Senior Data Center Operations Engineer New Chicago, IL

Colovore; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Colovore, based in Chicago, seeks a Senior Engineer, Data Center Operations to lead site-level activities in a high-density, mission-critical environment. You will blend hands-on work with leadership to ensure uptime, efficiency, and compliance, mentoring junior staff and driving continuous improvements across facilities and IT operations.

You will oversee daily operations, maintenance cycles, and incident handling, interfacing with strategic customers and cross-functional teams to align on

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of electrical, mechanical, and IT infrastructure systems.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve complex infrastructure issues under time pressure.
• Proficient with BMS, CMMS, and ticketing data for reporting and audits.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operational support for high-density data centers.
• Oversee preventative maintenance cycles and audit readiness.
• Manage incident escalations and act as decision-maker during outages.

Skills

Electrical & IT infra

BMS/CMMS savvy

Troubleshooting under pressure

Operations leadership

Tools

BMS software

CMMS software

Ticketing systems

Job description

Colovore is the leader in ultra-high-density, liquid-cooled AI colocation data centers for the deployment of AI inference, SuperPod , and AI factory applications and solutions. With facilities featuring power densities of 17-500+ kilowatts per cabinet, we are expanding quickly and building a national footprint of modern, hyper-efficient, high-density data centers to serve F500 enterprises and startups. The company was acquired by King Street in 2024, who provides real estate development expertise and secured $925 million funding to accelerate its national expansion. Join our team and play a critical role as we scale for rapid growth. You can be a game-changer at Colovore .

Role Overview

We’re seeking a Senior Engineer, Data Center Operations to lead site-level operations in a high-density, mission-critical environment. This role blends hands-on technical work with leadership in preventative maintenance, customer service, and systems optimization. The Senior Engineer ensures uptime, efficiency, and compliance while mentoring junior staff and driving continuous improvements across facilities and IT operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operational support, including equipment installation, cabling, and facility rounds.
• Oversee preventative maintenance cycles and ensure compliance with operational standards and audit requirements.
• Manage and resolve escalations during incidents; act as decision-maker in high-pressure situations.
• Operate and optimize Building Management Systems (BMS), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and ticketing systems.
• Configure, monitor, and tune infrastructure systems to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Mentor and train junior operations staff; ensure proper documentation and SOP adherence.
• Interface with strategic customers, providing remote hands support, escalation management, and service recovery.
• Partner with facilities, engineering, and customer success teams to align on operational needs and improvements.
• Maintain accurate records, logs, and reports for compliance, audits, and performance reviews.
• Support capacity planning and operational readiness for new deployments.

Key Skills

Technical Mastery of Mission-Critical Infrastructure

• Deep understanding of electrical, mechanical, and IT infrastructure systems (power distribution, cooling, cabling, server hardware)
• Ability to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex infrastructure issues under time-sensitive conditions
• Skilled in operating and interpreting data from BMS, CMMS, ticketing, and monitoring tools

Operational Excellence & Preventative Maintenance

• Strong command of SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs with a disciplined approach to execution
• Expertise in designing, managing, and improving preventative maintenance programs
• Detail-oriented mindset for inspections, documentation, compliance, and audit readiness

Incident Leadership & Decision-Making

• Ability to remain calm, clear-thinking, and decisive during outages or operational escalations
• Strong situational awareness and risk assessment capabilities to drive