TITLE:Data Center Infrastructure Architect
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Data Center Architect/Engineer to lead the design, strategic planning, and optimization of our data center infrastructure. This role requires a forward-thinking individual who can balance technical excellence with business requirements to create scalable, reliable, and efficient data center solutions while ensuring integration with cloud environments.
Key Responsibilities
Infrastructure Design
- Design and architect comprehensive data center infrastructure solutions including power, cooling, network, storage, and compute resources
- Develop detailed technical specifications for data center builds and expansions
- Evaluate and select appropriate hardware and software solutions based on business requirements, performance needs, and total cost of ownership
- Create redundancy and disaster recovery architectures to ensure business continuity
- Design network topologies that support current and future bandwidth requirements
Strategic Planning
- Develop long-term roadmaps for data center capacity expansion aligned with business growth projections
- Create and execute cloud integration strategies, including hybrid and multi-cloud architectures
- Evaluate emerging technologies and provide recommendations for adoption
- Establish standardization protocols for infrastructure deployment
- Conduct feasibility studies and cost-benefit analyses for infrastructure investments
- Lead technology refresh cycles and platform modernization initiatives
System Optimization
- Continuously analyze and optimize data center performance, utilization, and efficiency metrics
- Implement power optimization solutions to reduce PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness)
- Design and optimize cooling systems to maximize energy efficiency
- Establish monitoring systems and thresholds to ensure optimal performance
- Conduct capacity planning to prevent resource constraints while minimizing overprovisioning
Compliance and Safety
- Ensure data center designs meet applicable industry standards (ANSI/TIA-942, BICSI, Uptime Institute)
- Maintain compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX)
- Develop and enforce physical security protocols for data center facilities
- Create and maintain documentation for audit and compliance purposes
- Establish environmental safety protocols and disaster recovery procedures
Collaboration
- Partner with IT teams, facilities management, and business stakeholders to align solutions with organizational needs
- Work closely with vendors and service providers to implement new technologies
- Coordinate with project managers during implementation phases
- Provide guidance and mentorship to junior team members
- Present complex technical concepts to executive leadership in business terms
- Collaborate with procurement to optimize vendor relationships and contracts
Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
- 7+ years of experience in data center infrastructure design and management
- Strong understanding of data center systems including power, cooling, cabling, and rack infrastructure
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud architectures
- Knowledge of virtualization technologies and container platforms
- Understanding of networking principles including SDN, load balancing, and security
- Experience with capacity planning and performance optimization
- Familiarity with compliance standards relevant to data centers
- Project management experience for large-scale infrastructure initiatives
Preferred Qualifications
- Professional certifications such as CDCDP, CDCE, CDCS, or CDCP
- Cloud certifications (AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, etc.)
- Experience with data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tools
- Knowledge of automation and infrastructure-as-code principles
- Experience with energy-efficient data center design
- Understanding of financial aspects of data center operations
This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our critical infrastructure while balancing innovation, efficiency, and reliability in a dynamic technology environment.
