15 data center jobs from construction to operations (with salaries)

Data center jobs continue to grow as demand for cloud computing and AI accelerates worldwide. Recent reports show that companies are projected to invest nearly US$7 trillion in data center infrastructure by 2030. This boom is attracting professionals from other industries and inspiring early‑career talent to explore opportunities in this fast‑evolving sector.

Below, explore 15 in‑demand data center careers across different phases of construction and operations.

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Jobs in data center construction

During the construction phase, the physical facility takes shape and all critical systems are installed. Work begins with civil and shell construction, followed by the installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. 

1. Construction Manager

Construction Managers oversee the on‑site design, planning, and execution of data center projects. They ensure construction activities meet safety standards, stay on schedule and within budget, and comply with all technical specifications. They also lead the installation of MEP infrastructure throughout the facility.

• Annual salary range: 
  - US: $162.000
  - EU: £87.000 (€100.520)
• Education: Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields
• Certifications: CCM – Certified Construction Manager, LEED AP, CM‑BIM, OSHA 30/Construction Safety, CDCP or CDCDP and PE License

2. Project Manager

Data Center Construction Project Managers oversee overall planning, execution, budget management, and schedule performance. They coordinate multiple disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, controls, and architectural, to ensure the project meets all technical and operational requirements.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $135.000
  - EU: £84.000 (€97.040) 

• Education: Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering or a related field

• Certifications: PMP, CCM, CDCP/CDCDP, LEED AP and OSHA 30

3. MEP Superintendent

MEP Superintendents oversee the installation, coordination, and testing of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems during data center construction, ensuring all work meets design specifications, code requirements, and project schedules.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $100.000
  - EU: £113.000–£200.000 (€130.550-€231.060)
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent trade experience
• Certifications: NFPA 70E, OSHA 30, CDCP, ASHRAE BEAP or BCxP, and CEM

4. Site Manager

Site Managers oversee daily site operations, including subcontractor scheduling, logistics, and strict compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards. They manage subcontractor performance, monitor project schedules, including long‑lead items, and maintain quality control from groundbreaking through final handover.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $115.179
  - EU: €98,500–€105,000

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Construction Management

• Certifications: CCM, CM‑BIM, LEED AP, OSHA 30 and CDCP

5. Field Engineers (HVAC, Mechanical, Civil and Electrical)

Field engineers play a critical role in data center construction. HVAC and Mechanical engineers design and support heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Civil engineers focus on site preparation, structural design, and utility infrastructure for high‑density workloads. Electrical engineers design, install, and test the power systems that keep data centers running 24/7.

•  Annual salary range: 
  - HVAC engineers: $90.000 in the US or €44.480-€78.761 in EU
  - Mechanical: $101.000 in the US or €80.401 in EU
  - Civil: $89.000 in the US or €55.000–€75.000 in EU
  - Electrical: $99.000 in the US or €58.639–€96.224 in EU
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering
• Certifications:
  - HVAC Engineer: DCEP (HVAC Specialist), ASHRAE BEAP, ASHRAE BCxP and HVAC Design Dual Certificate.
  - Mechanical Engineer: EIT / PE License, CEM, ASHRAE certifications and DCEP.
  - Civil Engineer: LEED Ap, PMP or CCM and EIT/PE.
  - Electrical Engineer: NFPA 70E, PE License and Osha 30.

Top jobs in data center commissioning

The commissioning phase verifies that every system can perform safely and reliably under real operating conditions. Teams complete equipment checks, functional tests, and full‑facility load simulations to ensure all components work together as intended. Once testing is complete, documentation is finalised, personnel are trained, and the facility is officially handed over to operations.

1. Commissioning Manager 

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $178.000
  - EU: €122.916 
• Education: Engineering or related fields 
• Certifications: CxA, CCP, BCxP, NFPA 70E, OSHA 30, LEED AP, PMP (optional), CDCP (optional) 

2. MEP Commissioning Engineer 

This position supports development and execution of all mechanical aspects (mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems) of assigned commissioning projects from initial engagement, design reviews, checklists, safety support, script development, vendor coordination, testing and report development through turn over to the client.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $100.000
  - EU: £113.000–£200.000 (€130.550-€231.060)

• Education: Engineering and related fields

• Certification: NFPA 70E, OSHA 30, BCxP, DCEP (HVAC/Electrical), CDCP, CEM (optional) 

3. BMS Commissioning Engineer

A BMS Commissioning Engineer installs, configures, programs, and tests Building Management Systems (BMS) to ensure HVAC, lighting, and energy systems run efficiently. They bridge design and operation by troubleshooting issues, verifying component performance, and ensuring all systems meet project specifications.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $103.451
  - EU: €65,000–€80,000
• Education: Engineering and related fields
• Certification: BCxP, BEAP, DCEP, NFPA 70E, OSHA 30, CDCP, CEM (optional)

4. QA/QC Commissioning Inspector

A QA/QC Commissioning Inspector ensures every system is installed, tested, and documented correctly by verifying quality, witnessing tests, checking compliance, and validating that all commissioning activities meet project standards before handover.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $80.000–$130.000
  - EU: €29.000-€82.000
  
• Education: Engineering and related fields
• Certification: ISO 9001 Quality Management, NFPA 70E, OSHA 30, CxA or BCxP, CDCP (optional), CQA/CQI (optional)

5. Energy Marshal

An Energy Marshal oversees all energy control and electrical safety procedures during data center construction and commissioning. They develop and enforce Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) plans, manage safe energization of equipment, coordinate with commissioning teams, and ensure full compliance with NFPA 70E and site-specific electrical safety programs.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $120.000-$160.000
  - EU: €85.000-€110.000
• Education: Electrical Engineering, Safety Engineering, or related technical fields
• Certification: NFPA 70E, OSHA Electrical Safety, LOTO certification, NFPA 70B (recommended), First Aid/CPR, CDCP (optional)

Jobs in data center operations 

In the operations phase, the data center runs at full capacity. Teams monitor critical systems, maintain uptime, respond to alerts, and carry out preventive maintenance to ensure continuous, reliable performance. This phase focuses on performance monitoring, energy efficiency, security, and keeping the facility available 24/7.

1. Data Center Technician

Data Center Technicians keep data centers running smoothly by installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting critical IT and facility‑level infrastructure. They also work closely with security teams to help prevent system breaches and protect sensitive data.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $79.000
  - EU: €38.905-€60.109
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Networking, or Electrical Engineering.
• Certifications: CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Server+, CCNA, CDCTP and CompTIA Data+ (optional)

2. Critical Systems / BMS Engineer

A Critical Systems/BMS Engineer oversees the performance, reliability, and optimisation of building automation and control systems. They maintain HVAC, power monitoring, and environmental controls to ensure continuous, stable operation across mission‑critical environments.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $130.000
  - EU: €60,000-€75,000 
• Education: Electrical, Mechanical, or Controls Engineering
• Certification: DCEP (HVAC/Electrical), ASHRAE BEAP or BCxP, CDCP, OSHA 30 and NFPA 70E

3. Controls Engineer

Controls Engineers design, program, and troubleshoot control logic for HVAC, mechanical, and electrical systems. They ensure sequence accuracy, system responsiveness, and safe integration between automation layers during commissioning and operations.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $107.000
  - EU: €45.133-€70.620
• Education: Electrical Engineering, Controls/Automation Engineering, or related fields
• Certification: PLC/SCADA vendor certifications (Siemens, Rockwell), ASHRAE BCxP, DCEP, OSHA 30 and NFPA 70E

4. SCADA Engineer

SCADA Engineers configure, program, and validate Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems. They ensure real-time monitoring, alarms, and data integrity across electrical, cooling, and automation systems in mission-critical facilities.

• Annual salary range:
  - US: $98.000
  - EU: €60.000
• Education: Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering
• Certification: SCADA vendor certifications (Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell), CCNA or Network+, OSHA 30, CDCP (optional)

5. Power Systems Engineer

Power Systems Engineers design, analyse, and validate electrical distribution systems (including UPS, switchgear, generators, and grounding) ensuring reliability, redundancy, and safe energisation throughout construction and commissioning.

• Annual salary range: 
  - US: $120.000
  - EU: €62.000-€70.000
• Education: Electrical Engineering
• Certification: PE License (when applicable), NFPA 70E, DCEP (Electrical), CEM, OSHA 30
  

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