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Data Center Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Senior VMware & Data Center Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$55.50 - $69.25/hr

Senior VMware & Data Center Engineer Location: Washington, DC Type: Direct Hire Contractor Work Model: Onsite Hours: 40.0 hours per week Security Clearance: TS/SCI Overview Leave placeholder text ...

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering) required. EXPERIENCE - 10+ years of related experience in data center management and operations ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Senior Data Center Technician Overview * As a Senior Data Center Technician, you will act as a ... This position will work directly with our contracted L2 engineers who are responsible for all ...

The Data Center Facility Engineer will work at our client's National Capital Region (NCR) site. Responsibilities: The Data Center Facility Engineer is responsible for supporting an engineering team ...

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Data Center Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$53.7K

$153.7K

$205.3K

How much do data center engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for data center engineer in Reston, VA is $153,694.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $87,600.00 and $204,300.00 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.

What are popular job titles related to Data Center Engineer jobs in Reston, VA? For Data Center Engineer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Data Center Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Data Center Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Data Center Engineer jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Data Center Engineer job openings:
Senior VMware & Data Center Engineer

Senior VMware & Data Center Engineer

System One

Washington, DC • On-site

$55.50 - $69.25/hr

Contractor

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 25 days ago


Job description

Job Title: Senior VMware & Data Center Engineer Location: Washington, DC Type: Direct Hire Contractor Work Model: Onsite Hours: 40.0 hours per week Security Clearance: TS/SCI

Overview Leave placeholder text here for recruiter to input

Responsibilities

  • Design and sustain mission-critical data center environments with the goal to make an impact across the federal government.
  • Use enterprise data center technologies to manage and operate servers, storage, networking, and power systems supporting mission-critical environments within the federal government.
  • Support and sustain high-availability operations by monitoring infrastructure health, responding to incidents, and troubleshooting complex hardware and facility issues.
  • Design, implement, and improve data center infrastructure solutions that increase reliability, performance, and resiliency.
  • Participate actively in Agile execution, planning, and technical discussions, contributing immediately with hands-on expertise.
  • Identify risks, constraints, and capacity concerns, and communicate them clearly along with mitigation strategies and recommendations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure infrastructure changes are executed safely and with minimal operational impact.
  • Apply best practices for security, availability, and operational excellence in secure, high-visibility environments.
  • Establish and maintain a high level of customer trust and confidence through disciplined execution, ownership, and technical excellence.

Requirements

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Issued Top Secret with SCI security clearance.
  • Possess DoD 8140 certification aligned to the 451 System Administrator work role, such as Security+, Cloud+, SSCP, CASP+, or CISSP.
  • 8+ years of direct experience designing, implementing, and managing geographically dispersed data center infrastructure in enterprise or mission-critical environments.
  • Demonstrated experience ensuring the reliability, scalability, and efficiency of data center operations, including servers, storage, networking, power, and environmental resource requirements.
  • Hands-on experience administering virtualized data center platforms, including VMware or equivalent enterprise virtualization technologies.
  • Operational experience managing compute, storage, and network infrastructure, including capacity planning, performance optimization, and lifecycle management.
  • Hands-on experience supporting high-availability data center operations, including monitoring, fault isolation, and incident response.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related engineering field is required.
  • Relevant experience may substitute where appropriate.
  • Ability to contribute immediately with minimal ramp-up in a mission-critical operational environment.
  • Required technical certifications include VMware VCP-DCV or equivalent data center platform certification and Security+.
  • Preferred: Masters Degree.

System One, and its subsidiaries including Joulé and Mountain Ltd., are leaders in delivering outsourced services and workforce solutions across North America. We help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality. System One not only serves as a valued partner for our clients, but we offer eligible employees health and welfare benefits coverage options including medical, dental, vision, spending accounts, life insurance, voluntary plans, as well as participation in a 401(k) plan.

System One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, family care or medical leave status, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. #M1 #LI-CD1 Ref: #851-Rockville-S1