Data Center Plant Engineer

Data Center Plant Engineer at Google

The Data Center team at Google designs and operates some of the most sophisticated electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and HVAC systems globally. As a Data Center Plant Engineer, you will be integral to monitoring, maintaining, and optimizing these critical physical facilities. Your duties will encompass ensuring the continuous operation of heating and cooling systems, power supply, generators, UPS systems, electrical distribution, and various control and monitoring systems. You will regularly inspect, maintain, and repair essential data center components, advocating for best practices to reduce operational costs and enhance overall data center efficiency.

You will play a crucial role in ensuring that environmental and safety standards are consistently met, quickly identifying and resolving problems. In emergency situations or during abnormal conditions, you will manage data center performance issues and outages to minimize recovery time. This position involves approaching complex topics related to the lifecycle management of computing, network, and storage infrastructure within state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly facilities. You are expected to be a visionary who optimizes for efficiency, seeks continuous improvements, communicates recommendations to executive-level stakeholders, and drives implementation alongside peers.

Behind Google's online services is the robust architecture built by the Technical Infrastructure team. We maintain data centers and build next-generation platforms, making Google's product portfolio possible. We are proud to be engineers' engineers, constantly innovating and ensuring our users have the best and fastest experience.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate's degree, trade school certification, or other certified training in a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7 years of experience in electrical or mechanical systems (e.g., electrical testing equipment, electrical distribution, HVAC, Air Handling Units) in an industrial or commercial environment.
• Experience working on projects in a data center or similar mission-critical environment, collaborating with various stakeholders.
• Experience in electrical or mechanical maintenance and operations within a data center or equivalent setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in data centers, hospitals, power plants, or transmission operations.
• Experience with high voltage electrical substations or other mission-critical facility maintenance and operations.
• Knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems used in a data center environment (e.g., Feeders, Transformers, Generators, Switchgear, UPS systems, ATS/STS units, PDU/PMM units, Chillers, Air Handling Units, CRAC units).
• Ability to communicate effectively with contractors performing maintenance or upgrade work on data center systems.
• Ability to provide technical problem-solving support during non-office hours (via phone or onsite).
• Excellent problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitor data center plant efficiency (PUE/WUE) and act as the technical lead to drive site-level efficiency programs with technicians and managers, providing design input and technical expertise for Electrical, Mechanical, and Control systems.
• Drive a strategic approach to Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS), operations, and maintenance programs to ensure strict compliance with requirements.
• Serve as a mentor and resource for facility technicians (FTs) to facilitate feedback and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead organizational change processes by providing site-level feedback, engaging Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and coordinating with cross-functional teams to execute decisions and resolve technical bugs.
• Direct site teams regarding data center commissioning, retesting protocols, and major repairs, acting as the primary liaison for quality concerns.

Key skills/competency

• Data Center Operations
• Electrical Distribution
• Mechanical Systems
• HVAC Management
• UPS Systems
• Generator Systems
• PUE/WUE Optimization
• EHS Compliance
• Project Leadership
• Technical Mentorship