Data center jobs fall into two groups: the people who build data centers and the people who keep them running around the clock. On the construction side that means electricians, engineers, commissioning agents and construction managers. On the operations side it means critical facilities technicians, controls specialists, NOC staff and data center technicians.
Below are 12 roles across both phases, with what each one does, how people get into it, the credentials that help, and a Bureau of Labor Statistics pay benchmark where a close match exists.
Key takeaways
- The U.S. data center industry directly employed 1,005,080 people in 2024 and supported 5.5 million jobs in total, according to the 2026 PwC study for the Data Center Coalition.
- Data center engineers were the most in-demand role in AFCOM’s State of the Data Center 2026 (cited by 56% of respondents).
- Many operations roles are open to people from the trades, the military and facilities maintenance, not only to degree holders.
- BLS May 2025 medians for the closest occupations range from $61,010 (HVAC mechanics) to $120,630 (electrical engineers). These are national, all-industry figures, not data center-specific pay.
- Credentials that show up often include NFPA 70E, EPA Section 608, OSHA 10/30, a PE license for engineers, and CompTIA certifications for IT-side roles.
How many people work in data centers?
More than most people expect. The PwC study for the Data Center Coalition (2026) found the U.S. data center industry directly employed 1,005,080 people in 2024. Counting the jobs it supports elsewhere in the economy, the industry’s total employment contribution grew from 4.7 million jobs in 2023 to 5.5 million in 2024.
Employers also say they cannot hire fast enough. In AFCOM’s State of the Data Center 2026 executive summary, 87% of respondents said workforce gaps are affecting operations. The most in-demand roles were data center engineers (56%), multi-skilled data center operators (40%), power systems and energy engineers (36%) and security specialists (36%). For more numbers, see our data center workforce shortage statistics and the full data center statistics roundup.
What are the main types of data center jobs?
A simple way to sort the field is by phase. Construction roles design, build and commission the facility. Operations roles run it after it goes live. Some trades, electricians and HVAC technicians in particular, work in both.
| Role | Phase | Typical background | Closest BLS benchmark (May 2025 median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction project manager | Construction | Construction management, engineering, or field supervision | Construction managers ($114,990) |
| Electrician | Both | Apprenticeship and state license | Electricians ($63,190) |
| Electrical engineer | Both (mostly design and construction) | BSEE, often power or building systems | Electrical engineers ($120,630) |
| Mechanical engineer | Both (mostly design and construction) | BSME, HVAC or thermal focus | Mechanical engineers ($104,110) |
| Commissioning agent / engineer | Construction | Engineering degree or senior trades experience | No close match |
| Controls / BMS technician | Both | Controls, HVAC or electrical background | No close match |
| HVAC / mechanical technician | Operations | HVAC trade school or apprenticeship | HVAC mechanics and installers ($61,010) |
| Critical facilities technician | Operations | Trades, military, or facilities maintenance | No close match |
| Critical facilities engineer / facility manager | Operations | Senior technician or engineering degree | No close match |
| Data center technician (IT / remote hands) | Operations | IT support, help desk, or associate degree | Computer user support specialists ($61,860) |
| NOC technician | Operations | IT support or networking certifications | Computer network support specialists ($76,220) |
| Network / systems administrator | Operations | IT degree or equivalent experience | Network and computer systems administrators ($99,130) |
A note on the pay figures: BLS does not publish data center-specific wages for these jobs. Each number is the national median for the closest BLS occupation across all industries, so pay at a specific data center can be higher or lower depending on the market, shift and experience.
Which data center jobs are in construction?
Data center construction is large, fast and electrically heavy. These roles are busiest before the facility goes live. For the market side, see our data center construction statistics.
1. Construction project manager
Construction project managers run the schedule, budget, subcontractors and safety on a data center build. They coordinate the general contractor, the electrical and mechanical trades, and the owner’s team, and they are accountable for handing over a facility that passes commissioning on time.
Typical background: A bachelor’s degree in construction management or engineering is common, and BLS lists a bachelor’s as the typical entry level. Many also come up through field roles such as assistant superintendent or project engineer. Our guide to what a project engineer does covers that stepping stone.
Useful credentials: PMP, Certified Construction Manager (CCM), OSHA 30.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for construction managers was $114,990 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects 9% growth from 2025 to 2035.
2. Electrician
Electricians install switchgear, busway, UPS systems, generators, power distribution units and cable tray. During operations, facility electricians also handle maintenance and switching work. Data centers are among the largest electrical projects many electricians will ever work on.
Typical background: Most start through a four- to five-year apprenticeship, then pass a state licensing exam covering the National Electrical Code, according to BLS. Industrial and commercial experience transfers well.
Useful credentials: State journeyman or master license, NFPA 70E training, OSHA 10/30.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for electricians was $63,190 across 821,000 jobs (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects 9% growth from 2025 to 2035 and names data centers among the drivers.
3. Electrical engineer
Electrical engineers design the power path from the utility feed to the rack: medium-voltage service, switchgear, UPS, backup generation and redundancy. On the owner or operator side, they also review designs and manage electrical upgrades. We keep this short here because our guide to what a data center engineer does goes deeper.
Typical background: A bachelor’s in electrical engineering, usually with power systems or building systems experience from consulting engineering, utilities or industrial plants.
Useful credentials: PE license (often required to stamp drawings), NFPA 70E, familiarity with the NEC.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for electrical engineers was $120,630 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation).
4. Mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineers design and support cooling: chillers, cooling towers, CRAH units, and increasingly liquid cooling for high-density AI racks. They balance cooling capacity, redundancy and energy use. Our post on AI data center power and cooling skills covers where this work is heading.
Typical background: A bachelor’s in mechanical engineering with HVAC, thermal or plant experience. Many come from MEP consulting firms or mission-critical facilities like hospitals.
Useful credentials: PE license, ASHRAE membership or training.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for mechanical engineers was $104,110 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects 11% growth from 2025 to 2035.
5. Commissioning agent or engineer
Commissioning agents test every system before the facility carries live load. They write test scripts, witness equipment startup, and run integrated systems tests that simulate utility failures to prove backup power and cooling respond as designed. Problems found here are far cheaper to fix than problems found after go-live.
Typical background: An electrical or mechanical engineering degree, or senior trades experience (often electrical or controls) plus time on mission-critical projects.
Useful credentials: Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP) or Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA), NFPA 70E, OSHA 30.
Pay benchmark: BLS does not track a closely matching occupation, so we have not listed a pay figure.
Recruiter tip: If you are coming from commercial construction, list the specific equipment you have installed or tested (switchgear brands, UPS models, generator sizes, chiller types). Data center hiring managers scan for equipment names before job titles.
Which data center jobs are in operations?
Once a data center is live, it runs 24/7. Operations teams keep power, cooling and IT systems up, usually on rotating shifts, and they respond to alarms at any hour.
6. Controls or BMS technician
Controls technicians program, maintain and troubleshoot the building management system (BMS) and electrical power monitoring system (EPMS) that watch every breaker, chiller and sensor in the building. They tune sequences of operation, clear nuisance alarms and support commissioning. The role spans both construction and operations.
Typical background: HVAC controls, electrical or instrumentation experience, often from a controls contractor or building automation vendor. Our guide on what a controls engineer does covers the engineering path.
Useful credentials: Vendor platform training (for example, the specific BMS the site runs), EPA Section 608 if working on refrigerant equipment, NFPA 70E.
Pay benchmark: BLS does not track a closely matching occupation, so we have not listed a pay figure.
7. HVAC or mechanical technician
HVAC technicians maintain the cooling plant: chillers, pumps, CRAH and CRAC units, cooling towers and, in newer sites, liquid cooling loops. They perform preventive maintenance, respond to temperature alarms and support equipment replacements.
Typical background: HVAC trade school, apprenticeship or military HVAC experience. Commercial and industrial HVAC work transfers most directly.
Useful credentials: EPA Section 608 (BLS notes the EPA requires nearly all HVAC technicians to be certified in refrigerant handling), OSHA 10.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for HVAC mechanics and installers was $61,010 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects 11% growth from 2025 to 2035.
8. Critical facilities technician
Critical facilities technicians are the multi-skilled backbone of data center operations. They do rounds, perform preventive maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems, follow method-of-procedure (MOP) documents for switching work, and respond first when an alarm goes off. AFCOM’s multi-skilled operator category, cited by 40% of respondents as in demand, maps closely to this job.
Typical background: Electrical or HVAC trades, military technical ratings (for example, Navy electrician’s mate or machinist’s mate), or facilities maintenance in hospitals, plants or campuses.
Useful credentials: NFPA 70E, EPA Section 608, OSHA 10, and data center training such as the Certified Data Centre Technician Professional (CDCTP) or Uptime Institute operations courses.
Pay benchmark: BLS does not track a closely matching occupation, so we have not listed a pay figure. The closest trade benchmarks are electricians and HVAC mechanics above.
9. Critical facilities engineer or facility manager
Critical facilities engineers lead the site’s electrical and mechanical operations. They own maintenance programs, approve MOPs, manage vendors, run incident reviews and plan capacity. Our critical facilities engineer job description breaks the role down in detail.
Typical background: Usually a senior critical facilities technician who moved up, or an engineer with mission-critical operations experience.
Useful credentials: Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP) or similar, PE license for engineering-led roles, NFPA 70E.
Pay benchmark: BLS does not track a closely matching occupation, so we have not listed a pay figure.
Recruiter tip: Expect scenario questions in operations interviews, such as how you would respond to a UPS alarm at 2 a.m. or how you would safely isolate a breaker. Practice with our data center technician interview questions before your first call.
Which data center jobs are on the IT side?
Facilities teams keep the building running. IT operations teams look after the servers, storage and network inside it. These roles are often the easiest entry point for people coming from IT support.
10. Data center technician (IT or remote hands)
Data center technicians rack and cable servers, swap failed drives and parts, run fiber and copper, and carry out tickets for customers or internal teams who are not on site. In colocation facilities this is often called remote hands. The work is physical and process-driven.
Typical background: Help desk or IT support experience, an associate degree, or military IT experience. Many people get in with a CompTIA certification and a willingness to work shifts.
Useful credentials: CompTIA A+, Network+ or Server+; fiber optic training.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for computer user support specialists was $61,860 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). The match is partial, since data center technicians do more hardware work than typical support roles.
11. NOC technician
Network operations center (NOC) technicians monitor networks, systems and facility alarms from a central console. They open and escalate tickets, run first-level troubleshooting and coordinate with on-site staff and carriers during incidents.
Typical background: IT support or networking experience; some employers hire entry-level candidates with certifications and train them.
Useful credentials: CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA, ITIL Foundation.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for computer network support specialists was $76,220 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects a 3% decline for computer support specialists overall from 2025 to 2035.
12. Network or systems administrator
Network and systems administrators configure and maintain the switches, routers, firewalls and servers that run in the data center. They handle upgrades, security patches, capacity changes and after-hours outages.
Typical background: A bachelor’s in IT or computer science is typical, per BLS, though certifications and experience are often accepted. Many move up from NOC or data center technician roles.
Useful credentials: Cisco CCNA or CCNP, vendor server and storage certifications, Linux certifications.
Pay benchmark: BLS May 2025 median for network and computer systems administrators was $99,130 (national, all-industry median of the closest BLS occupation). BLS projects a 4% decline from 2025 to 2035, mostly from automation and outsourcing, though replacement openings continue.
How do you get a data center job with no data center experience?
Most people in data centers did not start there. Hiring managers look for transferable experience in systems that behave like a data center: high-voltage electrical work, industrial HVAC, hospital or plant maintenance, military technical roles, or IT support. A few practical steps:
- Translate your experience into data center terms. Generator maintenance, UPS work, switching procedures, chiller plants and 24/7 shift work all carry over.
- Get the safety basics first. NFPA 70E and OSHA 10 training are widely available and show up in many postings.
- Look at construction first. Build projects need large crews of tradespeople, and they introduce you to the equipment you will later maintain.
- Be open on shifts and location. Operations roles run nights and weekends, and hiring is concentrated in major markets. Our list of top data center markets shows where.
- Consider contract work as a way in. Our breakdown of contract staffing vs. direct hire explains the trade-offs.
Frequently asked questions
Do data center jobs require a degree?
Not always. Engineering, construction management and many systems administrator roles usually expect a bachelor’s degree. Critical facilities technician, electrician, HVAC technician, data center technician and NOC roles are often filled by people with trade training, military experience or certifications instead.
What is the highest-paying data center job?
Among the roles here with a close BLS match, electrical engineers had the highest May 2025 median at $120,630, followed by construction managers at $114,990. Those are national, all-industry medians from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, not data center-specific pay. Senior leadership roles such as critical facilities managers are not tracked separately by BLS.
Are data center jobs in demand?
Yes. In AFCOM’s State of the Data Center 2026, 87% of respondents said workforce gaps are affecting operations, and data center engineers were the most in-demand role (cited by 56%, up from 50% the prior year).
What is the easiest data center job to get into?
For people with an IT background, data center technician (remote hands) and NOC technician are the most common entry points. For people from the trades, construction-phase electrician or HVAC work usually opens the door, followed by a move into a critical facilities technician role.
Do data center jobs involve shift work?
Operations roles usually do. Facilities and NOC teams staff the site around the clock on rotating shifts. Construction and engineering roles tend to follow project hours, which can still run long near a deadline.
Looking for your next data center role, or hiring for one? Apollo Technical recruits engineers, technicians and IT professionals for data center employers. Learn more about our data center recruiting services.
