Data Center Chief Engineer, Data Center Engg Ops

Amazon
Full_timeBerwick, United States

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Data Center Chief Engineer, Data Center Engg Ops
  • Company: Amazon
  • Location: Berwick, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Job Type: On-site
  • Category: Server Administration, Data Center Management
  • Date Posted: June 19, 2025
  • Experience Level: Mid-Senior level (5-10 years)
  • Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

  • 📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves managing the critical physical infrastructure that supports Amazon Web Services, focusing on maintaining high availability and customer service for data center mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

  • Oversee daily operations and maintenance of mechanical and electrical equipment in a data center.

  • Serve as a technical expert and single point of contact for facility operations within a given data center.

  • Manage small to medium-sized projects from conception to completion, driving innovation and reducing operational costs.

  • Train and support Engineering Operations Technicians (EOTs) in their roles, providing hands-on electrical and mechanical equipment troubleshooting and operations.

  • Ensure all safety and security procedures are adhered to by vendor and Amazon staff.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • 📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities revolve around ensuring data center equipment operates at peak efficiency, managing projects, and providing technical guidance to EOTs.

  • Oversee day-to-day operations and maintenance of mechanical and electrical equipment in a data center.

  • Act as an escalation point for all facilities-related issues within the data center.

  • Perform root cause analysis of equipment failures and troubleshoot facility and data server-level events.

  • Create and deploy new standard practices for EOTs, Chief Engineers, and vendor support teams.

  • Provide training and guidance to EOTs.

  • Ensure all safety and security procedures are adhered to by vendor and Amazon staff.

  • Utilize internal CMMS to manage building workflows.

  • Communicate complex technical information to non-technical audiences.

  • Regularly use Microsoft Office suite and other computer programs for scheduling, ticketing, and mentorship.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Relevant engineering degree or mechanical/electrical trades certification preferred.

Experience: At least 5 years of experience with mechanical and electrical systems, along with 2 years of relevant work experience in a data center.

Required Skills:

  • Mechanical and electrical systems knowledge
  • Preventative maintenance and troubleshooting skills
  • Project management experience
  • Training and mentoring abilities
  • Safety and security procedures understanding
  • Communication and collaboration skills
  • Microsoft Office proficiency
  • CMMS experience

Preferred Skills:

  • PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent certifications
  • Operating engineering licenses (DC II, DC III, etc.)
  • Stationary Engineering License, Building Engineering License, Electrical or Mechanical Journeyman License, CFC License, or NFPA 70E certification

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, a strong portfolio showcasing relevant data center management, electrical, and mechanical system projects would be beneficial.

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Documented experience in managing data center mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
  • Evidence of successful project management, including driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
  • Demonstrated ability to train and mentor technical staff.
  • Examples of ensuring safety and security procedures are adhered to.

Technical Documentation:

  • Detailed documentation of past data center management projects, highlighting problem-solving, root cause analysis, and troubleshooting skills.
  • Evidence of project milestones, quotes, and results for future implementation at other facilities.
  • Records of training exercises and standard practices created for EOTs, Chief Engineers, and vendor support teams.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $85,000 - $120,000 per year (based on regional market data for data center management roles in Berwick, PA)

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) matching
  • Generous paid time off and holidays
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Employee discounts on Amazon products and services
  • Opportunities for professional development and career growth

Working Hours: Full-time, typically 40 hours per week, with on-call rotations for emergency response.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce and cloud computing services

Company Size: Large (over 1,000,000 employees)

Founded: 1994

Team Structure:

  • Data Center Engineering Operations Team, focusing on maintaining critical physical infrastructure for Amazon Web Services.
  • Collaboration with external support groups, including engineering, automation, processing, and finance, in both local and global settings.

Development Methodology:

  • Lean Six Sigma and project management methodologies for driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
  • Regular training and mentoring opportunities for team members.

Company Website: Amazon

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Mid-Senior level, with potential for growth into technical leadership roles or specialized data center management positions.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Data Center Facility Manager, with opportunities for collaboration with on-site EOTs and third-party vendors.

Technical Impact: Directly impacts the availability and performance of Amazon Web Services by ensuring data center equipment operates at peak efficiency.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Expanding technical expertise in data center management and related fields.
  • Developing leadership skills through mentoring and project management experiences.
  • Exploring specialized roles within data center management or related areas, such as data center architecture or global data center operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, data center environment with uneven terrain, heights, and potential exposure to hazardous materials.

Office Location(s): Berwick, Pennsylvania, United States

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative work environment with EOTs, Chief Engineers, and vendor support teams.
  • Access to necessary tools and equipment for performing maintenance and troubleshooting tasks.
  • Opportunities for cross-functional collaboration with other Amazon teams, such as engineering, automation, processing, and finance.

Work Schedule: Full-time, typically 40 hours per week, with on-call rotations for emergency response. Flexible scheduling to accommodate project deadlines and maintenance windows.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Phone or video screen to assess communication skills and technical knowledge.
  2. On-site or virtual tour of the data center to evaluate understanding of the physical infrastructure and its importance to AWS.
  3. Technical deep dive, focusing on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as data center management best practices.
  4. Behavioral and situational questions to assess problem-solving, project management, and leadership skills.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Highlight relevant data center management projects, demonstrating problem-solving, root cause analysis, and troubleshooting skills.
  • Showcase project management experience, including driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
  • Provide evidence of training and mentoring abilities, as well as adherence to safety and security procedures.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush up on mechanical and electrical systems knowledge, focusing on data center-specific applications.
  • Review data center management best practices and industry standards.
  • Prepare for scenario-based questions that assess problem-solving, project management, and leadership skills.

ATS Keywords: Data center management, mechanical systems, electrical systems, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, project management, training, safety procedures, security procedures, communication, Microsoft Office, CMMS, data center infrastructure, AWS, cloud computing.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, the following technologies are relevant to the role and should be familiar to the ideal candidate.

Data Center Infrastructure:

  • Mechanical systems: Chillers, cooling towers, chemical treatment systems, pumps, motors, VFD's, and building automation systems.
  • Electrical systems: Stand-by diesel generators, switchgear, UPS's, PDU's, and AHU's.
  • Plumbing systems: Pumps, motors, and related equipment.

Data Center Management Tools:

  • Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for managing building workflows.
  • Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Excel, PPT, Word) for communication, scheduling, and project management.
  • Other computer programs, such as PDF, QUIP, and scheduling tools, for supporting daily tasks and collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Data Center Management Values:

  • High availability and customer service for data center mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
  • Innovation and resiliency in driving operational cost reductions.
  • Collaboration and cross-functional teamwork with EOTs, Chief Engineers, vendor support teams, and other Amazon teams.
  • Strong focus on safety and security procedures to protect data center equipment and personnel.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional integration between data center management, engineering, automation, processing, and finance teams.
  • Code review culture and peer programming practices for sharing knowledge and improving processes.
  • Knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning opportunities for team members.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • Maintaining high availability (99.999%) for data center equipment supporting mission-critical servers.
  • Managing small to medium-sized projects from conception to completion, driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
  • Ensuring adherence to safety and security procedures for vendor and Amazon staff.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Expanding technical expertise in data center management and related fields through on-the-job training, mentoring, and project management experiences.
  • Pursuing relevant certifications, such as PMP, Lean Six Sigma, operating engineering licenses, or NFPA 70E certification.
  • Attending industry conferences, workshops, and webinars to stay up-to-date with emerging trends and best practices in data center management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  • Mechanical and electrical systems knowledge, with a focus on data center-specific applications.
  • Data center management best practices and industry standards.
  • Scenario-based questions assessing problem-solving, project management, and leadership skills.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • Understanding of Amazon's data center infrastructure and its importance to AWS.
  • Experience with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a data center environment.
  • Familiarity with data center management tools, such as CMMS and Microsoft Office suite.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Highlight relevant data center management projects, demonstrating problem-solving, root cause analysis, and troubleshooting skills.
  • Showcase project management experience, including driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
  • Provide evidence of training and mentoring abilities, as well as adherence to safety and security procedures.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this data center chief engineer position:

  1. Submit your application through the application link provided.
  2. Customize your resume and portfolio to emphasize relevant data center management, mechanical, and electrical systems experience.
  3. Prepare for the interview process by reviewing mechanical and electrical systems knowledge, data center management best practices, and scenario-based questions.
  4. Research Amazon's data center infrastructure and its importance to AWS to demonstrate your understanding of the company and its mission.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and data center management industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Candidates should have at least 5 years of experience with mechanical and electrical systems, along with 2 years of relevant work experience in a data center. Preferred qualifications include an engineering degree and relevant certifications.