Data Center Manager

DigitalOcean • Atlanta, GA

2h • $135,000 - $164,000

About The Position

DigitalOcean is hiring a hands-on technical leader to own end-to-end operations of its physical infrastructure and ensure customer-facing reliability, performance, and scale. The manager will oversee the ATL data centers near Lithia Springs, Georgia, and lead a distributed team of technicians and engineers. The role works closely with facilities, infrastructure engineering, data center architects, cloud product owners, supply chain, asset management, capacity management, vendors, and data center providers to support infrastructure operations and growth. The posting says the position requires onsite work, though it also describes the role as remote.

The manager oversees deployment, maintenance, and optimization of compute, storage, networking, and GPU infrastructure, as well as the physical environment—including power delivery, airflow, cooling, and applicable liquid-cooling systems. The role includes staffing and performance management, inventory and logistics coordination, capacity forecasting, incident escalation, vendor and RMA management, and using Jira and Kanban to manage work. The manager also collaborates with data center leaders across global locations to share best practices, raise risks, and align on scalable infrastructure plans.

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 compute, storage, networking, airflow, and cooling, and 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 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.
• Ability to travel up to 10%, typically domestically between multiple locations during the workday and occasionally to other sites for overnight stays.
• May work 12-hour shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with GPU deployments.
• Familiarity with liquid-cooling infrastructure or high-density rack solutions.

Responsibilities

• Manage onsite operations of the ATL data centers, overseeing technicians and engineers to ensure uptime, efficiency, and safety.
• Lead and mentor a distributed team across ATL locations, including staffing, scheduling, performance management, and career development.
• Oversee deployment, maintenance, and optimization of compute, storage, and networking infrastructure, including GPU-based systems.
• Manage physical infrastructure, including power delivery, airflow, and cooling, to support high-density compute workloads and applicable liquid-cooling systems.
• Work with facilities and capacity-planning teams to optimize rack density and energy efficiency, and coordinate with vendors, OEMs, and suppliers on 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.
• Collaborate with regional data center managers and infrastructure leads globally to share operational practices, raise awareness of risks, align infrastructure plans, and drive consistency and innovation.
• Work with Supply Chain and Asset Management to maintain inventory accuracy, streamline logistics, and ensure component readiness.
• Align with Capacity Management to forecast and fulfill infrastructure demand for customer growth and product launches.
• Manage day-to-day task flow in Jira using Kanban methodology.
• Work with data center providers to maintain operational excellence.
• Manage external vendors, RMAs, shipping and receiving, and inventory control.
• Serve as the local escalation point and incident lead for operational or technical challenges.

Benefits

• Eligible to participate in DigitalOcean’s annual bonus plan; bonus amounts depend on company and individual performance.
• May be eligible for a new-hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• Eligible employees may receive equity compensation, which may include a new-hire equity grant and, in participating countries, the opportunity to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Program.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed