Datacenter Operations Manager

Cadence; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Cadence is seeking an experienced Datacenter Operations Manager to lead 24x7 enterprise and colocation data center environments. You will ensure high availability of compute, storage, and networking infrastructure, overseeing upgrades, maintenance, and incident response.

The role requires hands-on Linux/Unix expertise, strong networking fundamentals, and a track record of maintaining SLA compliance. Leadership and collaboration with Facilities and Network teams are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 10–15+ years of experience in IT data center operations.
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux/Unix systems in production environments.
• Solid understanding of data center networking fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily data center operations across enterprise and colocation sites.
• Ensure 99.99%+ availability of IT infrastructure through monitoring, maintenance, and incident management.
• Serve as escalation point for operational incidents and drive RCA and corrective actions.
• Manage preventive maintenance schedules and minimize operational disruption.
• Oversee rack & stack activities, structured cabling, power installations, and onboarding of IT equipment.
• Support high-density deployments including CPU/GPU infrastructure.
• Coordinate upgrades while maintaining production stability.
• Coordinate with facilities for power and cooling readiness before deployments.
• Support Linux/Unix provisioning, patching, and performance monitoring.
• Troubleshoot system-level performance issues (CPU, memory, disk, I/O).
• Coordinate network deployment, TOR switches, cross-connects, and carrier circuits.

Skills

Linux/Unix

Networking

Incident Management

SLA Compliance

Capacity Forecasting

Vendor Coordination

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT

Tools

iDRAC

IPMI

Job description

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. We are seeking an experienced Datacenter Operations Manager to lead 24x7 operations across enterprise and colocation data center environments. This role is responsible for ensuring the availability, reliability, and operational integrity of mission-critical IT infrastructure including compute, storage, and network systems. The ideal candidate will bring strong operational leadership, hands-on Linux and networking experience, and the ability to manage infrastructure deployments while maintaining strict SLA compliance and up-time standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Center Operations Lead daily operations of enterprise and colocation data center environments supporting business-critical applications.
• Ensure 99.99%+ availability of IT infrastructure through proactive monitoring, maintenance coordination, and incident management.
• Serve as escalation point for operational incidents and drive root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions.
• Manage preventive maintenance schedules and ensure minimal operational disruption.
• Oversee rack & stack activities, structured cabling, power circuit installations, and IT equipment onboarding.
• Support high-density rack deployments (25kW–75kW+) including CPU and GPU infrastructure.
• Coordinate infrastructure expansions and system upgrades while maintaining production stability.
• Validate power and cooling readiness prior to IT deployments in coordination with facilities teams.
• Support Linux/Unix environments including OS provisioning, patch management, access control, and performance monitoring.
• Assist in server provisioning, firmware updates, and bare-metal bring-up (iDRAC/iLO/IPMI configuration).
• Troubleshoot system-level performance issues involving CPU, memory, disk, and I/O.
• Coordinate deployment and maintenance of data center network infrastructure including TOR switches, optics, cross-connects, and carrier circuits.
• Partner with network engineering teams to ensure reliable internal and customer connectivity.
• Support connectivity turn-ups and network troubleshooting within colocation environments.
• Manage colocation services including power provisioning, connectivity setup, and customer move-ins.
• Oversee vendor and maintenance contracts to ensure SLA compliance and performance standards.
• Coordinate with Sales Engineering, Facilities, and Network teams for seamless service delivery.
• Lead change management processes including review and approval of Method of Procedures (MOPs).
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operational runbooks.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, industry standards, and audit requirements.
• Perform 12–36 month capacity forecasting for power (kW), cooling, rack density, and network growth.
• Track CapEx and OpEx related to hardware deployments, colocation recurring costs, and maintenance programs.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 10–15+ years of experience in IT data center operations.
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux/Unix systems in production environments.
• Solid understanding of data center networking fundamentals.