Data Center Chief Engineer, Data Center Engg Ops
📍 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
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📝 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.
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Oversee daily operations and maintenance of mechanical and electrical equipment in a data center.
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Serve as a technical expert and single point of contact for facility operations within a given data center.
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Manage small to medium-sized projects from conception to completion, driving innovation and reducing operational costs.
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Train and support Engineering Operations Technicians (EOTs) in their roles, providing hands-on electrical and mechanical equipment troubleshooting and operations.
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Ensure all safety and security procedures are adhered to by vendor and Amazon staff.
💻 Primary Responsibilities
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📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities revolve around ensuring data center equipment operates at peak efficiency, managing projects, and providing technical guidance to EOTs.
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Oversee day-to-day operations and maintenance of mechanical and electrical equipment in a data center.
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Act as an escalation point for all facilities-related issues within the data center.
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Perform root cause analysis of equipment failures and troubleshoot facility and data server-level events.
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Create and deploy new standard practices for EOTs, Chief Engineers, and vendor support teams.
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Provide training and guidance to EOTs.
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Ensure all safety and security procedures are adhered to by vendor and Amazon staff.
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Utilize internal CMMS to manage building workflows.
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Communicate complex technical information to non-technical audiences.
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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:
- Phone or video screen to assess communication skills and technical knowledge.
- On-site or virtual tour of the data center to evaluate understanding of the physical infrastructure and its importance to AWS.
- Technical deep dive, focusing on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as data center management best practices.
- 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:
- Submit your application through the application link provided.
- Customize your resume and portfolio to emphasize relevant data center management, mechanical, and electrical systems experience.
- Prepare for the interview process by reviewing mechanical and electrical systems knowledge, data center management best practices, and scenario-based questions.
- 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.