Data Center Manager

Full-time - Mid Level

Reston, VA

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

Backblaze is the object storage leader in the open cloud movement, fueling customer success with cloud storage built purposefully to unlock budgets, unburden administrators, and unleash innovators. Together with our partners, we're helping customers break free from the restrictive, overpriced legacy solutions that hold them back, and blaze forward with the full power of the open cloud in their hands. Founded in 2007, we scaled the business with less than $3 million in outside funding until 2021, when we did a traditional IPO on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Today, Backblaze generates over $100m in revenue and is the leading specialized storage cloud - managing over three billion gigabytes of data storage for 500K+ customers in 175+ countries, including businesses, developers, IT professionals, and individuals. But while there is a lot to celebrate in our past, there is almost as much opportunity ahead of us. We are seeking a Data Center Manager to join our growing team! Reporting to the Director, Infrastructure Operations, this role will manage and grow the team that is responsible for expanding our physical infrastructure footprint, providing service to over 500,000 Backblaze customers across 175 countries. The Data Center Manager will have responsibility for one or more of Backblaze's worldwide data center locations, ensuring that our infrastructure is maintained to the highest standards, and that the space and power forecast keeps us one step ahead of our growth.

Responsibilities

• Manage local employees and/or key contractor staff, observe data center engineers' performance and provide actionable feedback
• Hire, coach and develop a team of data center engineers to meet objectives
• Ensure that data center priorities align with global data center strategy and overall company objectives
• Work with other Infrastructure teams to set and implement short-term and long-term strategies for the regional data centers
• Create, document, implement and iterate the training, coaching, and standard operating procedures for daily installation and maintenance activities
• Write and deliver performance reviews for staff
• Assist in the dissemination of information to employees via team meetings by actively contributing agenda items and effectively conveying that agenda to meeting participants
• Assist in forecasting capacity planning with regard to space and power usage
• Successfully manage multiple projects relating to data center operations from planning to execution
• Ensure monitoring coverage of power and environmental metrics (temperature, humidity, etc), and adherence to contractual SLAs
• Help select & qualify new hardware (power infrastructure, cabling solutions, racks, HVAC, etc)
• Receive deliveries & maintain accurate inventory counts/records for data center assets
• Oversee any and all production support requirements, including troubleshooting, hardware replacement, etc.
• Be an engaged, visible, an inspirational leader

Requirements

• 3-5 years of people management experience in hiring, developing, and coaching
• Proven ability to motivate and lead a team
• Effective time management
• Understanding of data center layout and cabling best practices
• Strong knowledge of hardware concepts and component installation
• Knowledge of Linux configuration and troubleshooting
• Basic understanding of facility management and datacenter infrastructure as well as datacenter operations
• Possess strong analytical skills, and effective interpersonal relationship skills
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly driven, self-managed individual who demonstrates initiative and proactively seeks solutions to problems
• May be required to lift up to 50 lbs

Benefits

• Annual Company bonus plan
• RSU grants for full-time employees
• 100% paid healthcare for family, including dental and vision
• 401K
• ESPP program
• Flexible vacation policy
• Maternity & paternity leave
• MacBook Pro to use for work plus a generous stipend to personalize your workstation
• Childcare bonus (human children only)
• Fertility treatment and support
• Learning & development program
• Commuter benefits
• Culture that supports a healthy work-life balance