What does a data center engineer do? A data center engineer keeps a data center running 24 hours a day by operating and maintaining either the building systems (power, cooling and controls) or the IT infrastructure inside it (servers, storage and network). Most job postings mean one of those two tracks, and knowing which one you are looking at is the first step to getting hired or hiring well.
Key takeaways
- “Data center engineer” covers two different jobs: critical facilities engineers who run electrical, mechanical and controls systems, and IT infrastructure engineers who run servers, storage and networks.
- Critical facilities work centers on UPS systems, switchgear, generators, chillers, CRAHs and the building management system. IT work centers on racking, cabling, hardware replacement and network troubleshooting.
- Useful credentials include Uptime Institute courses such as ATS and AOS, the BICSI DCDC and CompTIA Server+.
- Demand is rising fast. A DOE backed report found data centers used about 4.4% of U.S. electricity in 2023 and could use 6.7% to 12% by 2028.
- Expect shift work, on call rotations and strict change control, because the whole point of the job is zero unplanned downtime.
What does a data center engineer do day to day?
The short version: they keep the lights on, literally. A data center exists to deliver uninterrupted power, cooling and connectivity to the servers inside it. Every data center engineer, whatever their track, is measured on uptime.
A typical shift starts with a handover from the previous team, a review of alarms and open work orders, and a walk through the facility. From there, the day is split between planned maintenance, responding to alarms or tickets, and supporting projects such as new customer deployments or equipment upgrades.
Common tasks across both tracks
- Walking the floor and checking equipment readings, alarms and temperatures
- Executing preventive maintenance under approved procedures
- Writing and following methods of procedure (MOPs) for any change to live systems
- Responding to incidents and escalating to vendors or senior engineers
- Supporting audits, customer tours and compliance checks
- Documenting everything in a ticketing or maintenance management system
Recruiter tip: When we talk to hiring managers for data center roles, the first question is almost always “facilities or IT?” If you are applying, make that obvious in the first line of your resume. A candidate who writes “critical facilities technician with UPS and generator maintenance experience” gets a call back much faster than one who writes “data center professional.”
Is a critical facilities engineer different from an IT data center engineer?
Yes, and the difference matters more than the shared title. Critical facilities engineers come from electrical, mechanical, HVAC or controls backgrounds, often including the military, power plants or commercial building operations. IT infrastructure engineers come from help desk, server administration and network support.
| Critical facilities engineer | IT infrastructure data center engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Power, cooling, fire protection and building controls | Servers, storage, network and cabling |
| Equipment | Switchgear, UPS, batteries, generators, PDUs, chillers, CRAHs, cooling towers, BMS and EPMS | Racks, servers, storage arrays, switches, routers, fiber and copper cabling |
| Typical background | Electrician, HVAC technician, Navy nuclear or electrical, stationary engineer, controls technician | Help desk, systems administrator, network technician |
| Common credentials | Uptime Institute courses, electrical licenses, HVAC certifications | CompTIA Server+, network certifications, BICSI credentials |
| Biggest risk they manage | Losing power or cooling to the white space | Hardware failure, bad changes and network outages |
| Who they work for | Colocation providers, hyperscalers, facilities management firms | Hyperscalers, cloud providers, enterprises, managed service providers |
Critical facilities: electrical, mechanical and controls
Within critical facilities there are further specialties. Electrical engineers and technicians handle medium and low voltage distribution, UPS systems and generators. Mechanical engineers handle chillers, pumps, cooling towers and air handling, and increasingly liquid cooling for high density AI racks. Controls engineers program and troubleshoot the building management system and power monitoring system that tie it all together.
If the controls side interests you, our look at whether controls engineering is a good career explains the skills and pay in more depth.
IT infrastructure: servers, storage and network
On the IT side, data center engineers rack and stack new hardware, run and label cabling, swap failed drives and components, and troubleshoot connectivity. At large cloud and AI sites, these roles are often called data center technicians or hardware operations engineers, and the work is high volume and tightly process driven.
Which certifications help data center engineers get hired?
No single certification is required for most data center engineering jobs. Experience with the actual equipment usually matters more. That said, a few credentials show up again and again in job postings and help candidates stand out.
| Credential | Issued by | Best fit | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDCTP, ATS, AOS | Uptime Institute | Critical facilities operations | Operational fundamentals, Tier Standard principles and operations best practices for mission critical sites |
| DCDC (Data Center Design Consultant) | BICSI | Design and construction | Data center design; eligibility requires an RCDD or several years of data center design, construction or operations experience |
| Server+ | CompTIA | IT infrastructure | Server hardware installation, administration, security, disaster recovery and troubleshooting |
| Electrical or HVAC licenses | State and local authorities | Critical facilities | Legal authority to perform certain electrical or mechanical work, depending on the state |
Uptime Institute organizes its operations courses as a pathway, starting with the Certified Data Center Technician Professional (CDCTP) and moving through the Accredited Tier Specialist (ATS) and Accredited Operations Specialist (AOS) to leadership courses. The ATS focuses on interpreting and applying Tier criteria, while the AOS focuses on operations best practices, reliability and risk mitigation.
The BICSI DCDC is aimed at people who design or build data centers. Candidates need a current RCDD, or two to three years of verifiable data center design, construction or operations experience depending on the eligibility option they use.
For IT track engineers, CompTIA Server+ validates server installation, management and troubleshooting skills. CompTIA recommends A+ level knowledge and two years of hands on server experience before taking the exam.
Do data center engineers work shifts and nights?
Usually, yes. Data centers never close, so operations teams cover every hour of every day. Many sites run rotating 12 hour shifts that include nights, weekends and holidays, while senior and project roles are more likely to work a standard day schedule with on call duty.
Shift work has trade offs. Many people like the compressed schedule that comes with longer shifts, and shift differentials can add to base pay. The downside is the toll on sleep and family time, especially on night rotations.
Even day shift engineers should expect after hours work. Risky changes to live power or cooling systems are often scheduled for low traffic windows, and incidents do not wait for business hours.
Why is there such high demand for data center engineers right now?
The short answer is AI and cloud growth. A DOE report produced by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that data centers consumed about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity in 2023 and are expected to consume roughly 6.7% to 12% by 2028. Total data center electricity use grew from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023.
More power means more buildings, bigger electrical systems and far more cooling, including liquid cooling for dense AI hardware. Every one of those facilities needs engineers to commission it and then operate it around the clock. That is why critical facilities talent has become one of the tightest markets we recruit for.
The construction boom also creates project roles that did not exist at this scale a few years ago: commissioning engineers, construction managers, electrical and mechanical design engineers, and owner representatives who oversee builds for hyperscale clients.
How much do data center engineers make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate occupation for data center engineers, so any single “average salary” figure you see online is an estimate. The closest official benchmarks depend on which track you are in.
- For critical facilities engineers with an engineering degree, the nearest BLS match is electrical engineers, with a May 2025 median of $120,630 per year.
- For IT infrastructure roles, the nearest match is network and computer systems administrators, with a May 2025 median of $99,130 per year.
Real offers vary widely by market, shift, experience and employer type. Hyperscale and AI campuses in tight labor markets often pay premiums, and night shift differentials and overtime can push total pay above base salary. Technician level roles without a degree usually start below these engineering benchmarks.
The BLS outlook also differs by track. It projects electrical and electronics engineering employment to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, while network and computer systems administrator employment is projected to decline 4 percent over the same period.
How do you become a data center engineer?
There is no single path, which is part of the appeal. Here are the most common routes we see:
- Military: Navy nuclear, electrical and HVAC ratings translate very well to critical facilities operations.
- Skilled trades: licensed electricians, HVAC technicians and stationary engineers can move into facilities technician roles and then into engineering.
- Engineering degree: electrical and mechanical graduates often start in design, commissioning or facilities engineering roles.
- IT support: help desk and desktop support staff move into data center technician roles, then into infrastructure engineering.
If you are an electrical engineer weighing the move, our guide to what an electrical engineer does is a good way to compare the day to day work in data centers with other industries.
Recruiter tip: Data center hiring managers love candidates who can explain an incident they handled, step by step, and what they changed afterward. Before your interview, prepare one story about a power, cooling or hardware failure and how you followed procedure under pressure. It shows you understand that discipline matters more than speed.
Should employers use a data center staffing agency?
For many operators, yes, especially when opening a new site or scaling a campus quickly. Experienced critical facilities engineers rarely apply to job boards. They are usually employed, and they move when someone reaches out with the right shift, pay and site.
A specialized data center staffing agency can help by keeping a network of engineers and technicians who already know UPS, switchgear, cooling and BMS systems, by screening for the specific equipment you run, and by filling commissioning and startup roles on contract. You can read more about why companies use staffing agencies or how contract to hire works for engineering teams.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a degree to be a data center engineer?
Not always. Many critical facilities and IT technician roles hire based on military, trade or IT support experience, and people grow into engineer titles over time. Design and commissioning roles, and some senior facilities engineering roles, are more likely to require an electrical or mechanical engineering degree.
Is a data center engineer the same as a data center technician?
The titles overlap and vary by employer. Generally, technicians do more of the hands on maintenance and hardware work, while engineers own procedures, projects, troubleshooting of complex failures and sometimes supervision. Some large operators use “engineer” for experienced technicians as well.
Is working in a data center stressful?
It can be during incidents, because downtime is expensive and highly visible. Day to day, though, the work is structured and procedure driven. People who like clear processes, equipment and problem solving usually do well.
What is the best certification for a data center career?
It depends on your track. Facilities engineers often benefit most from Uptime Institute operations courses plus any trade licenses. IT engineers often start with CompTIA Server+ and network certifications, while people moving into design look at BICSI credentials.
Are data center jobs safe from AI?
Data center jobs are growing because of AI, not shrinking. Someone still has to maintain switchgear, repair cooling systems and replace failed hardware on site. Software may automate some monitoring, but the physical work is hard to replace.
Hiring for a new build or an operations team, or looking for your next critical facilities role? Our data center recruiting team places electrical, mechanical, controls and IT infrastructure engineers across the country. We also support hardware and network hiring through our IT staffing agency and electrical hiring through our electrical engineering recruiters.
