Data Center Operations Specialist Principal

General Dynamics Information Technology • Newington, VA

7d • $136,000 - $184,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Data Center Operations Technician is responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, troubleshooting, and decommissioning of data center infrastructure, including bare-metal servers, storage systems, and network switches. This role ensures the reliability, availability, and operational readiness of critical infrastructure while providing technical expertise, proactive problem-solving, and clear communication to internal stakeholders. The ideal candidate combines strong hands-on technical skills with the ability to identify risks, remove roadblocks, recommend solutions, and act as a trusted advisor for infrastructure-related initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
• 5+ years of related experience
• Experience installing, configuring, and decommissioning bare-metal servers, storage systems, and network devices.
• Strong understanding of data center cabling standards and rack layout best practices.
• Familiarity with TCP/IP networking, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing fundaments, and switch connectivity.
• TS/SCI security clearance
• US citizenship required
• Security+ certification required
• Ability to lift and move equipment up to 50lbs
• Ability to work in raised floor data center environments
• Ability to install equipment in racks and perform cable management
• Ability to stand, bend, climb ladders, and work in confined spaces for extended periods

Nice To Haves

• CDCMP, CCNA, and ITIL certifications preferred

Responsibilities

• Rack, stack, cable, and deploy servers, storage arrays, network switches, and supporting infrastructure.
• Install and configure bare-metal systems according to documented hardware and networking requirements and documenting anything new in the environment.
• Perform hardware validation, burn-in testing, and deployment verification.
• Configure network connectivity, VLAN assignments, IP addressing, and port mappings as directed by engineering standards.
• Maintain accurate asset inventory and rack elevation documentation.
• Execute hardware refreshes, upgrades, migrations, and decommissioning activities.
• Ensure proper sanitization, removal, disposal, or return of retired equipment according to cyber, organization, and company policy.
• Track asset movement and maintain accurate inventory records throughout the hardware lifecycle.
• Coordinate equipment receiving, staging, deployment, and retirement processes.
• Diagnose and resolve server, storage, networking, and cable issues.
• Perform root cause analysis for hardware failures and operational incidents.
• Replace failed components including drives, memory, CPUs, power supplies, NICs, and other field-replaceable units.
• Escalate complex issues appropriately while maintaining ownership through resolution.
• Participate in incident response and maintenance activities to minimize service disruption.
• Follow and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs), installation guides, and operation runbooks.
• Ensure all work is performed according to quality, safety, and change management processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve deployment efficiency, operational reliability, and documentation accuracy.
• Support capacity planning, hardware audits, and infrastructure optimization initiatives.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for data center hardware deployment and operational best practices.
• Provide recommendations regarding infrastructure design, deployment methodologies, hardware standards, and operational processes.
• Advise leadership and engineering teams on potential risks, dependencies, and infrastructure readiness.
• Communicate project status, risks, roadblocks, and mitigation plan clearly and professionally.
• Collaborate with engineering, network, systems, facilities, and project management teams.
• Provide timely updates during deployment, incidents, and maintenance activities.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages
• 401K with company match
• Competitive pay
• Paid time off
• Full flex work weeks where possible
• Variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave
• Short and long-term disability benefits
• Life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal