Data Center Operations Engineer
Overview
Our client is seeking a Data Center Operations Engineer to support the daily operations of a critical data center environment. This individual will be responsible for ensuring reliability, availability, and performance of infrastructure through hands-on operational support, maintenance activities, and incident response. This high visibility role supports a production data center environment. The ideal candidate is someone who can quickly absorb knowledge, work independently with minimal supervision, and efficiently manage day to day operational responsibilities. The engagement is being driven by an immediate operational need and requires a resource who can hit the ground running. There is no defined end date, and the opportunity may be converted to a permanent position based on business needs and performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform rack and stack activities for servers, network equipment, storage devices, and related hardware.
- Execute structured cabling installations, troubleshooting, labeling, and documentation.
- Support daily operational activities within a mission-critical data center environment.
- Coordinate equipment installs, moves, adds, and changes.
- Monitor and support data center power infrastructure.
- Assist with cooling management and environmental monitoring.
- Ensure equipment is installed and maintained according to operational standards and best practices.
- Diagnose and resolve hardware-related issues.
- Coordinate hardware break/fix activities and vendor support engagements.
- Participate in incident response and troubleshooting efforts to maintain infrastructure availability.
- Support scheduled and emergency maintenance activities.
- Execute firmware upgrades and infrastructure patching activities.
- Coordinate maintenance windows and perform validation testing following upgrades.
- Ensure systems remain compliant with operational and security standards.
- Track hardware inventory and lifecycle management activities.
- Maintain asset records and support capacity planning initiatives.
- Assist with forecasting power, space, and equipment requirements.
- Create and maintain operational documentation, diagrams, and procedures.
- Follow established change management processes.
- Accurately document installations, incidents, maintenance, and operational activities.
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of hands-on data center operations or infrastructure engineering experience.
- Experience supporting enterprise data center environments.
- Strong knowledge of rack and stack procedures, structured cabling, and hardware installations.
- Experience with server, storage, and networking hardware.
- Familiarity with power distribution, UPS systems, and data center environmental concepts.
- Experience with firmware updates, patching, and hardware maintenance.
- Strong troubleshooting and incident management skills.
- Ability to work independently and quickly learn existing environments and processes.
- Strong documentation and organizational skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in highly available or mission-critical infrastructure environments.
- Knowledge of ITIL processes, change management, and asset management practices.
- Experience coordinating with multiple vendors and support teams.
- Previous experience in hybrid operations roles requiring both remote and onsite responsibilities.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Shakopee, MN.
Pay
The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $40.00/hr.
Benefits
If eligible, benefits for this temporary role may include: Medical, dental & vision; Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital; 401(k) Retirement Plan (Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available); Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for employee and dependents); Short and long-term disability; Health Spending Account (HSA); Transportation benefits; Employee Assistance Program; Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave).
Schedule
This is a fully onsite position in Shakopee, MN.