DC Operations Manager - Critical Infrastructure

The Role 

Nebius is building next generation, high density AI infrastructure, and we are looking for a Data Center Operations Manager - Critical Infrastructure to own the performance, reliability, and operational excellence of our data center facilities. 

This is a critical facilities leadership role, responsible for power, cooling, and environmental systems that support GPU driven workloads. You will ensure our sites operate with maximum uptime, efficiency, and safety, while also supporting capacity expansion and infrastructure improvements as we scale. 

Unlike a pure construction role, this position is focused on steady-state operations, incident management, and long term facility performance, with involvement in commissioning and new site readiness where needed.

Responsibilities: 

Critical Facilities Operations 

• Own day to day operations of electrical and mechanical systems including UPS, generators, switchgear, PDUs, chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, and cooling infrastructure 

• Ensure high availability and uptime of all critical systems supporting data center operations 

• Lead incident response for facility related events, including root cause analysis and corrective actions 

• Monitor system performance via BMS/DCIM and drive improvements in reliability and efficiency 

Maintenance & Vendor Management 

• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs for all facility systems 

• Manage and hold accountable third party vendors and service providers 

• Ensure all maintenance activities follow SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs 

• Drive standardization and continuous improvement of operational procedures 

Capacity, Efficiency & Optimization 

• Partner with engineering and operations teams on capacity planning and infrastructure scaling 

• Monitor and improve PUE and overall energy efficiency 

• Identify and implement reliability and sustainability improvements across facilities 

• Support high density environments, including air and liquid cooling strategies aligned with modern AI workloads  

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management 

• Ensure compliance with local regulations, safety standards, and industry best practices 

• Maintain strong adherence to HSE (Health, Safety, Environmental) standards 

• Lead audits, inspections, and documentation for operational readiness 

• Act as the primary point of contact for facility related regulatory interactions 

Commissioning & Site Readiness (Light but Important) 

• Support commissioning, testing, and handover of new or expanded infrastructure 

• Participate in FAT/SAT and system validation for critical equipment 

• Ensure smooth transition from construction to steady state operations 

• Validate that systems are operationally ready with proper documentation and procedures 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner closely with: 

• • Data Center Operations teams
  • Infrastructure & deployment engineersNetwork and hardware teams 

• Act as the bridge between facilities and IT infrastructure, ensuring both layers operate seamlessly (a key distinction in Nebius environments) 

• Support broader operational goals around scalability, reliability, and standardization 

Requirements:

• 7–10+ years of experience in data center or mission critical facilities operations 

• Strong hands on knowledge of critical infrastructure systems: 

• Electrical distribution (UPS, generators, switchgear) 

• Cooling systems (chillers, HVAC, CRAH/CRAC, liquid cooling exposure preferred) 

• Experience operating in high availability environments with strict uptime requirements 

• Proven experience managing vendors, maintenance programs, and incident response 

• Familiarity with BMS/DCIM systems and operational monitoring 

• Experience developing and enforcing SOPs, EOPs, and MOPs 

• Strong understanding of safety, compliance, and regulatory requirements 

Preferred:

• Experience in hyperscale, colocation, or AI/GPU driven data centers 

• Exposure to high-density environments and advanced cooling solutions 

• Experience supporting new site builds, commissioning, or expansions 
• Basic understanding of IT infrastructure (rack, power distribution, hardware) to effectively partner with engineering teams  

• Health insurance: 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and families.
• 401(k) plan: Up to 4% company match with immediate vesting.
• Parental leave: 20 weeks paid for primary caregivers, 12 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Remote work reimbursement: Up to $85/month for mobile and internet.
• Disability & life insurance: Company-paid short-term, long-term and life insurance coverage.