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Datacenter Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Sr. SWE Datacenter Automation

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$122K - $160K/yr

Own endโ€‘toโ€‘end lifecycle for datacenter compute and storage: bareโ€‘metal provisioning, hypervisor management, SAN/NVMe storage clusters, network configuration, and Kubernetes cluster lifecycle.

Showing results 21-40

Datacenter information

See California salary details

$50.8K

$145.5K

$194.4K

How much do datacenter jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for datacenter 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 is a datacenter?

A datacenter is a specialized facility that houses computer systems, servers, networking equipment, and storage infrastructure. These centers provide centralized locations for the collection, storage, management, and dissemination of data and applications. Datacenters are critical for supporting the IT operations of businesses, organizations, and online services, ensuring high availability, security, and reliability. They often have advanced cooling, power backup, and physical security systems to protect the equipment and data. Companies may operate their own datacenters or use third-party providers for colocation or cloud services.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a data center technician, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Center Technician, you need strong knowledge of computer hardware, networking, and power/cooling systems, often supported by an associate degree or relevant certifications like CompTIA Server+. Familiarity with data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tools, ticketing systems, and remote monitoring platforms is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for diagnosing issues and collaborating with technical teams. These skills and qualifications are important to ensure uptime, maintain security, and support the reliable operation of mission-critical IT infrastructure.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in a datacenter environment?

Working in a datacenter often involves managing high-stakes situations such as unexpected hardware failures, power outages, and maintaining strict uptime requirements. Professionals must be prepared to troubleshoot technical issues quickly and efficiently, sometimes outside of standard business hours. Additionally, adhering to rigorous security and compliance protocols is essential, as datacenters handle sensitive data for organizations. Teamwork and clear communication with network engineers, security specialists, and facility managers are crucial for keeping operations smooth and minimizing downtime.

Do data centers pay well?

Data center jobs, such as technicians and engineers, generally offer competitive salaries that vary based on experience, location, and certifications like Cisco or CompTIA. Entry-level positions may start lower, but experienced professionals with specialized skills can earn above-average wages in the industry.

What type of jobs are at a data center?

Jobs at a data center include roles such as data center technician, network engineer, systems administrator, and facilities manager. These positions involve maintaining hardware, managing network infrastructure, ensuring security, and supporting power and cooling systems, often requiring technical skills and certifications like CompTIA or Cisco. Work environments are typically 24/7 to ensure continuous operation.

What are the most commonly searched types of Datacenter jobs in California?

The most popular types of Datacenter jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Datacenter jobs?

Cities in California with the most Datacenter job openings:

Infographic showing various Datacenter job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, and 20% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $145,530 per year, or $70 per hour.

Manufacturing Quality Engineer - Datacenter Infrastructure

Triwill Group

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Other

Posted 10 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Conduct manufacturing evaluation, audits, and improve vendor performance across production, inspection, testing, and delivery phases.

  • Develop and maintain a datacenter-focused manufacturing quality program that supports global deployment schedules.

  • Audit quality activities at vendor and project sites to verify compliance with requirements.


Job description

Description: About the Team

OpenAI, in partnership with our capital and technology partners, is building a global network of advanced datacenters to support the most demanding AI workloads. The Infrastructure Quality team ensures that all datacenter systems are manufactured, delivered, and commissioned to the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance.

We work closely with manufacturing partners, general contractors, engineering teams, and operations staff to ensure that every component is delivered ready for installation, startup, and long-term service. Our work spans from vendor qualification through commissioning, ensuring operational readiness across our global portfolio.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Quality Engineer (MQE) to establish, implement, and manage a manufacturing-focused quality program for datacenter infrastructure. This role will be responsible for vendor oversight, quality assurance, process improvement, and issue resolution for all critical systems.

You will lead vendor audits, monitor performance metrics, and coordinate corrective actions to ensure predictable delivery schedules, reduced risks, and operational reliability. By partnering with vendors, construction teams, and internal stakeholders, you will help ensure OpenAIโ€™s datacenters are delivered on time and built to the highest operational standards.

Travel
  • Domestic and international travel as needed (estimated 40โ€“60%) to manufacturing sites, datacenter locations, and partner facilities.
Key ResponsibilitiesVendor Oversight & Performance Management
  • Conduct manufacturing evaluation, audits, and improve vendor performance across production, inspection, testing, and delivery phases.
  • Develop and track quality metrics to assess manufacturing performance and identify trends.
  • Partner with vendors to refine processes, training, and quality controls to mitigate risks before shipment.
Program Development & Execution
  • Develop and maintain a datacenter-focused manufacturing quality program that supports global deployment schedules.
  • Integrate manufacturing quality requirements into sourcing, design, and construction processes.
  • Establish effective cross-functional communication between manufacturing sites, construction teams, and operations.
Quality Leadership & Collaboration
  • Provide guidance to vendor and contractor quality teams, ensuring adherence to OpenAIโ€™s standards and specifications.
  • Collaborate with engineering, sourcing, construction, and operations to align quality processes with project goals.
  • Mentor vendor teams and provide structured feedback to drive continuous improvement.
Issue Resolution & Continuous Improvement
  • Audit quality activities at vendor and project sites to verify compliance with requirements.
  • Lead corrective and preventive action plans for audit findings and quality nonconformances.
  • Facilitate root cause analysis for recurring manufacturing issues and drive systemic process improvements.
Schedule & Documentation Management
  • Monitor manufacturing schedules to ensure on-time delivery to datacenter sites.
  • Ensure testing and inspection documentation is complete, accurate, and aligned with project milestones.
  • Participate in project quality, commissioning, and operational readiness meetings.
Qualifications
  • 10+ years in manufacturing quality management, supplier quality engineering, process improvement, or datacenter engineering/operations.
  • Bachelorโ€™s degree in engineering, manufacturing, construction management, or related field (or equivalent work experience).
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze data, solve problems, and improve manufacturing processes.
  • Proven track record managing deliverables for complex projects or supplier programs.
  • Strong communication skills with experience influencing both technical and executive audiences.
Preferred Skills
  • Technical knowledge of datacenter infrastructure systems, including mechanical, electrical, and controls components.
  • Experience in supplier performance management for mission-critical facilities.
  • ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Quality Manager, or Quality Auditor.
  • PMP or equivalent project management certification.
  • Experience in industrial or high-volume manufacturing environments.
About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAIโ€™s Affโ€ฆ statement https://cdn.openai.com/policies/eeo-policy-statement.pdf.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form https://form.asana.com/?d=57018692298241&k=5MqR40fZd7jlxVUh5J-UeA. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link https://form.asana.com/?k=bQ7w9h3iexRlicUdWRiwvg&d=57018692298241.

OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy https://cdn.openai.com/policies/global-employee-and-contractor-privacy-policy.pdf

At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

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