Data Center Technical Operations Engineer (Facilities)
Location: Sterling, VA
Employment Type: Full-time
Schedule: [Day/Swing/Night; on-call rotation as needed]
Employer: Confidential, global data center operator
About the role
We’re seeking a Data Center Technical Operations Engineer (Facilities) to keep mission-critical infrastructure running safely and reliably. You’ll oversee day-to-day operations in a live data center, lead/coordinate technicians and vendors, and drive preventive/corrective maintenance, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement across power and cooling systems.
What you’ll do
Operations & Maintenance
- Own daily facility operations for critical infrastructure: switchgear, generators, UPS/STS/PDU, power distribution, chillers, cooling towers, CRAC/CRAH units, building management systems (BMS/DCIM), and related systems.
- Execute and document preventive and corrective maintenance with minimal customer impact; coordinate MOPs/SOPs/EOPs.
People & Vendor Management
- Provide on-site direction to shift technicians, senior techs, subcontractors, and vendors; ensure work follows established procedures and safety rules.
- Assist with recruiting, onboarding, and training of technicians; help cultivate a high-performance, safety-first culture.
Reliability, Risk & Compliance
- Identify and mitigate risks; support root-cause analysis and post-incident reviews.
- Maintain accurate logs, change records, and asset/inventory control; uphold compliance and audit readiness.
Capacity, Projects & Efficiency
- Partner with IT/Operations leaders to coordinate projects, manage capacity, and optimize safety, reliability, performance, and energy efficiency.
- Contribute to the design/build-out of new spaces and to projects that improve facility efficiency.
Monitoring, Reporting & Metrics
- Establish performance benchmarks; analyze trends and produce reports on facility health, maintenance KPIs, and vendor/service performance.
- Track and improve KPIs such as MTBF/MTTR, maintenance completion, and incident/action-item closure rates.
Basic qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or Technical/Military/Trade School degree with relevant experience.
- 0–2 years of relevant work experience in facilities, MEP, critical environment, or data center operations.
- 0–2 years of team lead/management exposure (informal leadership acceptable).
- Strong verbal/written communication, leadership, and organization skills; high attention to detail.
- Ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, complex environment and follow documented procedures.
Preferred qualifications
- 0–2 years specifically in data center engineering operations or critical facilities (hospital, pharma, semiconductor, financial trading, etc.).
- Bachelor’s in Electrical, Mechanical, or related engineering field.
- Familiarity with network room layouts and low-voltage cabling (copper/fiber) fundamentals.
- Working knowledge of BMS/DCIM, change management, and incident management processes.
- Experience coordinating external vendors and developing SOPs/MOPs/EOPs.
- Pluses: OSHA-30, EPA 608, NFPA 70E awareness, CMMS experience, LEAN/6σ basics, CFA/CFD awareness for airflow.
Work environment & physical requirements
- Ability to walk/stand for extended periods; safely lift up to 50 lbs with/without accommodation.
- Comfortable working around mechanical/electrical equipment, ladders, and in hot/cold aisle conditions.
- Willingness to participate in on-call coverage and occasional off-hours maintenance windows.
Why join
- Direct impact on the reliability of mission-critical infrastructure.
- Career growth across facilities engineering, reliability, and operations leadership.
- Collaborative culture with strong emphasis on safety, documentation, and continuous improvement.
Job Types: Full-time, Contract
Pay: $30.00 - $35.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
