Network Operations Center (NOC) Operator

Lightning AI; Quincy (WA); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Health Coverage

Meaningful Equity (RSUs)

401(k) matching

Unlimited PTO & Company Holidays

Winter Break (two weeks)

Parental & Family Leave

Learning & development allowance

Wellness stipend

Sabbatical after four years

Hybrid work model

In-office meals

Job summary

Lightning AI is hiring a Network Operations Center (NOC) Operator to monitor 24/7 data center environments and respond to alerts. You will follow runbooks, triage issues, and escalate to hardware, network, or SRE teams as needed. The role offers growth into data center tech, network engineering, or SRE tracks.

The position is onsite at data centers in Lisle, IL; Fort Worth, TX; or Quincy, WA, with shift flexibility for a 24/7 environment. Visa sponsorship is not available at this time.

Qualifications

• Basic familiarity with computers, Linux systems, or IT environments (academic or personal experience is acceptable).
• Ability to follow structured procedures and runbooks with attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and ability to clearly document issues.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and respond quickly in a fast-paced, 24/7 environment.
• Willingness to learn and grow in a technical operations role.

Responsibilities

• Monitor data center systems using dashboards and alerting tools.
• Acknowledge and triage alerts across compute, network, and hardware systems.
• Identify and filter out false positives using predefined guidelines.
• Follow structured runbooks to perform initial validation steps (e.g., running diagnostic scripts or checking system status).
• Escalate issues to the appropriate teams (hardware, network, SRE) based on clear escalation criteria.
• Notify relevant stakeholders during active incidents.
• Create, update, and manage tickets with accurate and timely information.
• Attach relevant logs, diagnostics, and observations to support faster resolution.
• Track incidents to ensure proper ownership and handoff.
• Identify recurring alerts or patterns and report them to improve monitoring and reliability.
• Maintain awareness of ongoing incidents and system status during your shift.

Skills

Linux familiarity

Documentation

Communication

Fast-paced environment

Willingness to learn

Tools

Grafana

Datadog

Job description

We AreLightning AI is the company behind PyTorch Lightning. Founded in 2019, we build an end-to-end platform for developing, training, and deploying AI systems—designed to take ideas from research to production with less friction.

Who We AreLightning AI is the company behind PyTorch Lightning. Founded in 2019, we build an end-to-end platform for developing, training, and deploying AI systems—designed to take ideas from research to production with less friction. Through our merger with Voltage Park, a neocloud and AI Factory, Lightning AI combines developer-first software with cost-efficient, large-scale compute. Teams get the tools they need for experimentation, training, and production inference, with security, observability, and control built in. We serve solo researchers, startups, and large enterprises. Lightning AI operates globally with offices in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, and is backed by Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute.

The Way We Work

The People Who Thrive Here Are Builders Who Move Fast, Communicate Openly, Take Ownership, And Continuously Improve Themselves, Their Teams, And Our Company. Here’s What That Looks Like In Practice

• Move with Urgency: We move quickly, make thoughtful decisions, and keep momentum. We value action over perfection and learn by shipping.
• Take Ownership: We own outcomes, not just our individual work. We make decisions that move the company forward and follow through.
• Communicate Openly: We communicate directly, seek to understand, and create clarity for others. Honest conversations help us move faster together.
• Build Great Teams: We lead by example, empower others, and create healthy teams where people can do their best work.
• Raise the Bar: We're always improving ourselves. We learn from feedback, consistently challenge ourselves to grow, and focus on the work that matters most.
• Think Long-Term: We design for what's next. We create scalable systems, simplify complexity, and use AI and automation to amplify our impact.

What We're Looking ForLightning AI is seeking Network Operation Center (NOC) Operators to support 24/7 operations across select high-performance compute data centers with advanced monitoring infrastructure. This is an entry-level role focused on monitoring, alert triage, and escalation. In this role, you will serve as the first line of response, ensuring that system alerts are acknowledged, validated, and routed to the appropriate teams. You will follow structured runbooks and workflows to support reliable operations across our infrastructure.

Role This is a excting opportunity to start a career in data center operations, networking, or infrastructure while gaining exposure to advanced AI systems and large-scale GPU infrastructure. In this role, you will:

• Learn the fundamentals of data center operations, networking, and system reliability
• Gain exposure to large-scale AI and HPC environments
• Assist with hands-on data center support activities under guidance

Potential Growth Paths Include

• Data Center Technician
• Network Operations Engineer
• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

This role is based onsite at one of our data center facilities in Lisle, IL; Fort Worth, TX; or Quincy, WA. Shift flexibility is required to support our 24/7 operations environment. We are not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position at this time.

What You'll Do

Monitoring & Alert Response

• Monitor data center systems using dashboards and alerting tools
• Acknowledge and triage alerts across compute, network, and hardware systems
• Identify and filter out false positives using predefined guidelines

Triage & Escalation

• Follow structured runbooks to perform initial validation steps (e.g., running diagnostic scripts or checking system status)
• Escalate issues to the appropriate teams (hardware, network, SRE) based on clear escalation criteria
• Notify relevant stakeholders during active incidents

Ticketing & Coordination

• Create, update, and manage tickets with accurate and timely information
• Attach relevant logs, diagnostics, and observations to support faster resolution
• Track incidents to ensure proper ownership and handoff

Operational Awareness

• Identify recurring alerts or patterns and report them to improve monitoring and reliability
• Maintain awareness of ongoing incidents and system status during your shift

What You'll Need

Required Qualifications

• Basic familiarity with computers, Linux systems, or IT environments (academic or personal experience is acceptable)
• Ability to follow structured procedures and runbooks with attention to detail
• Strong communication skills and ability to clearly document issues
• Ability to prioritize tasks and respond quickly in a fast-paced, 24/7 environment
• Willingness to learn and grow in a technical operations role

Ideal Experience

• Exposure to monitoring tools (Grafana, Datadog, etc.)
• Basic understanding of networking or server hardware concepts
• Interest in data centers, cloud infrastructure, or AI systems
• Strong sense of ownership and urgency, with the confidence to escalation issues to the appropriate teams or levels to ensure timely resolution

CompensationWe are committed to offering competitive compensation that reflects the value each team member brings to our mission. Final offers are based on factors such as experience, skills, geographic location, and role expectations. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package for eligible roles includes a discretionary bonus, a meaningful equity component, and comprehensive benefits. The anticipated annual base salary range for this role is: $75,000 - $85,000 USD

Benefits And Perks

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
• Meaningful Equity: RSUs that give employees a stake in the company's long-term success.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) matching (U.S.) and pension contributions (U.K.).
• Flexible Time Off: Unlimited PTO, company holidays, and floating holidays to support work-life balance.
• Company-Wide Winter Break: Two weeks of company closure each winter to disconnect and recharge.
• Paid Parental & Family Leave: Paid leave to support you and your family through life's important moments.
• Professional Development: Annual learning and development allowance to support your professional growth.
• Wellness Benefits: Wellness and work-from-home stipends to support your physical and mental well-being.
• Sabbatical Program: Four weeks of paid sabbatical leave after four years of service.
• Flexible Work: Flexible schedules and a hybrid work model for our office-based teams.
• In-Office Meals: Complimentary meals at our office hubs.

Benefits may vary by location, team, and role.

At Lightning AI, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diverse teams drive innovation and create better products. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We are dedicated to building a culture where everyone can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.