Data Center Operations Technician

Frontdoor Defense; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

SambaNova Systems in Santa Clara is seeking an entry-level Data Center Operations Technician to join our fast-paced data center team. You will apply hands-on hardware skills to install, maintain, and troubleshoot servers and networking equipment.

This contract role offers varied shifts, on-site work, and opportunities to contribute to capacity expansion and process improvements while supporting our core compute resources.

Qualifications

• 0–1+ years in data center or similar environment.
• High School Diploma; Associates degree preferred.
• On-site Santa Clara, CA; ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Unpack servers and rack and stack equipment.
• Install and replace system components.
• Read elevation plans and implement exact installations.
• Maintain neat racks and cables.
• Install and maintain networking technologies.
• Troubleshoot with subject matter experts.
• Package servers for shipment and manage packing materials.
• Coordinate shipping/receiving of assembled servers.
• Close tickets to meet tight SLAs and respond promptly.
• Assist with data center projects and retrofits.
• Document data center knowledge base.
• Support process improvements in operations.
• Participate in on-call rotation in Santa Clara or other sites.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Fast-paced environment

Independent & team work

Education

High School Diploma

Associates Degree preferred

Tools

Networking equipment

Linux OS troubleshooting

Job description

Data Center Operations Technician

Install, maintain, and troubleshoot servers and networking equipment at Santa Clara data centers

Location: Santa Clara, California

Compensation: $50,000 - 60,000 USD / year

About The Role

Data Center Operations Technician

SambaNova is a leader in next-generation AI infrastructure, delivering a full-stack inference platform for customers worldwide. At the core of SambaNova's technology is the RDU (Reconfigurable Dataflow Unit) - a chip built on a dataflow architecture rather than the traditional GPU model. Its decode performance is especially strong for agentic workloads like multi-turn agents, code generation, and long-running applications. RDUs are packaged into SambaRack, rack-scale hardware that lets customers deploy state-of-the-art models with better performance, greater energy efficiency, and faster time to value.

The third era of AI has arrived, powered by Generative AI. Generative AI is achieving step-function increases in scale, versatility, and accuracy compared to legacy AI technologies, presenting an opportunity for organizations to fundamentally transform their business and operations.

SambaNova is enabling organizations and enterprises to achieve the transformative promise of these new AI technologies with a fully integrated hardware-software system that delivers innovation across the full AI stack, including the most accurate generative AI models, optimized for enterprise and government. This creates the AI backbone for the next 10 years and beyond.

SambaNova Systems is seeking an entry-level Data Center Operations Technician to apply their technical skills in a fast-paced and complex environment. In this role, you should come with some knowledge of computer hardware and the desire to participate in projects at a large-scale data center.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI and the value it can unlock across every aspect of an organization's business and operations. This job opens pathways for high growth but requires a learning mindset. You will be here to support the core of our physical computational and cloud resources.

Primary Responsibilities

• Unpack servers and parts, rack and stack equipment
• Install and/or replace system components
• Read elevation plans and implement assembly and installations accordingly and exactly
• Pay attention to neatness and organization in all aspects of the job (racks, cables, etc.)
• Install and maintain various networking technologies and fabrics
• Troubleshoot and work with subject matter experts to resolve problems
• Package servers for shipment, daily housekeeping of packaging materials
• Coordinate with logistics team for shipping and receiving assembled servers
• Complete assigned tickets to uphold tight SLA's and respond to requests in a timely manner
• Assist with projects (new capacity as well as retrofits) and repairs throughout the data center
• Demonstrate personal leadership, identifying and helping to create documentation for the data center knowledge base
• Assist with process improvements and best practices in data center operations and expansions
• Participate in on-call rotation as needed in Santa Clara, CA or additional off-site locations
• Other data center operations technician role assignments as required

Secondary Responsibilities

• Maintain inventory of parts and systems
• Work within SambaNova's system to build and maintain data center capacity
• Perform system testing using provided routines and instructions

Qualifications and Skills

• 0-1+ years experience
• High School Diploma; Associates Degree preferred
• Able to perform all essential job functions, including walking, standing, bending, stooping, climbing, lifting and manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation
• Able to lift equipment and items up to 50 pounds
• Able to operate lifting equipment for heavier items following training on the equipment
• Able to work days/nights/weekends/holidays, if needed and/or required
• This role will be required to be on-site at our data center locations in and around Santa Clara, CA. This role may require travel to additional data center site expansions.
• Strong communication and organizational skills as well as a high attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment where adaptability and flexibility will be key to your success.
• Ability to work independently and also within groups

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Have working knowledge and experience in areas like Networking, Programming/Scripting, Hardware and OS repair.
• Ability to understand and perform initial analysis to debug hardware, and Linux OS related issues

Job Type: Contract

Duration: 6 months

Schedule: Multiple shifts available, with occasional nights and/or weekends as needed for high priority data center maintenance work

For Example: flex hours. Potential hours could be:

Shift 1: 9am - 5:30pm

Shift 2: 2:30 - 11pm

Part time: 5pm-10pm. Weekend: 9-5:30pm

Work setting: In-person, in-office (Santa Clara, CA)

Base Salary Range: Base Pay Range $50,000 - $60,000 USD

EEO Policy SambaNova Systems is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.