Datacenter Operations Specialist / Lead

Tech One IT; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Tech One IT in Charlotte, NC is seeking a Data Center Operations Lead to oversee day-to-day physical data center operations, ensuring availability and integrity of critical infrastructure. You will lead rack and stack activities, cabling, hardware deployments, and coordinate with vendors to resolve incidents.

This role focuses on governance, process improvement, and leadership of on-site teams, with responsibilities spanning environmental monitoring, maintenance planning, disaster recovery

Qualifications

• 7+ years in data center operations and infrastructure support.
• Hands-on rack and stack, cabling, and hardware deployment experience.
• Knowledge of server, storage, network, and power infrastructure.
• Understanding of physical security, cooling, power distribution, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience coordinating with vendors and managing maintenance activities.
• Strong troubleshooting, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced mission-critical environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead rack and stack activities for servers, storage, network, and security devices.
• Oversee structured cabling, labeling, and documentation standards.
• Manage physical installation, relocation, decommissioning, and inventory tracking of data center equipment.
• Ensure adherence to data center standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for on-site infrastructure support and operational issues.
• Perform and coordinate first-level troubleshooting for server, storage, network, power, and environmental incidents.
• Coordinate with engineering teams, vendors, and OEM support for advanced issue resolution.
• Support infrastructure upgrades, hardware refreshes, and migration activities.
• Monitor data center environmental conditions, including power, cooling, humidity, and physical security.
• Ensure compliance with facility standards and operational readiness requirements.
• Coordinate planned maintenance activities with facility and vendor teams.
• Support disaster recovery and business continuity readiness activities.
• Coordinate with hardware vendors, service providers, and cross-functional infrastructure teams.
• Manage hardware deliveries, installation schedules, and maintenance windows.
• Provide regular operational status updates to infrastructure and leadership teams.
• Ensure vendor SLAs and service commitments are met.

Skills

Rack and stack

Structured cabling

Hardware deployment

Server hardware

Environmental monitoring

Vendor coordination

Troubleshooting

Communication

Independent work

Tools

DCIM tools

Asset management systems

Infrastructure monitoring platforms

Job description

Location: Data Center Facility (Onsite) – Charlotte, NC 28202

Duration: 6–12 Months (Contract)

Role Summary

The Data Center Operations Lead will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day physical data center operations, ensuring the availability, reliability, and integrity of critical infrastructure. This role provides hands‑on leadership for rack and stack activities, cabling, hardware deployments, vendor coordination, incident response, and operational governance while supporting ongoing data center growth and transformation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Data Center Infrastructure Operations

• Lead and execute rack and stack activities for servers, storage, network, and security devices.
• Oversee structured cabling, cable management standards, labeling, and documentation.
• Manage physical installation, relocation, decommissioning, and inventory tracking of data center equipment.
• Ensure adherence to data center standards, procedures, and best practices.

Operational Support & Troubleshooting

• Serve as the primary point of contact for on‑site infrastructure support and operational issues.
• Perform and coordinate first‑level troubleshooting for server, storage, network, power, and environmental incidents.
• Coordinate with engineering teams, vendors, and OEM support for advanced issue resolution.
• Support infrastructure upgrades, hardware refreshes, and migration activities.

Facility & Environmental Management

• Monitor data center environmental conditions, including power, cooling, humidity, and physical security.
• Ensure compliance with facility standards and operational readiness requirements.
• Coordinate planned maintenance activities with facility and vendor teams.
• Support disaster recovery and business continuity readiness activities.
• Coordinate with hardware vendors, service providers, and cross‑functional infrastructure teams.
• Manage hardware deliveries, installation schedules, and maintenance windows.
• Provide regular operational status updates to infrastructure and leadership teams.
• Ensure vendor SLAs and service commitments are met.

Governance & Process Improvement

• Maintain accurate documentation, asset inventories, rack layouts, and cabling diagrams.
• Develop and standardize repeatable operational procedures and runbooks.
• Identify opportunities for operational efficiencies and process optimization.
• Ensure compliance with security, safety, and audit requirements.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead on‑site operational activities and coordinate work across multiple teams.
• Provide technical guidance for data center technicians and support resources.
• Drive operational excellence, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support capacity planning and infrastructure expansion projects.

Required Skills & Experience

• 7+ years of data center operations and infrastructure support experience.
• Strong hands‑on experience with rack and stack, structured cabling, and hardware deployment.
• Knowledge of server, storage, network, and power infrastructure.
• Understanding of physical security, cooling, power distribution, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience coordinating with vendors and managing maintenance activities.
• Strong troubleshooting, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced mission‑critical environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in enterprise or hyperscale data center environments.
• Familiarity with ITIL processes and change management practices.
• Knowledge of DCIM tools, asset management systems, and infrastructure monitoring platforms.
• Experience supporting data center migration, consolidation, or modernization initiatives.

Expected Outcomes

• Ensure uninterrupted day‑to‑day data center operations.
• Maintain high infrastructure availability and operational reliability.
• Improve operational processes, documentation, and standardization.
• Successfully support infrastructure growth and transformation initiatives while reducing dependency on dedicated contractor support over time.