Data Center Lead

i3D.net; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Vacation days

Travel allowance

Pension

Local benefits

Job summary

i3D.net in Rotterdam seeks a Data Center Lead to drive hands-on hardware operations across our global datacenter. You will lead installations, troubleshoot complex issues, and upgrade infrastructure while mentoring a team and shaping internal standards.

Ideally you bring hands-on datacenter experience with RAID, BMC ports, imaging, Linux, and networking basics; strong leadership and structured processes are essential. This role is hybrid with strong on-site presence in Rotterdam.

Qualifications

• Problem solving focus in hardware and systems
• Leadership mindset and team guidance
• Strong documentation and organizational skills
• Fluent in English; Dutch is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead installations, troubleshooting, and maintenance of datacenter hardware and networking gear.
• Mentor and guide team members; set standards and career paths.
• Coordinate with internal teams and vendors for deployments and site setups.
• Ensure operational quality: cable management, rack organization, and high standards.
• Support server deployment methods (PXE, imaging) and RAID configurations.

Job description

At i3D.net, we provide world-class global coverage with one of the most interconnected networks in the world. Our solutions focus on low latency, zero packet loss, and unmatched scalability, enabling seamless experiences for millions of users worldwide. With dedicated support, bespoke solutions, and cutting-edge technology, we deliver reliable, cost-efficient infrastructure that empowers game developers and businesses to scale effortlessly. Partnering with major names like Nvidia, DuckDuckGo, and Ubisoft, we are shaping the future of gaming and network technology.

As a Data Center Lead in the Hardware and Bare Metal team at i3D.net, you’ll be the hands‑on expert and technical lead ensuring the smooth operation of our global datacenter hardware. From our Rotterdam datacenter, you’ll lead installations, troubleshoot complex issues, and maintain and upgrade infrastructure through move-add-change-delete activities. Your work directly impacts the performance and reliability of the infrastructure powering some of the world’s largest gaming companies.

You’ll combine strong technical ownership with practical (people) leadership: guiding others, mentoring, improving operational standards, and staying close to the technology behind servers, networks, and infrastructure. In this role you will be responsible for 1 on 1’s, KPI’s setting and career paths. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys taking responsibility, creating structure, and turning hands‑on expertise into real‑world impact.

What you’ll be doing

• Hardware Setup & Maintenance: Lead, install, configure, and troubleshoot datacenter hardware, including servers and network gear.
• Team Guidance: Support and manage team members in their day‑to‑day work and technical development.
• Leadership: Cross functioning collaboration with peers and other leaders, mentoring, career pathing and building routines in for instance 1 on 1’s
• Operational Quality: Oversee tasks like swapping servers, managing cables, keeping racks organized, and ensuring work is completed to a high standard.
• Server Deployment: Set up and support RAID configurations, work with BMC ports, and image servers using tools such as PXE boot, USB installation, or other system deployment methods.
• Datacenter Standards: Follow and validate rack designs, support cooling systems, airflow management, and power distribution within a datacenter environment.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and suggest smarter ways to work, making operations faster, safer, and more efficient.
• Technical Support: Support the team in solving more complex hardware, deployment, and infrastructure issues.
• Collaboration & Coordination: Coordinate with internal teams and vendors to handle deployments, maintenance, and new site setups.
• Escalations: Act as a point of contact for operational questions, escalations, and technical guidance within the datacenter environment.
• Documentation: Keep documentation and the knowledge base up to date, and help improve standards, procedures, and ways of working.

At i3D.net, your team will work with:

• Hardware: Servers, racks, network gear, BMC ports, RAID configurations, cabling, power distribution, and airflow management.
• Deployment: PXE boot, USB installation, server imaging, system deployment methods, and move-add-change-delete activities.
• Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, connectors, cable management, SFP modules, and datacenter connectivity basics.
• Infrastructure: Linux, virtualization, Docker, NAS setups, game server hosting, and related infrastructure tooling.
• Operations: Documentation, knowledge base management, operational standards, troubleshooting, and on-call processes.

What success looks like in the first year

• You confidently lead installations, troubleshooting, and maintenance of servers, networking equipment, and supporting infrastructure.
• You’ve supported team members by sharing knowledge, setting standards, and helping them grow technically as well as a person.
• Your guidance helps the team work more effectively, and your ideas improve quality, speed, and reliability.
• You understand how our datacenter operations work, how servers interact with networking and virtualization layers, and how everything fits together to deliver high availability.
• You help create structure, improve documentation, and make sure recurring issues are addressed at the root cause.

About you

• Problem Solver: You enjoy troubleshooting hardware, analyzing issues, and figuring out why systems behave the way they do.
• Technical Know-How: You have solid experience with RAID setups, BMC ports, imaging servers, datacenter hardware, or similar infrastructure environments.
• Networking Skills: You understand networking basics such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, connectors, cable management, and configuring SFP modules.
• Hands‑on Experience: You have practical experience working with servers, racks, cabling, hardware deployments, or infrastructure operations in a datacenter or similar technical environment.
• Curious by Nature: You may have experimented with things like Linux, virtualization, Docker, NAS setups, or game server hosting and enjoy learning how infrastructure works behind the scenes.
• Leadership Mindset: You enjoy helping others, sharing knowledge, taking ownership, and creating structure in a technical operations environment.
• Physical Capability: You’re comfortable lifting 45kg and live within 50km of our Rotterdam Datacenter for on‑call shifts.
• Organized: You like to keep clean, detailed documentation and structure your workflow accordingly.
• Communication: You are fluent in English and able to communicate clearly with engineers, vendors, stakeholders, and non‑technical teams. Dutch is a plus.
• Work Location: This is a hybrid role with a strong on‑site presence, full‑time position in Rotterdam. You are located whitin a 1‑hour commute from our Rotterdam datacenter location. You’ll be part of a rotating on‑call schedule with additional compensation; on‑call duties may occur outside business hours and can often be handled remotely.

Why Join i3D.net?

• Global Gaming Customers: Join a company with over 20 years of success, working with gaming leaders like Ubisoft and Discord.
• Hands‑on Impact: Work directly on infrastructure that supports high‑performance gaming and digital experiences worldwide.
• Technical Depth: Stay close to servers, networking, deployment, troubleshooting, automation, and datacenter operations.
• Leadership Impact: Guide junior technicians, improve operational standards, and help shape how the team works.
• Skill Development: Advance your career with clear growth paths, hands‑on learning, meaningful projects, and education reimbursement.
• Competitive Perks: Enjoy great pay, an annual bonus, vacation days, travel allowance, pension, and other local benefits.
• Gaming Perks: Get lifetime access to Ubisoft’s game library and two free games every year.