Data Center Manager - Richmond

DigitalOcean • Richmond, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

DigitalOcean is hiring a hands-on technical leader to own end-to-end operations of its physical infrastructure near Richmond, Virginia. The Data Center Manager will oversee the on-site data center team and operations, supporting reliability, performance, safety, and scale. The role works with facilities, capacity planning, infrastructure engineering, data center architects, cloud product owners, supply chain, asset management, vendors, and globally distributed data center teams to bring infrastructure solutions online and support customer and product growth.

The position is onsite and may involve 12-hour shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays. The manager may be on call for escalations outside business hours, travel domestically up to 10%, lift up to 50 pounds, and remain on their feet during extended work sessions.

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, with the ability to coach others.
• 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 with work-tracking tools such as Jira and Kanban or similar agile workflows to visualize work, identify bottlenecks, and optimize flow.
• Systems-oriented approach to team health and to improving throughput, predictability, and accountability.
• Strong leadership skills, including driving performance, setting goals, and fostering ownership and continuous improvement.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Global mindset and experience with geographically distributed teams; ability to align across time zones and infrastructure standards.
• Availability for on-call escalations outside business hours.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and remain on your feet during extended work sessions.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 10%, including travel between multiple locations during the workday and occasional overnight stays at other sites.
• May be required to 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 data center operations and oversee technicians and engineers to ensure uptime, efficiency, and safety.
• Lead and mentor team members, including staffing, scheduling, performance management, and career development.
• Oversee deployment, maintenance, and optimization of compute, storage, and networking infrastructure, including GPU-based systems.
• Manage the physical infrastructure environment, including power delivery, airflow, and cooling, to support high-density compute and applicable liquid-cooling systems.
• Work with facilities and capacity planning teams to optimize rack density and energy efficiency.
• Partner with vendors, OEMs, and suppliers to coordinate component delivery, manage RMAs, and resolve hardware escalations.
• Work with facilities and infrastructure engineering teams on mechanical and electrical designs and floor planning, and ensure facility capabilities align 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 best practices, raise risk awareness, align infrastructure plans, and promote cross-site 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 daily task flow through Jira using Kanban methodology.
• Work with data center providers to maintain operational excellence.
• Manage vendor collaboration, RMAs, shipping and receiving, and inventory control.
• Serve as the local escalation point and incident lead for operational or technical challenges.

Benefits

• Eligible for 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 participation 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.

What This Job Offers

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