Senior Data Center IT Support Technician

Microsoft•Manassas, VA

9d•$34 - $64

About The Position

As a Senior Data Center IT Support Technician, you will prepare, install, diagnose, troubleshoot, replace, and decommission IT datacenter equipment. You will apply an advanced understanding of how cabling infrastructure, network, server, and storage equipment function and interact, suggest process improvements, and provide guidance to other technicians. You will work within Microsoft Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I), which provides infrastructure for services including Bing, Office 365, Xbox, OneDrive, and Microsoft Azure. Microsoft describes its global infrastructure as more than 200 data centers in 32 countries and millions of servers. The organization emphasizes employee development through training, career rotation programs, diversity and inclusion events, and professional certifications, and identifies environmental sustainability and optimization as priorities in data center design and operations. The role involves supporting operational and service delivery work, maintaining security and safety practices, mentoring technicians, coordinating work and handovers across shifts, and escalating technical, safety, compliance, or potential customer-impact issues. Travel to other metro areas may be required, typically up to 25%. The role may involve 12-hour shifts at non-standard hours, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Microsoft does not offer visa sponsorship for this position; candidates must meet the stated U.S. work authorization and citizenship verification requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
Basic knowledge of computer hardware and components.
At least 2 years of experience supporting IT equipment or related technology.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including passing the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.
Citizenship verification with a valid passport is required for this position due to citizenship-based legal restrictions.
Authorization to work in the United States without current or future employer visa sponsorship.
Ability to travel to other metros periodically, typically up to 25%.
Ability to work 12-hour shifts, including non-standard hours that may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Ability to meet the stated physical and visual requirements: occasional ladder climbing; frequent stair or ramp climbing; prolonged standing; occasional lifting up to 25 pounds without assistance and 25–50 pounds with lift assistance; occasional pushing or pulling 50–75 pounds with an assistive device; normal corrected near, far, and peripheral visual acuity; and normal color vision for electrical work.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in Computer Science or another field, and/or equivalent work experience.
At least 3 years of experience supporting IT equipment or related technology.
At least 2 years of experience working in a production, mission-critical 24x7x365 data center environment.
Applicable certifications, such as ASICS/Inventory Control, CompTIA A+, Server+, or Network+, Basic Structure Cabling (BSC), Data Center Foundation Certification (DCFC), Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), or vendor-specific network certifications.

Responsibilities

Prepare, install, diagnose, troubleshoot, replace, and decommission data center IT technologies and equipment, including cabling, network, server, and storage equipment.
Complete assigned tickets independently and efficiently in alignment with task-specific KPIs; assist and guide less experienced technicians and escalate complex issues as appropriate.
Temporarily coordinate and assign technicians’ tasks when needed to ensure work is appropriately allocated and KPIs are met.
Follow data center policies, procedures, deadlines, security requirements, and data management procedures; escalate compliance or operational assurance issues.
Review Process Change Notifications, share relevant changes with technicians, provide feedback, and help identify and mitigate effects on work execution.
Complete required security, data management, Environmental & Health Safety training, and Task Hazard Analyses; use appropriate equipment and PPE and promote safe work practices.
Escort third-party vendors or IT support at data center or network sites when needed, and report physical security concerns or incidents.
Share information and best practices across shifts, collaborate across disciplines, respond to questions about work status and scheduling, and support smooth work handovers.
Monitor personal performance against KPIs and seek guidance on client interactions when needed.
Complete assigned job-focus training and mentor and train other technicians through on-the-job training and direct guidance.
Develop understanding of cross-functional data center processes and support internal and external stakeholder partnerships.
Prepare, stage, set up, and perform basic hardware startups and shutdowns according to written instructions, checklists, and standard procedures.
Use advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting to identify technical issues and replace faulty network, storage, or server components while minimizing disruption.
Recognize and immediately escalate conditions that may create significant customer or business impact or imminent incident risk.
Perform quality-control assessments of other technicians’ work and verify grounding, staging, labeling, and cabling against safety, deployment, and Network Design Template standards; escalate errors for correction.
Immediately communicate and escalate data center technical or safety incidents, participate in bridge calls, and carry out directed on-site follow-up actions.
Perform decommissions, simple and complex changes, infrastructure refreshes, and cabling, network, storage, and server equipment work with minimal to no guidance and in accordance with standard procedures.
Verify compliance for data-bearing device destruction and ensure data-bearing devices are identified for eradication or destruction.
Travel to other locations as required and work assigned shifts, which may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Embody Microsoft’s culture and values.