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Data Center Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Amazon

Data Center Chief Engineer

Gilroy, CA · On-site

Join our dynamic Data Center Engineering Operations Team and become a critical architect of the infrastructure that powers global cloud computing. You'll play a pivotal role in maintaining the ...

Amazon

Data Center Chief Engineer

Gilroy, CA · On-site

Join our dynamic Data Center Engineering Operations Team and become a critical architect of the infrastructure that powers global cloud computing. You'll play a pivotal role in maintaining the ...

Amazon

Data Center Chief Engineer

Gilroy, CA

Join our dynamic Data Center Engineering Operations Team and become a critical architect of the infrastructure that powers global cloud computing. You'll play a pivotal role in maintaining the ...

Lambda

Data Center Standards Architect

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$443K - $590K/yr

Develop the engineering "operating system" for data center scale, including standards libraries, design review processes, decision records, quality gates, commissioning criteria, acceptance ...

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All JobsData Center Engineer JobsData Center Engineer Jobs in California

Data Center Engineer information

See California salary details

$50.8K

$145.5K

$194.4K

How much do data center engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for data center engineer in California is $145,530.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,900.00 and $193,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Data Center Engineer do?

A Data Center Engineer is responsible for designing, maintaining, and troubleshooting the hardware and infrastructure of data centers. Their work involves installing servers, managing network systems, ensuring optimal cooling and power, and monitoring system performance. They play a critical role in keeping data centers operational, secure, and efficient, supporting the IT needs of organizations. Data Center Engineers often collaborate with IT, security, and facilities teams to ensure 24/7 uptime and to plan for future growth.

What does a data centre engineer do?

A data center engineer is responsible for designing, maintaining, and managing the infrastructure of data centers, including servers, networking equipment, power supplies, and cooling systems. They troubleshoot hardware and software issues, ensure system security, and often work with monitoring tools and certifications to optimize data center performance and reliability.

What is the difference between Data Center Engineer vs Network Engineer?

AspectData Center EngineerNetwork Engineer
CertificationsCompTIA Server+, Cisco CCNA, Data Center-specific certificationsCCNA, CCNP, Cisco certifications
Work EnvironmentData centers, server rooms, hardware-focusedNetwork infrastructure, routing, switching environments
ResponsibilitiesDesign, maintain, and troubleshoot data center hardware and infrastructureDesign, implement, and manage network systems and connectivity

While both roles require networking knowledge and certifications, Data Center Engineers focus on physical infrastructure, servers, and hardware within data centers. Network Engineers primarily work on network design, configuration, and troubleshooting of network systems. Understanding the hardware environment is key for Data Center Engineers, whereas Network Engineers concentrate on network connectivity and protocols.

Can I make 200K as a data engineer?

Data Center Engineers typically earn lower salaries than data engineers, with median salaries ranging from $70,000 to $120,000 annually depending on experience and location. Reaching a $200,000 salary usually requires advanced skills, certifications, and significant experience, often in senior or specialized roles within the field.

What are some common challenges faced by Data Center Engineers, and how can they be managed on the job?

Data Center Engineers often encounter challenges such as maintaining uptime during hardware failures, managing rapid scaling demands, and ensuring strong physical and cybersecurity. These issues require quick troubleshooting skills, familiarity with redundancy protocols, and proactive monitoring of systems. Effective communication and collaboration with IT, facilities, and security teams are also crucial to address incidents efficiently and minimize downtime. Staying updated with evolving technologies and best practices helps engineers anticipate and mitigate potential risks.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior data center engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills in network infrastructure, and relevant certifications such as Cisco or VMware can earn $200,000 or more annually. High-level roles often require advanced knowledge of data center operations, virtualization, and security, along with leadership responsibilities.

What engineers make $500,000 a year?

Highly experienced data center engineers with specialized skills in network infrastructure, security, and large-scale systems management can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in senior or executive roles. Such compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing and typically requires advanced certifications and extensive industry experience.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Data Center Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Center Engineer, you need a solid background in IT infrastructure, networking, and hardware maintenance, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with server management tools, virtualization platforms (like VMware), and certifications such as CompTIA Server+ or Cisco CCNA are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication help you excel in this role. These skills ensure reliable data center operations, minimize downtime, and support the critical IT needs of the organization.

What Is a Data Center Engineer?

A data center engineer’s duties are to design, implement, and monitor information technology systems at a data center. A data center engineer must be familiar with a variety of IT hardware, such as servers, cables, power systems, and cooling equipment, needed to maintain the physical safety of an IT facility, which includes fire safety. Their job is to set up the infrastructure needed to connect servers and hard drives together, and be familiar with the capacity of the technology. After setting up IT systems, they are responsible for system monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

More about Data Center Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Data Center Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Data Center Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Data Center Engineer jobs in California? For Data Center Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Data Center Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Data Center Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Data Center Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Data Center Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Data Center Engineer jobs in CA? For Data Center Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Data Center Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Data Center Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,530 per year, or $70 per hour.
Data Center Engineer (in Santa Clara, CA)

Data Center Engineer (in Santa Clara, CA)

Five9

Santa Clara, CA

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

Join us in bringing joy to customer experience. Five9 is a leading provider of cloud contact center software, bringing the power of cloud innovation to customers worldwide.

Living our values everyday results in our team-first culture and enables us to innovate, grow, and thrive while enjoying the journey together. We celebrate diversity and foster an inclusive environment, empowering our employees to be their authentic selves.

We are actively seeking an experienced Data Center Engineer for our Infrastructure Reliability team. This person will be responsible for building and installing multiple hardware components that make up the company's infrastructure, focusing on long-term planning, design, and optimization of the data center environment. This position will be working at our data center in Santa Clara, CA, five days per week, along with being on call.
This role includes managing hardware, software, and network connections to ensure the reliability, security, and efficiency of the data center's operations. They handle tasks like installing and configuring equipment, troubleshooting issues, performing maintenance, and contributing to disaster recovery planning. He/she exhibits a deep understanding of data center technologies, strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, and excellent communication skills.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Designing and implementing new data center infrastructure, optimizing for performance and scalability, ensuring security, and planning for future growth
  • Build, manage and maintain company's infrastructure in global data centers
  • Perform equipment installs – compute, network, storage, racks, PDUs, cabling, etc.
  • Closely monitor infrastructure to prevent failures and service degradation
  • Monitor and calculate power usage, power balancing and power availability in each cabinet
  • Ability to collaborate with other engineers and IT professionals to achieve common goals, troubleshooting and resolving issues
  • Communicate and coordinate with remote hands in remote data centers, providing technical direction when needed
  • Maintain asset inventory in DCIM – for both production and lab environments
  • Perform all shipping and receiving duties including RMA activities
  • Maintain impeccable documentation around our datacenter configuration
  • Set standards of excellence for all datacenter operations
  • Performing regular maintenance tasks, such as cleaning, inspecting, and replacing components, to prevent problems and ensure the longevity of the equipment
  • Update and work on tickets and tasks assigned in a timely manner
  • Follow change management process and participate in off hours change windows
  • Provide 24x7 support as needed
  • Participate in on-call rotation, incident response, and root cause analysis for platform reliability issues.
  • Comfortable using command line interfaces
  • Familiarity with Linux and other cli operating systems
  • Familiar with server, storage, internet technologies
  • Ability to lift up to 75 lb.

Requirements:

  • Strong technical knowledge of networking, servers, storage, and virtualization, experience with data center design and implementation, ability to analyze and optimize performance, and project management skills
  • Minimum of 4 years hands on experience with Data Centre technologies – compute, network, storage, cabling, racks, PDUs, etc.
  • Great knowledge and experience with planning cooling, power and space resources Linux/Unix system administration, networking and SAN connectivity skills strongly desired
  • Experience working with vendors (quote-purchase process, RMA processes, support interactions)
  • Coding skills to automate repetitive tasks and gather reporting information
  • Experience supporting 24x7 customer facing production environment
  • Ability to troubleshoot and solve hardware problems independently
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience

Work Location: This role is fully onsite. 5 days a week in office is required.

As part of our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Five9 supports pay transparency during the entire recruitment process. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate including, but not limited to: skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the job across the United States. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation package during your hiring process.

Additionally, the total compensation package for this position may also include an annual performance bonus, stock, and/or other applicable incentive compensation plans.

Our total reward package also includes:

  • Health, dental, and vision coverage, beginning on the first day of employment. Five9 covers 100% of the employee portion of the health, dental and vision coverage and shares a high portion of the dependent cost. We also offer Short & Long-Term Disability, Basic Life Insurance, and a 401k saving plan with employer matching.
  • Access to an innovative mental health support platform that offers personalized care and resources in areas such as: therapy, coaching and self-guided mindfulness exercises for all covered employees and their covered dependents.
  • Generous employee stock purchase plan.
  • Paid Time Off, Company paid holidays, paid volunteer hours and 12 weeks paid parental leave.

All compensation and benefits are subject to the requirements and restrictions set forth in the applicable plan documents and any written agreements between the parties.

The US base salary range for this role is below.
$55,100—$115,000 USD

Five9 embraces diversity and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.  The more inclusive we are, the better we are.  Five9 is an equal opportunity employer.

View our privacy policy, including our privacy notice to California residents here: https://www.five9.com/pt-pt/legal.

Note: Five9 will never request that an applicant send money as a prerequisite for commencing employment with Five9.