
- Comfort operating in a high-stress, high-tempo environment while balancing multiple priorities and rapidly adapting to changing business needs.
