Senior Data Center Engineer/Technician, Data Center Operations (DCO), AWS

AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we're the people who keep the cloud running. We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain — and we're looking for talented people who want to help.

You'll join a diverse team of software, hardware, and network engineers, supply chain specialists, security experts, operations managers, and other vital roles. You'll collaborate with people across AWS to help us deliver the highest standards for safety and security while providing seemingly infinite capacity at the lowest possible cost for our customers. And you'll experience an inclusive culture that welcomes bold ideas and empowers you to own them to completion.

We are looking for experienced Senior Data Center Engineers/Technicians to join our Infrastructure Operations team as technical leads within Data Center Operations (DCO). As a Senior Data Center Engineer/Technician, you will serve as a subject matter expert (SME) and escalation point for complex infrastructure issues including hardware, fiber, networking, and related systems. You will mentor junior technicians, drive process improvements, and take ownership of operational excellence across your site or shift. You will independently resolve the most complex infrastructure issues and lead cross-functional troubleshooting efforts to minimize customer impact.

Key job responsibilities
Safety

- Champion and enforce the highest safety standards; drive a world-class safety culture across the team.
- Lead safety initiatives, projects, and audits to foster continuous improvement in safety performance.
- Adhere to all DC safety protocols during red zone (RZ) and floor operations; coach others on compliance.
- Conduct safety inspections, identify hazards, and implement corrective actions to maintain site compliance standards.
- Mentor team members on safe work practices and serve as a safety role model.

Data Center Operations (DCO)

- Diagnose and resolve complex hardware, network, and infrastructure problems with minimal supervision.
- Serve as the primary escalation point for issues.
- Troubleshoot events within internal Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and drive resolution of high-severity incidents.
- Perform advanced root cause analysis (RCA) of equipment failures and document findings to prevent recurrence.
- Manual handling and lifting of equipment up to 18 kg may be required (weight limits in accordance with regulations).
- Ability to work at heights as required by operational tasks.
- Perform and oversee a full range of DCO procedures including break-and-fix repairs, host-level decommissions (HLD), server rack decommissions (SRD), media removal, media destruction, and first responder duties.
- Develop, review, and improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and runbooks to enhance operational efficiency.
- Train and mentor junior technicians on troubleshooting methodologies, tools, and best practices.

Scope & Decision-Making

- Operate across multiple process paths within the DCO team, applying deep technical knowledge to independently determine the correct course of action — including non-standard situations requiring judgment and deviation from established procedures.
- Make real-time operational decisions that balance speed, safety, and quality.
- Work is reviewed periodically by supervision; expected to operate with significant autonomy on day-to-day tasks.

Communication & Collaboration

- Communicate clearly and effectively via tickets, SIMs, task tracking entries, write-ups, and post-incident reviews.
- Lead team meetings, present operational updates to leadership, and represent DCO in cross-functional discussions.
- Collaborate with partner teams (DCEO, Security, Logistics, Engineering) to resolve complex issues and drive improvements.

Impact & Process Improvement

- Deliver work that directly impacts site-level and cluster-level metrics including ticket resolution, decom throughput, SLA adherence, and safety compliance.
- Identify, propose, and implement process improvements that drive operational excellence within DCO workflows.
- Own and track improvement initiatives from ideation through execution and measurement.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

- Serve as a technical mentor and on-the-job trainer for junior technicians and new hires.
- Lead shift operations in the absence of a manager or site lead; act as the point of contact for escalations.
- Support onboarding and certification of new team members through structured training and knowledge transfer.

Shift & On-Call

- Must be able to support shift-based schedules including nights, weekends, and on-call rotations as required by operational needs.

About the team
Diverse Experiences

AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.

Why AWS?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.

Inclusive Team Culture

Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon (diversity) conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.

Mentorship & Career Growth

We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.

Work/Life Balance

We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.

Basic Qualifications

- High School or equivalent diploma
- Experience in computer networking
- Speak, write, and read fluently in English, and have the ability to take direction in English
- Experience with computer hardware troubleshooting and repair, including server, storage, and networking equipment

Preferred Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in IT, computer science or equivalent
- Experience in a data center or other critical environment
- Experience dealing effectively with customers during problem resolution and operating efficiently under pressure, or experience troubleshooting and documenting findings
- Proficiency in Linux operating systems and command-line troubleshooting
- Experience with network protocols and fiber optic infrastructure

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.