Data Center Manager
About The Position
DigitalOcean is seeking a hands-on technical leader to own end-to-end operations for its MKC data center near the Kansas City, Missouri region. The role leads a team of technicians and engineers and is accountable for the reliability, performance, safety, and efficiency of physical infrastructure. It supports regional data center initiatives and works closely with architects, infrastructure product teams, facilities, capacity planning, supply chain, and asset management to bring infrastructure solutions online and meet customer and platform needs. The position oversees compute, storage, networking, and facility infrastructure, including GPU systems and, where applicable, liquid cooling and high-density compute systems. It also coordinates with vendors and data center providers, maintains inventory and logistics processes, forecasts infrastructure demand, manages operational work through Jira and Kanban, and serves as the local escalation point and incident lead. The role is onsite near Kansas City and may involve on-call escalations, extended or non-standard shifts, and travel.
Requirements
- 6–10 years of progressive experience in data center operations, including at least 3 years of team leadership or site management in a high-scale environment.
- Deep technical knowledge of data center systems, including compute, storage, networking, airflow, and cooling, and the ability to coach others in these areas.
- Strong understanding of facility infrastructure, including electrical systems, power distribution, UPS, and cooling design principles.
- Hands-on experience with data center health monitoring, rack design, structured cabling, and server manageability tools.
- Experience using work-tracking tools such as Jira and applying Kanban or similar agile workflows to visualize work, identify bottlenecks, and optimize flow.
- Systems-oriented mindset focused on team health and habits that improve throughput, predictability, and accountability.
- Strong leadership skills, including driving performance, setting goals, and fostering ownership and continuous improvement.
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with an ability to work cross-functionally.
- Global mindset and experience working with geographically distributed teams across time zones and infrastructure standards.
- Ability to be on call for escalations outside business hours.
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and remain on your feet during extended work sessions.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with GPU deployments.
- Familiarity with liquid cooling infrastructure or high-density rack solutions.
Responsibilities
- Manage onsite operations of the MKC data center and oversee technicians and engineers to ensure uptime, efficiency, and safety.
- Manage staffing, scheduling, performance, mentoring, and career development for the team.
- Oversee deployment, maintenance, and optimization of compute, storage, and networking infrastructure, including GPU-based systems.
- Manage physical infrastructure conditions, including power delivery, airflow, and cooling, and coordinate with facilities and capacity planning teams on rack density and energy efficiency.
- Partner with vendors, OEMs, and suppliers to coordinate component delivery, RMAs, and hardware escalations.
- Work with facilities and infrastructure engineering teams to understand mechanical and electrical designs, contribute to floor planning, and align facility capabilities with compute growth.
- Partner with data center architects and cloud product owners to align infrastructure buildouts with customer and platform requirements.
- Coordinate with regional data center managers and infrastructure leads globally to share best practices, surface risks, align infrastructure plans, and drive cross-site consistency and innovation.
- Work with Supply Chain and Asset Management to maintain inventory accuracy, streamline logistics, and ensure component readiness.
- Coordinate with Capacity Management to forecast and fulfill infrastructure demand for customer growth and product launches.
- Manage day-to-day task flow through Jira and Kanban to support smooth operations and continuous delivery.
- Work with data center providers to maintain operational excellence.
- Manage vendor coordination, RMAs, shipping and receiving, and inventory control.
- Serve as the local escalation point and incident lead for operational or technical challenges.
Benefits
- Annual bonus plan eligibility for this non-sales role, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
- May be eligible for a new-hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
- Eligible employees may have the opportunity to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Program in participating countries.
- Reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education, subject to company policy.
- Benefits may include flexible time off, local team meetups, and mental health and well-being support.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
