DC Facility Lead

Cognizant; Wayzata (MN); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays plus PTO

401(k) plan

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a DC Facility Lead in Wayzata, MN to manage daily data center operations, coordinate site execution, and ensure reliable installation, maintenance, and decommissioning services across locations.

You will lead rack-and-stack activities, hardware installation, decommissioning, and smart-hands support while partnering with engineering, operations, vendors, and facility providers. Strong ITIL and documentation skills are required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience supporting enterprise data center operations, facility management, or infrastructure deployment environments.
• Strong experience with rack-and-stack activities, hardware installation, basic cabling, and hardware decommissioning.
• Experience providing smart-hands support for server, network, storage, and infrastructure teams.
• Experience with monitoring, reporting, asset tracking, work order management, and operational documentation.
• Understanding of data center operational procedures, physical security controls, and change management processes.
• Ability to work across geographically distributed teams, customers, vendors, and delivery partners.
• Strong communication, documentation, analytical, troubleshooting, and stakeholder management skills.
• Familiarity with ITIL-based service delivery, incident management, and operational support models.
• Ability to lift up to 40lbs. of hardware as required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily site work, work orders, access requirements, maintenance windows, and technician assignments.
• Perform and validate rack-and-stack, device installation, basic cabling, labeling, and connectivity tasks.
• Lead hardware decommissioning, including verification, removal, records updates, and approved handoffs.
• Deliver smart-hands support for remote engineering and operations teams under documented instructions.
• Monitor local facility and equipment conditions and route alerts to resolver teams.
• Maintain work logs, installation records, asset updates, completion evidence, and status reports.
• Coordinate with internal teams, carriers, OEMs, facility providers, logistics partners, and vendors.
• Enforce site safety, physical security, change governance, and quality standards.

Skills

Rack-and-stack

Hardware installation

Hardware decommissioning

Smart-hands support

ITIL-based service delivery

Stakeholder management

Documentation

Analytical thinking

Job description

About the role

As a DC Facility Lead, you will make an impact by managing day-to-day data center facility operations, coordinating site execution activities, and ensuring reliable delivery of installation, maintenance, decommissioning, and smart-hands support services across supported locations. You will be a valued member of the Cloud Infrastructure and Security team, working collaboratively with engineering, operations, vendors, and facility partners.

In this role, you will

• Coordinate daily site work, work orders, access requirements, maintenance windows, and technician assignments.
• Perform and validate rack-and-stack, device installation, basic cabling, labeling, and connectivity tasks.
• Lead hardware decommissioning, including verification, removal, records updates, and approved handoffs.
• Deliver smart-hands support for remote engineering and operations teams under documented instructions.
• Monitor local facility and equipment conditions and route alerts to resolver teams.
• Maintain work logs, installation records, asset updates, completion evidence, and status reports.
• Coordinate with internal teams, carriers, OEMs, facility providers, logistics partners, and vendors.
• Enforce site safety, physical security, change governance, and quality standards.

Work model

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Wayzata, MN. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

What you need to have to be considered

• 5+ years of experience supporting enterprise data center operations, facility management, or infrastructure deployment environments.
• Strong experience with rack-and-stack activities, hardware installation, basic cabling, and hardware decommissioning.
• Experience providing smart-hands support for server, network, storage, and infrastructure teams.
• Experience with monitoring, reporting, asset tracking, work order management, and operational documentation.
• Understanding of data center operational procedures, physical security controls, and change management processes.
• Ability to work across geographically distributed teams, customers, vendors, and delivery partners.
• Strong communication, documentation, analytical, troubleshooting, and stakeholder management skills.
• Familiarity with ITIL-based service delivery, incident management, and operational support models.
• Ability to lift up to 40lbs. of hardware as required.

These Will Help You Stand Out

• Experience supporting large-scale enterprise or colocation data center environments.
• Experience coordinating with vendors, carriers, OEMs, facility providers, logistics partners, and third-party support organizations.
• Knowledge of asset lifecycle management, inventory controls, and structured cabling standards.
• Experience supporting infrastructure refresh, migration, and deployment projects.
• Experience working in highly regulated or governance-driven data center environments.
• Experience managing operational risks, issues, dependencies, and escalations.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out.

Salary and Other Compensation:

Applications will be accepted until October 5, 2026.
The annual salary for this position is between $79,000 - $90,000 USD depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer:

The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future.