Data Center Design Engineer at OpenAI

San Francisco, California, United States

OpenAI Logo
$360,000 – $530,000Compensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Technology, Data Centers, AI InfrastructureIndustries

Requirements

  • 10+ years of experience in data center design, operation, and maintenance
  • Proven track record of leading operational and technical activities in large-scale data centers
  • Extensive expertise in MEP design, operation, and maintenance, including critical infrastructure systems
  • Comprehensive knowledge of data center buildings, equipment, and operational workflows
  • Deep understanding of power, cooling, networking, and construction systems
  • Hands-on experience with critical equipment (generators, UPS, chillers, CDUs) and vendor management
  • Proven ability to work with external vendors for equipment selection and installation and bring up
  • Working experience with local and governmental regulatory agencies and compliance with data center design standards and requirements
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills with internal teams and stakeholders
  • Familiarity with building construction and architecture concepts, as well as best practices in data center design
  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related fields; advanced degree preferred
  • Professional engineering certificate and other similar certificates required
  • Preferred: 15+ years of experience in managing

Responsibilities

  • Oversee building and MEP design, operation, and maintenance, including reviewing building and MEP drawings and proposals across all project phases
  • Lead operational activities for large-scale data center campuses, from early design phases through delivery and daily operation
  • Operate and maintain critical data center facilities and equipment, ensuring reliability and performance
  • Collaborate with external vendors to select, procure, and manage critical equipment, such as generators, UPS, chillers, and CDUs
  • Provide technical expertise on all aspects of data center building, equipment, and operational systems, ensuring alignment with best practices
  • Ensure seamless integration of power, cooling, networking, and construction systems into overall data center design and operation
  • Contribute to developing data center operational workflows from design requirements through commissioning, pilot testing, and deployment readiness
  • Contribute to data center operations projects (hardware and software readiness) from planning through deployment
  • Provide technical direction to teams and vendors, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and standards
  • Select and manage external contractors and consultants and foster strong vendor relationships
  • Oversee quality assurance and resolve risks to meet safety and operational standards

Skills

Data Center Design
MEP Systems
Mechanical Design
Electrical Design
Power Systems
Chillers
UPS
Generators
CDUs
Vendor Management
Facility Operations
Critical Infrastructure

OpenAI

Develops safe and beneficial AI technologies

About OpenAI

OpenAI develops and deploys artificial intelligence technologies aimed at benefiting humanity. The company creates advanced AI models capable of performing various tasks, such as automating processes and enhancing creativity. OpenAI's products, like Sora, allow users to generate videos from text descriptions, showcasing the versatility of its AI applications. Unlike many competitors, OpenAI operates under a capped profit model, which limits the profits it can make and ensures that excess earnings are redistributed to maximize the social benefits of AI. This commitment to safety and ethical considerations is central to its mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) serves all of humanity.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2015Year Founded
$18,433.2MTotal Funding
LATE_VCCompany Stage
AI & Machine LearningIndustries
1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Health insurance
Dental and vision insurance
Flexible spending account for healthcare and dependent care
Mental healthcare service
Fertility treatment coverage
401(k) with generous matching
20-week paid parental leave
Life insurance (complimentary)
AD&D insurance (complimentary)
Short-term/long-term disability insurance (complimentary)
Optional buy-up life insurance
Flexible work hours and unlimited paid time off (we encourage 4+ weeks per year)
Annual learning & development stipend
Regular team happy hours and outings
Daily catered lunch and dinner
Travel to domestic conferences

Risks

Elon Musk's legal battle may pose financial and reputational challenges for OpenAI.
Customizable ChatGPT personas could lead to privacy and ethical concerns.
Competitors like Anthropic raising capital may intensify market competition.

Differentiation

OpenAI's capped profit model prioritizes ethical AI development over unlimited profit.
OpenAI's AI models, like Sora, offer unique video creation from text descriptions.
OpenAI's focus on AGI aims to create AI systems smarter than humans.

Upsides

OpenAI's $6.6 billion funding boosts its AI research and computational capacity.
Customizable ChatGPT personas enhance user engagement and satisfaction.
OpenAI's 'Operator' AI agent could revolutionize workforce automation by 2025.

Land your dream remote job 3x faster with AI