Data Center Operations Engineer

Socket.dev; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Data Center Operations Engineer to manage live data center environments on a Chicago campus. You will oversee inspections, alarm responses, incident handling, and ensure safe onboarding of new capacity.

You will bring 5+ years of hands-on data center experience, deep MEP knowledge, and expertise in direct liquid cooling systems, BMS monitoring, and SOP/EOP/MOP execution. Flexibility for nights/weekends and on-call support is expected.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience operating, maintaining, commissioning, or constructing mission-critical data centers or similar 24/7 facilities.
• In-depth knowledge of MEP systems including switchgear, UPSs, generators, PDUs, chillers, CDUs, CRAC/CRAH and BMS/EPMS.
• Strong understanding of data center cooling and electrical principles, redundancy, containment, airflow management, and liquid cooling.
• Experience with direct liquid cooling systems, including CDUs, RDHx, valves, hoses, filters, and controls.
• Proficient with using BMS and monitoring tools to investigate alarms and trends.
• Experience writing, reviewing, and executing SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs.
• Ability to work with data center providers, contractors, OEMs and vendors.
• Strong problem-solving and clear communication; independent, proactive, and resilient.
• Willingness to work nights/weekends and participate in on-call rotation.
• Degree in engineering or equivalent critical facilities experience.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain live data center environments with regular inspections, alarms, incidents, and follow-up.
• Troubleshoot cooling, power, controls, and monitoring at cabinet, pod, and facility levels.
• Support and maintain CDUs, RDHx units, and direct liquid cooling infrastructure; perform filter, valve, hose checks, and leak response.
• Monitor operations through BMS/monitoring tools; investigate abnormal conditions and escalate with technical context.
• Review, execute, and improve SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs with internal teams and vendors.
• Plan and coordinate preventative and reactive maintenance; supervise critical work and ensure return to service.
• Serve as primary liaison with data center providers and coordinate on-site vendor work.
• Support construction and commissioning activities for new halls: walk sites, review drawings, witness tests.

Skills

Hands-on data center ops

MEP systems knowledge

Cooling & electrical principles

Direct liquid cooling experience

BMS/EPMS monitoring

SOP/EOP/MOP writing

Vendor/data-center provider liaison

Problem solving & communication

On-call rotation readiness

Education

Engineering degree (relevant)

Tools

BMS/EPMS

Job description

About the Position

We are looking for an experienced Data Center Operations Engineer to join a highly technical group responsible for operating and maintaining our rapidly scaling data center infrastructure.

This is a hands-on role supporting live, mission-critical facilities while additional data halls and buildings are constructed and commissioned on the same campus. This is a role based at our mission-critical data center campus in Chicago. You will support the live portions of the campus, helping us keep live infrastructure operating reliably while bringing new capacity safely into service.

Our team is collaborative in nature, spanning many internal departments and external vendors, contractors, consultants, and operations teams. Your work will cover all aspects of our complex data center environments, including working with advanced power and cooling systems.

Additional responsibilities of the role will include:

• Operating and maintaining live data center environments, including regular equipment inspections, alarm response, incident response, and follow-up
• Troubleshooting cooling, power, controls, and monitoring issues at the cabinet, pod, and facility levels
• Supporting and maintaining CDUs, RDHx units, and direct liquid cooling infrastructure, including hands-on tasks such as filter replacement, valve and hose checks, and leak response
• Monitoring operations through internal BMS and monitoring tools, investigating abnormal conditions, and escalating issues with clear technical context
• Reviewing, executing, and improving SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs in coordination with internal teams, data center providers, and specialist vendors
• Planning and coordinating preventative and reactive maintenance, supervising critical work, and confirming that equipment is returned to service correctly
• Acting as the primary day-to-day liaison with the data center provider and coordinating vendors performing work on site for our scope of work
• Supporting construction and commissioning activities for new data halls, including site walks, drawing and submittal review, script review, witnessing tests, and construction-to-operations turnover

About You

• Have 5+ years of hands-on experience operating, maintaining, commissioning, or constructing mission-critical data centers, trading floors, or similar 24/7 facilities
• Have in-depth knowledge of MEP systems such as switchgear, UPSs, generators, STSs, PDUs, RPPs, chillers, CDUs, CRAH/CRAC units, pumps, fire protection systems, and BMS/EPMS
• Have a strong understanding of data center cooling and electrical principles, including redundancy topologies, containment, airflow management, and liquid cooling
• Experienced with maintaining and troubleshooting direct liquid cooling systems, including CDUs, RDHx units, valves, hoses, filters, and associated controls
• Comfortable using BMS and monitoring tools to investigate alarms, identify trends, and diagnose equipment or system problems
• Experienced with writing, reviewing, and executing SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs
• Proven able to work effectively with data center providers, contractors, OEMs, and service vendors
• A strong problem-solver and communicator with the ability to describe detailed problems with brevity and accuracy
• A self-starter who works well independently, prioritizes effectively, and makes sound judgment calls under pressure
• Flexible to work nights and weekends in support of 24x7x365 operations and willing to participate in an on-call rotation for critical site emergencies
• Have a degree in a relevant engineering discipline (or equivalent critical facilities experience)
• Able to perform physical work, including lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Having some construction and commissioning experience is strongly preferred, including walking job sites, reviewing drawings and submittals, and witnessing tests