Hardware Validation Engineer, Data Center Engineering Labs

Socket.dev; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

Google is seeking a Hardware Validation Engineer for its Data Center Engineering Labs in Sunnyvale to bridge data center facilities with R&D systems engineering. You will land up, turn up, and maintain early-stage hardware systems, coordinating with design engineers in an agile lab setting.

You will engage in NPI processes, perform thermal and network rework, and develop automation to monitor lab infrastructure health, contributing to Google's massive computing platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 2 years in data center operations or 1 year with advanced degree.
• Experience in systems validation and testing.
• Experience with Linux OS, networking/cabling, and hardware troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end physical deployment, rack-level integration, power-up and network turn-up.
• Perform physical reworks on development equipment (thermal interfaces).
• Coordinate timelines and logistics for NPI with design engineers.
• Develop Python/Bash automation and lab dashboards for monitoring.
• Troubleshoot hardware, OS, and network issues while maintaining safety.

Skills

Linux administration

Hardware troubleshooting

Networking cabling

Systems validation

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/CS

Tools

Python

Bash

Lab dashboards

Job description

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 2 years of experience working in a data center operations or facilities technical environment (or 1 year of experience with an advanced degree).
• Experience in systems validation and testing.
• Experience with Linux operating systems, networking/cabling infrastructure (fiber/copper), and physical hardware troubleshooting.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) processes, including landing, powering up, and configuring early-stage/prototype hardware.
• Experience performing physical, component-level thermal rework (thermal paste/pads, heatsinks, liquid cooling loops) and customized networking rework.
• Experience managing small-to-medium deployment or deployment infrastructure projects, including timeline coordination and stakeholder communication.
• Experience as a Data Center Facilities Technician with knowledge of power distribution, cooling, and rack-level thermal performance.
• Ability to write and maintain basic automation scripts (e.g., Python, Bash) and build system/lab monitoring dashboards.

About the job:

As a Hardware Validation Engineer for our Data Center Engineering Labs, you will bridge the gap between traditional data center facilities operations and Research and Development systems engineering. Based in our hardware engineering labs, you won't just maintain existing operations—you will play a direct role in landing, turning up, and maintaining early-stage hardware systems.

You are a Data Center Facilities or Operations Technician looking to expand your skill set into New Product Introduction (NPI), automated monitoring, thermal/networking rework, and engineering project management in an agile lab environment.

Our Platforms Infrastructure Engineering team designs and builds the
hardware and software technologies that power all of Google's services. Our computational challenges are complex and unique, enabled by cutting-edge custom hardware designed and made in-house. As a hardware engineer, you will design and build the systems that are the heart of the world's largest and most powerful computing infrastructure. You will see those systems from concept all the way through to high-volume manufacturing. Your work has the potential to shape the machinery that goes into our cutting-edge data centers, affecting millions of Google users.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $132000 - $189000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities:

• Manage end-to-end physical deployment, rack-level integration, power-up, and network turn-up of prototype systems and early-stage hardware in the engineering lab.
• Perform physical reworks on development equipment, including upgrading thermal interface materials (heatsinks, thermal pads) and implementing custom network cabling topologies.
• Coordinate timelines and logistics for New Product Introductions (NPI), collaborating with design engineers to ensure landing requirements and schedules are met.
• Develop scripting automation (e.g., Python, Bash) and design custom dashboard monitoring tools to track lab infrastructure health and system metrics.
• Troubleshoot hardware, OS, and network connectivity issues, keeping Research and Development environments operational while enforcing electrical, physical, and environmental safety standards.