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Colocation Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

They have a mindset to provide reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design and LEED expertise when providing these consulting services for Enterprise, Colocation and Hyperscale Companies. This ...

Infrastructure Engineer

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

$125K - $200K/yr

This is an in-office position, with occasional onsite work at several colocation facilities in Chicago, Aurora, and New Jersey * Infrequent evening/weekend work to allow for change execution outside ...

Sr. Solutions Engineer

Chicago, IL

$57 - $73.50/hr

A bit about us Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data ...

Hyperscale campuses, colocation facilities, edge data centers, and enterprise facilities Why Choose JLL for Your Data Center Career? Industry Leadership: * Work on the world's largest and most ...

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Colocation information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$51.5K

$90.3K

$147.8K

How much do colocation jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for colocation in Chicago, IL is $90,350.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,500.00 and $103,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is colocation?

Colocation is a service that allows businesses to rent space for their servers and other computing hardware at a third-party data center. These facilities provide the necessary power, cooling, bandwidth, and physical security, so companies don't have to maintain their own data centers. This arrangement helps organizations improve uptime, scale their IT infrastructure, and reduce costs associated with managing on-premises equipment.

What are some of the common challenges faced by professionals working in colocation facilities, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in colocation facilities often face challenges such as ensuring continuous uptime, managing diverse client requirements, and maintaining strict security protocols. They must also coordinate with client IT teams, vendors, and internal staff to quickly resolve technical issues and perform scheduled maintenance without service interruptions. To address these challenges, effective communication, strong troubleshooting skills, and adherence to standardized operating procedures are essential. Additionally, ongoing training and collaboration with cross-functional teams help ensure smooth facility operations and client satisfaction.

What is the difference between Colocation vs Data Center Technician?

AspectColocationData Center Technician
CredentialsIT certifications, network knowledgeIT certifications, hardware and network skills
Work EnvironmentData centers, server rooms, hosting facilitiesData centers, server rooms, technical support areas
Employer & IndustryHosting providers, enterprises, colocation facilitiesData center operators, IT service providers
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

Colocation involves providing space, power, and cooling for clients' servers within a data center, focusing on infrastructure management. Data Center Technicians perform hands-on hardware and network maintenance, troubleshooting, and installation within data centers. While both roles operate in similar environments and require technical skills, colocation emphasizes infrastructure management for clients, whereas Data Center Technicians focus on technical support and hardware upkeep.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Colocation Facility Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Colocation Facility Manager, you need a strong understanding of data center operations, electrical and HVAC systems, and experience in facilities management, often supported by a relevant degree or certifications like BICSI or CDCP. Familiarity with building management systems (BMS), data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software, and compliance standards such as ISO or Uptime Institute is crucial. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication with clients and vendors are standout soft skills. These skills ensure efficient, reliable facility operations and support critical uptime and service delivery for clients.
What job categories do people searching Colocation jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Colocation jobs in Chicago, IL are:
Infographic showing various Colocation job openings in Chicago, IL as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 75% In-person, 19% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $90,350 per year, or $43.4 per hour.
Data Center Engineer Consultant

Data Center Engineer Consultant

Next Step Systems

Aurora, IL โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 2 days ago


Job description

Data Center Engineer Consultant, Aurora, IL
We are seeking a talented and self-motivated Data Center Engineer to join our growing IT team. We are open to someone consulting on a part-time or full-time basis. In addition, we could foresee this role being a consult-to-hire role. The Data Center Engineer should be able to travel to local data centers on a regular basis. Individuals must live in or commute daily to Aurora, IL.
Hours for this position are as follows but may fluctuate from time to time:
- Monday - Thursday 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm CT
- Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm CT (occasionally)
- Friday 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm CT (occasionally)
- Saturday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (occasionally)
Data Center Engineer Consultant Responsibilities:
- Be responsible for logistics coordination, installation, documentation and troubleshooting of physical equipment at colocation facilities.
- Coordinate with existing IT team to validate equipment installation and troubleshoot technical issues.
- Pre-plan data center design and execution by utilizing mock equipment.
- Leverage and extend existing data center best practices and documentation.
- Manage data center inventory, domestic and foreign equipment orders, returns and shipments.
- Project management of datacenter related projects.
- Proactively suggest enhancements to existing configurations, technologies or procedures.
- Able to travel to global data centers for occasional project work.
- Able to work flexible hours when required, including night and weekends.
- Organized, self-starter that is passionate about technology.
- Able to lift 65 pounds.
Data Center Engineer Consultant Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree from a 4-year university or comparable work experience.
- 1-3 years of experience of data center management.
- Familiar with Cisco IOS and knowledge of Ethernet networks (VLAN, spanning tree, MAC addressing, etc.).
- Experience with bug/ticket tracking systems like JIRA a plus.
- Comfortable working in a Linux-based environment.
- Comfortable with basic network connectivity concepts.
- Experience with physically installing fiber optic duplex and simplex cables.
- Experience utilizing tools to validate, clean and test fiber optic cables.
- Experience making and running patch cables.
- Previous financial industry experience a plus.
Benefits include medical insurance, retirement plan, PTO, etc. Salary: 80K+ DOE. Keywords: Aurora IL Jobs, Data Center Engineer Consultant, Cisco IOS, Ethernet Networks, VLAN, Spanning Tree, MAC Addressing, Jira, Linux, Network Connectivity, Fiber Optics, Simplex Cables, Illinois Recruiters, Information Technology Jobs, IT Jobs, Illinois Recruiting
Looking to hire for similar positions in Aurora, IL or in other cities? Our IT recruiting agencies and staffing companies can help.
We help companies that are looking to hire Data Center Engineer Consultants for jobs in Aurora, Illinois and in other cities too. Please contact our IT recruiting agencies and IT staffing companies today! Phone 630-428-0600 ext. 11 or email us at jobs@nextstepsystems.com. Click here to submit your resume for this job and others.
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