Data Center Technician L1

NTT Global Data Centers • Ashburn, VA

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Data Center Technician provides working-level data center knowledge and is responsible for the operational integrity and regulatory compliance of data center electrical, mechanical, and fire life safety systems. The role follows processes designed to maximize customer uptime cost-effectively, promptly identifies and repairs problems, ensures contractors deliver quality services, and meets internal customer demands.

The technician operates, monitors, maintains, and responds to abnormal conditions in facility systems, including mechanical, electrical, fire life safety, and building monitoring and control systems. The role supports preventive and predictive maintenance, system expansions and upgrades, operational efficiency, cost reduction, and avoidance of unplanned customer-impacting events. Regular, predictable attendance is essential. The position is on-site, with after-hours escalation responsibilities and a shift that may include nights, holidays, and some weekends.

The role requires a high school diploma and, for the L1 requirements, an associate degree or equivalent education and/or work experience plus at least two years in a mechanical/electrical position within critical facilities. CPR/First Aid and NFPA 70E certification are required during employment, as is an OSHA-approved forklift certification or the ability to obtain one after hire. The work involves walking, standing, bending, computer use, handling equipment up to 50 pounds, and climbing ladders or working on raised platforms. The data center environment may have varying temperatures and loud noises.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED; the L1 section specifically requires a high school diploma.
• Associate degree or equivalent education and/or work experience, plus a minimum of two years in a mechanical/electrical position within critical facilities; preferred facility settings include a data center, hospital, semiconductor facility, or power plant.
• CPR/First Aid and NFPA 70E certification during employment.
• OSHA-approved forklift certification or ability to obtain one after hire.
• Understanding of data center mechanical, electrical, and fire life safety systems, including electrical distribution, transformers, PLCs, generators, switchgear, UPS systems, STS, ATS, PDUs, chilled water systems, CRAC/CRAH units, and pre-action sprinkler systems.
• Knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70E, NFPA 72, NFPA 25, applicable compliance issues, and building codes relating to fire life safety.
• Current knowledge of industrial safety practices, including lockout/tagout, arc-flash protection, OSHA requirements, and state regulations.
• Familiarity with data trending, tracking, and analysis, and ability to use PC-based integrated critical monitoring systems.
• Ability to perform hands-and-eyes requests, such as tape rotation, equipment rack-and-stack, hardware inventory, device power cycles, and patch cable installation or removal.
• Hands-on experience installing, maintaining, and/or troubleshooting large commercial and industrial systems, including chilled water systems, centrifugal chillers, cooling towers, heat exchangers, water treatment systems, VFDs and pumps, HVAC equipment, CRAC/CRAH units, humidification systems, water heaters, water/air filters, BMS and PLC controls, emergency standby diesel generators, fuel/oil systems, 480/277 and 208/120 electrical generation and distribution, static UPS systems, and double-interlock pre-action systems.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with customers and internal staff and work effectively in a team.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Ability to coordinate, supervise, and communicate with contractors performing maintenance or upgrades.
• Ability to learn quickly and address issues during normal or after-hours work.
• Ability to work in a rigorous, process-driven team environment, logically analyze and solve problems, and effectively multitask across projects.
• Ability to operate hand and machine tools, electrical tools such as a multimeter or infrared camera, and a forklift.
• Comfort working in a high-stress, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities.
• Ability to work a shift that may require nights, holidays, and some weekends.
• Critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate using verbal, visual, and listening skills; perform close visual work on a computer terminal; and use hands and fingers to operate equipment, computers, and technical instruments.
• Ability to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 pounds and climb ladders or work on raised platforms.
• Must work on-site; telecommuting is not permitted.
• Must be willing to participate in after-hours notification and escalation.
• Must wear leather, closed-toe shoes with a solid rubber sole.

Nice To Haves

• Critical facilities experience in a data center, hospital, semiconductor facility, or power plant is identified as preferable.

Responsibilities

• Develop creative approaches to minimize operating costs, improve efficiency, and implement new strategies.
• Operate, monitor, maintain, and respond to abnormal conditions in mechanical, electrical, fire life safety, and building monitoring and control systems.
• Test electromechanical assemblies and electronic voltmeters.
• Read blueprints, schematics, diagrams, and technical orders to determine process methods and sequences.
• Inspect parts for surface defects; install electrical or electronic parts and hardware; and align, fit, or assemble component parts using hand or power tools.
• Analyze systems and operating conditions to support best practices, maximize operational efficiency, recommend technologies, and reduce costs.
• Provide feedback to DCO Engineering on the effectiveness of standards and processes.
• Work with contractors and consultants to review quality assurance for system expansions, corrections, and upgrades.
• Work with the CF Ops Lead Technician to track and complete preventive and predictive maintenance and determine maintenance requirements for mechanical, electrical, and fire life safety systems.
• Manage systems to avoid unplanned customer-impacting events and help ensure customer uptime.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Participate in the after-hours notification and escalation protocol.

Benefits

• Annual bonus for regular full-time employees, with payout dependent on individual and company performance.
• Paid time off.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Life and supplemental insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability.
• Flexible spending account.
• 401(k) retirement plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree