Director of Operations & Maintenance

Nscale • Point Pleasant, WV

4d • $160,000 - $210,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Nscale is seeking a Director of Operations & Maintenance to build and lead the O&M organization for the Monarch Compute Campus from pre-operational planning through full operation. As the senior operations leader on-site, you will be accountable for safe, reliable, and efficient operation of one of the largest AI factory and behind-the-meter generation complexes in the world. You will own the operational vision for Monarch: a fleet of 864+ Caterpillar reciprocating gas engines, switchgear and substation infrastructure, three hyperscale data center buildings, and supporting BOP and gas systems — all engineered as a state-certified AI microgrid. This role is on-site in Mason County, West Virginia. Reporting to senior Nscale leadership, you will build the local team, partner with EPC during commissioning, set the operating model, and over time scale the organization as additional phases come online.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in gas-fired power generation, large hyperscale data centers, or comparable complex industrial / critical infrastructure operations.
• Demonstrated experience commissioning and starting up greenfield generation or data center assets.
• Senior leadership experience managing 100+ person operations organisations.
• Strong safety leader with a personal commitment to zero harm.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• Willing and able to be based in or near Point Pleasant, WV.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience operating reciprocating engine fleets or large gas turbine power stations.
• Advanced degree.

Responsibilities

• Define the Monarch operating model: organisation design, staffing plan, roles, and competency requirements.
• Recruit, hire, and develop the operations, maintenance, engineering, EHS, and support functions — with a strong emphasis on hiring and developing local West Virginia talent.
• Establish training and qualification programs in partnership with Caterpillar, OEMs, and WV community and technical colleges.
• Lead the operations workstream of commissioning and start-up in close partnership with EPC and Nscale construction leadership.
• Develop operating procedures, maintenance procedures, emergency response plans, and the integrated management system.
• Drive systems handover, punch-list close-out, and final acceptance from construction to operations.
• Own day-to-day safe operation of the generation fleet, microgrid, and data center facilities.
• Establish leading and lagging performance indicators for safety, reliability, availability, heat rate, and cost.
• Champion a robust safety, environmental, and operational risk culture.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive reliability-centered maintenance strategy across the engine fleet, electrical systems, gas systems, and DC facilities.
• Manage major OEM service agreements with Caterpillar, Powell, Babcock & Wilcox, and others.
• Own the CMMS, spare parts strategy, and asset lifecycle planning.
• Ensure compliance with all environmental permits, microgrid certifications, and regulatory obligations.
• Report operational performance to Nscale executive leadership, customers (including Microsoft), and external stakeholders.
• Partner with the Government Relations team to maintain strong relationships with the local community and regulators.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary with annual reviews
• Performance bonus and long-term incentive eligibility
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Generous PTO plus US federal holidays
• A career-defining opportunity to be an early member of one of the fastest growing AI infrastructure companies in the world
• A human-first approach: We treat you as humans first. Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy needed to get the job done.
• The chance to push boundaries on cutting-edge AI infrastructure — these data centers aren't just storage for your spam emails, they're changing the industry, and the world, as we've known it.

What This Job Offers

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