Data Center Manager

DigitalOcean • Memphis, TN

2h • $135,000 - $164,000 • Onsite

About The Position

DigitalOcean’s Data Center Manager is a hands-on technical leader responsible for end-to-end operations of the company’s physical infrastructure at its MEM data center. The role leads a team of technicians and engineers and is accountable for reliability, performance, efficiency, and safety. It partners with facilities, capacity planning, infrastructure engineering, architects, cloud product owners, supply chain, asset management, data center providers, and vendors to bring infrastructure online and support customer and product growth. The position is based near Memphis, Tennessee, and the description states that it requires onsite work, although it also labels the role as remote.

The manager oversees compute, storage, networking, power delivery, airflow, cooling, and high-density compute infrastructure, including GPU systems and liquid cooling where applicable. The role also coordinates inventory and logistics, forecasts infrastructure demand, manages daily work through Jira and Kanban, supports global operational alignment, and serves as the local escalation point and incident lead. The position may involve 12-hour shifts, non-standard hours, weekends, holidays, on-call escalations, and travel of up to 10%.

Requirements

• 6–10 years of progressive experience in data center operations, including 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 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 building a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Global mindset and experience working with geographically distributed teams, including alignment 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 one’s feet during extended work sessions.
• Willingness to travel up to 10% domestically, including occasional 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 on-site operations of the MEM data center, overseeing technicians and engineers to ensure uptime, efficiency, and safety.
• Manage team staffing, scheduling, performance, mentoring, 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, supporting high-density compute workloads and liquid cooling systems where applicable.
• Partner with facilities and capacity planning teams to optimize rack density and energy efficiency.
• Work with vendors, OEMs, and suppliers to coordinate component delivery, manage RMAs, and resolve 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, surface 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.
• Coordinate with Capacity Management to forecast and fulfill infrastructure demand for customer growth and product launches.
• Manage day-to-day task flow using Jira and Kanban to support smooth operations and continuous delivery.
• Work with data center providers to maintain operational excellence.
• Coordinate external vendors, RMAs, shipping and receiving, and inventory control.
• Serve as the local escalation point and incident lead for operational or technical challenges.
• Be available for on-call escalations outside business hours.
• Travel domestically up to 10%, including between multiple locations during the workday and occasional overnight stays at other sites.

Benefits

• Annual bonus plan eligibility for non-sales roles, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• Potential eligibility for a new hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• Reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education, subject to company policy.
• Flexible time off.
• Local team meetups.
• Mental health and well-being support.
• Eligible employees may have the opportunity to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Program in participating countries.

What This Job Offers

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