Director, Datacenter Operations

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP (SpaceX) is seeking a Director of Datacenter Operations to oversee the engineering and operations of hyperscale AI compute facilities. The role encompasses the entire lifecycle of mission-critical infrastructure.

Ideal candidates will have a degree in engineering or equivalent experience, with at least 4 years of leadership in data center operations. This position is primarily onsite in the Memphis area, with a focus on operational excellence and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or 8+ years in data center environments.
• 4+ years of direct leadership in engineering or operations.

Responsibilities

• Own operations for xAI’s data centers and compute facilities.
• Build and lead teams across electrical and mechanical areas.
• Set operational standards for efficiency and reliability.
• Manage budgets and vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.

Skills

Leadership in engineering and operations teams

Knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems

Experience in data center operations

Operational excellence under aggressive timelines

Project lifecycle management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

ETAP

BIM

CMMS

Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

Director, Datacenter Operations

SpaceX is seeking an exceptional Director of Datacenter Operations to lead both the engineering and operations of xAI’s hyperscale AI compute facilities. This role will own the full lifecycle of mission‑critical infrastructure—from design and development through construction, commissioning, and ongoing operations—including structural, civil, electrical, mechanical, liquid cooling, power generation, power distribution, controls, and high‑capacity fiber optic networks.

Responsibilities

• Own the operations and performance of the physical infrastructure for xAI’s data centers and compute facilities, including electrical systems, mechanical systems, liquid cooling, power generation, power distribution, controls, and fiber networks.
• Build and lead operations teams across electrical, mechanical, controls, power generation, and critical infrastructure areas.
• Set and maintain operational standards and procedures for power usage, cooling performance, uptime, efficiency, and reliability.
• Run day‑to‑day facility operations, including power generation, electrical and mechanical systems, preventive maintenance, and response to issues.
• Improve facility operations over time by focusing on better reliability, efficiency, and cost control.
• Work with construction, hardware, and procurement teams to bring new facilities from construction into steady operations.
• Identify and implement improvements to cooling systems, power delivery, controls, and maintenance practices to support large AI clusters.
• Manage operational budgets, vendor relationships, and resource planning.
• Maintain safety, quality, and compliance standards across all operations.
• Report on facility performance and provide updates and recommendations to leadership.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or 8+ years of experience in a production/military/industrial/data center environment.
• 4+ years of direct people leadership experience managing engineering and/or operations teams.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Deep knowledge of electrical, mechanical, and power systems, liquid cooling, controls/BMS, fiber optic networks, and 24/7 critical facilities operations.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high reliability and operational excellence under aggressive growth timelines.
• Direct experience in AI or hyperscale data center environments, including liquid cooling systems and high‑power GPU/accelerator infrastructure.
• Strong background in both design/engineering and operations of power generation assets (gas turbines, reciprocating engines, etc.).
• Experience building or scaling fiber infrastructure for low‑latency, high‑bandwidth interconnects between compute clusters.
• Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams through the full project lifecycle (design through operations) on fast‑track schedules.
• Familiarity with Uptime Institute Tier standards, ASHRAE guidelines, IEEE, NFPA, IBC, TIA‑942, and relevant power generation standards.
• Experience with automation, predictive maintenance, and data‑driven operational improvements.
• Master’s degree in engineering or related field; Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus.
• Hands‑on experience with relevant tools and platforms (AutoCAD, Revit, ETAP, BIM, CMMS, monitoring systems).

Additional Requirements

• This role is primarily onsite at key project locations (e.g., Memphis area) and will require relocation if not local.
• Willingness to travel to other sites and vendor locations as needed (up to 20%).
• Ability to work in industrial/data center environments and lead teams during high‑pressure phases, including extended hours when required.
• Must be comfortable with on‑call responsibilities for critical infrastructure.
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR.

Equal Opportunity Statement

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.