Data Center Fiber Lead

GCS Recruitment; Ohio; On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Parental leave

Holidays

Medical/dental/vision/life/disability

401(k) with company match

Stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement

Legal insurance

Job summary

GCS Recruitment seeks a Data Center Lead to oversee a large-scale fiber build-out inside a hyperscale data center campus. You will manage a field crew on-site, coordinating with the client and facility staff to drive daily operations from kickoff to closeout.

The role requires strong leadership, fiber splicing expertise, and a focus on safety, quality, and schedule. Overnight travel and on-site presence are expected.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a field crew on fiber builds.
• Ability to troubleshoot field issues (link failures, macrobends, bad connectors).
• Comfortable with data-center safety and PPE protocols.
• Strong communication with clients and on-site teams.

Responsibilities

• Own daily on-site execution for a fiber splicing and testing crew from kickoff to closeout.
• Set site operational standards, monitor protocol adherence, and track schedule/budget.
• Lead on-site crew: assign work, check quality, and maintain momentum.
• Oversee optical testing (OTDR, OLTS, VFL) and verify results meet standards.
• Flag risks early and bring practical solutions to leadership.
• Serve as liaison between crew, client, facility staff and other trades.
• Maintain daily reports: progress logs, splicing matrices, crew schedules.
• Collaborate with ops, engineering, installation, and procurement to unblock work.

Skills

Field leadership

Fiber splicing

Safety compliance

Communication

Problem solving

Excel / Office tools

Tools

EXFO FastReporter

Viavi

Job description

About the Opportunity

We're partnering with a growing fiber optic infrastructure contractor to find an experienced Data Center Lead to oversee a large-scale fiber build-out inside a mission-critical hyperscale data center campus. This is a high-visibility opportunity to run a field crew in one of the most active data center build markets in the country, with real ownership over how the site runs day to day.

What Youll Do

• Own daily on-site execution for a fiber splicing and testing crew, from project kickoff through closeout
• Set the operational standard for the site - build guidelines, monitor adherence to protocol, and keep the project tracking to schedule and budget
• Lead the on-site technical crew: assign work, check quality, and keep the team moving efficiently
• Oversee optical testing (OTDR, OLTS, VFL) and confirm results meet the client's strict loss-budget standards
• Flag site risks early - safety hazards, facility restrictions, clean-room protocols - and bring solutions, not just problems, to leadership
• Serve as the go-between for the crew, the data center client, facility staff, and other trades on-site
• Keep daily reporting current: progress logs, splicing matrices, and crew scheduling against the baseline project plan
• Work cross-functionally with ops, engineering, installation, and procurement to keep the project unblocked

What You Bring

• Strong communication and customer-facing skills - comfortable being the face of the project on-site
• Proven ability to organize, prioritize, and hit deadlines under pressure experience leading a field crew
• A sharp eye for troubleshooting recurring field issues (link failures, macrobends, bad connectors)
• Comfortable with Excel, Word, and standard office tools, plus fiber test software (EXFO FastReporter, Viavi, or similar)
• Familiarity with hyperscale network design (spine-and-leaf), high-count ribbon splicing, and data center hot/cold aisle protocols - or the ability to pick it up fast

Good to Know

• Some overnight travel required
• Must be comfortable in an active, secured data center environment (PPE, noise protocols, etc.)
• Physically demanding: extended standing/walking, navigating server racks and raised floors

Compensation & Benefits

$40-$50/hour depending on experience, plus weekly pay, PTO/parental leave/holidays, full medical/dental/vision/life/disability coverage, 401(k) with company match, stock purchase plan, tuition reimbursement, legal insurance, and more.

Equal Opportunity

We're an equal-opportunity employer committed to a workplace where everyone can thrive, grow, and feel connected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.