Data Center Manager - Memphis

DigitalOcean • Memphis, TN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

DigitalOcean is seeking a hands-on technical leader to own end-to-end operations of its MEM data center near Memphis, Tennessee. The role leads a team of technicians and engineers and ensures the reliability, performance, efficiency, and safety of physical infrastructure. It supports regional data center initiatives and partners with architects, infrastructure product teams, facilities, capacity planning, supply chain, asset management, and external providers to bring infrastructure online and meet customer and platform needs.

The manager oversees deployment, maintenance, and optimization of compute, storage, networking, GPU systems, and physical infrastructure such as power delivery, airflow, and cooling. The role also coordinates inventory and logistics, forecasts infrastructure demand, manages day-to-day work through Jira and Kanban, and serves as the local escalation point and incident lead. The position is onsite and may involve 12-hour shifts, including non-standard hours, weekends, and holidays; on-call escalation coverage; 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, and airflow/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 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 creating a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills and an ability to work cross-functionally.
• Global mindset and experience working with geographically distributed teams; comfortable aligning 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, typically up to 10% domestically between locations during the workday, and occasionally to other domestic sites for overnight stays.
• Ability 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 onsite operations of the MEM data center, overseeing technicians and engineers to ensure uptime, efficiency, and safety.
• Lead and mentor the team, 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 such as power delivery, airflow, and cooling, including 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, cloud product owners, and other internal teams to align infrastructure buildouts with customer and platform requirements.
• Collaborate with regional data center managers and infrastructure leads globally to share best practices, raise awareness of risks, align infrastructure plans, and promote cross-site consistency and innovation.
• Work with Supply Chain and Asset Management to maintain inventory accuracy, streamline inbound and outbound logistics, and ensure component readiness.
• Align with Capacity Management to forecast and fulfill infrastructure demand in support of customer growth and product launches.
• Manage day-to-day work through Jira using Kanban methodology.
• 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

• 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 participate in DigitalOcean’s annual bonus plan.
• Eligible employees may receive a new-hire equity grant.
• In participating countries, eligible employees may be able to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Program.

What This Job Offers

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