Chief Engineer

Aligned Data Centers, LLC; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Aligned Data Centers, LLC is seeking a senior facilities operations leader to oversee critical infrastructure across data centers in the Northern Kentucky region. You will supervise electrical, mechanical, and control systems, drive safety and compliance programs, and mentor cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities include reviewing change requests, coordinating maintenance, and guiding RCA investigations. A strong background in on-site operations, risk management, and technical training

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred (Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline).
• Equivalent industry experience (10+ years in data center operations) may substitute for formal education.
• 5+ years in data center operations or critical facilities management, including multi-site responsibility.
• Experience developing and executing onboarding or technical programs within infrastructure environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level technical oversight for critical facility systems including electrical distribution, UPS, generators, HVAC, chilled water, fire/life safety, and BMS platforms.
• Review and validate Change Requests prior to Facility Manager approval to ensure procedural accuracy, risk mitigation and safety compliance.
• Ensure all work on site adheres to approved SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, and change management procedures.
• Conduct quality reviews of completed procedures and ensure proper documentation storage and record retention.
• Lead RCA investigations and coordinate maintenance activities, vendor work and ongoing projects.
• Maintain operational continuity between shifts by coordinating maintenance, vendor work and projects.
• Coordinate site drills and training per annual plans; foster ownership and continuous improvement cultures.

Skills

Data center operations

Leadership

Risk management

Technical training delivery

Onboarding program development

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations

10+ years data center operations experience (equivalent)

Tools

BMS platforms

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide senior-level technical oversight for all critical facility systems including electrical distribution, UPS, generators, HVAC, chilled water systems, fire/life safety systems, and BMS platforms.
• Review and validate Change Requests (CRs) prior to Facility Manager approval to ensure procedural accuracy, risk mitigation completeness, and safety compliance.
• Ensure all work performed on site adheres strictly to approved SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, and change management procedures.
• Conduct quality reviews of completed procedures and ensure proper documentation storage and record retention.
• Participate in and lead technical portions of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations following incidents.
• Maintain operational continuity between shifts by coordinating maintenance activities, vendor work, and ongoing projects.

Safety, Compliance, & Emergency Response

• Ensure site adherence to all safety standards, regulatory requirements, and company operational policies.
• Conduct risk assessments related to maintenance activities and project execution.
• Stop unsafe work and elevate safety concerns as necessary.
• Respond to emergency events including power failures, fire alarms, equipment failures, and customer-impacting incidents.
• Coordinate with LCFTs to ensure OCC coverage and proper escalation during critical events.
• Support preparation and execution of AMMO audits and post-audit corrective actions.

Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as senior technical mentor to LCFTs, CFTs, and CFMTs.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and training of Operations personnel.
• Develop and coordinate technical training programs including CMMS usage, controls systems, safety procedures, and operational best practices.
• Facilitate site drills in accordance with annual training plans and operational readiness requirements.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Promote innovation and process refinement across site operations.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support the Facility Manager in customer interactions related to operational performance, audits, and technical reviews.
• Serve as Operations point of contact for on-site projects, coordinating scope reviews, access control, scheduling, and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Project Managers and vendors to ensure operational protection during project execution.
• Communicate technical updates and operational risks to the Director in a timely and professional manner.

Budget & Resource Support

• Assist the Facility Manager in identifying operational efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities.
• Support review of vendor proposals, scopes of work, and maintenance planning activities.
• Ensure efficient utilization of site resources to maintain operational excellence while controlling costs.

Project Management & Process Improvement

• Coordinate site-level operational aspects of infrastructure projects, upgrades, and commissioning activities.
• Support turnover readiness for new equipment and expansions.
• Develop tracking mechanisms to ensure proper completion of CMMS items (WO, PM, INC, REP, CR, etc.).
• Continuously evaluate operational processes to improve efficiency, documentation quality, and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Operations SMEs to ensure site adherence to company Runbook standards and implementation of operational bulletins.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree preferred (Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline).
• Equivalent industry experience (10+ years in data center operations) may substitute for formal education.

Experience:

• 5+ years in data center operations or critical facilities management, including multi-site responsibility.
• Demonstrated success in operational leadership, risk management, and technical training delivery.
• Experience developing and executing onboarding or technical programs within infrastructure environments.

Technical Expertise:

• Strong proficiency in critical infrastructure systems: electrical (UPS, ATS, generators), mechanical (chillers, TES), and control systems (BMS).
• Knowledge of SOPs, EOPs, compliance auditing, and safety/regulatory standards.
• Familiarity with operational policies, commissioning, and operational readiness procedures.

Leadership & Communication Skills:

• Exceptional coaching, mentoring, and interpersonal communication capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead without formal authority and drive change across distributed teams.
• Analytical and solutions-oriented, with strong situational awareness in live operational environments.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

When you join Aligned, you’re joining a passionate and positive team where every voice matters. We are committed to fostering a diverse, gender-equal, and inclusive workforce, extending to our military veterans to whom we owe so much.