Senior Chief Engineer, Data Centers

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way.  

Our people at JLL and JLL Technologies are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people  and empowering them to  thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong.  Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward.   

What this job involves:

The Senior Chief Engineer is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, maintenance, and performance of data center colocation and hybrid IT infrastructure facilities. This role ensures maximum uptime, operational efficiency, and exceptional customer service while managing technical teams and maintaining industry-leading standards for reliability and security across our national footprint of data centers. You will lead colocation operations management, infrastructure & technical operations, team leadership & customer service, compliance & standards management, vendor & contract management, and drive financial & operational excellence in mission-critical environments.

What your day-to-day will look like:

• Oversee 24/7/365 data center operations ensuring 100% uptime SLA commitments and manage multi-tenant colocation environments with diverse customer requirements

• Lead and develop teams of 12-20 data center technicians and engineers while ensuring exceptional customer experience and rapid response to customer requests

• Manage power systems (N+1 redundant infrastructure including UPS systems, generators, PDUs), cooling systems (precision cooling, hot/cold aisle containment), and connectivity coordination with network carriers

• Ensure adherence to operational standards, maintain compliance with SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, PCI DSS requirements, and coordinate security audits and compliance assessments

• Manage relationships with critical vendors, oversee carrier relationships and connectivity provisioning, and coordinate third-party maintenance activities

• Track and report on operational KPIs including uptime and customer satisfaction, manage site operational budgets, and implement continuous improvement programs

• Coordinate customer installations, moves, adds, and changes (MACs) while managing capacity planning for power, cooling, space, and connectivity across customer deployments

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, or related), Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent technical discipline

• Minimum 5-7 years of data center operations experience, preferably in colocation environments, with 3+ years in supervisory or management roles

• Technical expertise in electrical systems (UPS, generators, switchgear, PDUs), cooling systems (CRAH, precision cooling), and security systems (access control, CCTV, biometric systems)

• Experience with DCIM platforms, ticketing systems (ServiceNow, Remedy), monitoring tools (Nagios, SolarWinds), and customer-facing service portals

• Required certifications: DCCA preferred, NFPA 70E electrical safety, ITIL Foundation, and CompTIA Server+ or equivalent hardware certification

• Proven customer service orientation, team development abilities, and strong analytical and troubleshooting capabilities

• Ability to work in data center environments with 24/7 on-call availability for emergency response and willingness to travel between locations (10-20%)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate's degree with extensive experience may be considered in lieu of Bachelor's degree

• Uptime Institute certifications (ATD, ATS), vendor certifications (Schneider Electric, Eaton, Liebert/Vertiv), and Project Management (PMP) certification

• Experience with mission-critical infrastructure management, carrier-neutral facilities, and connectivity services background

• Lean/Six Sigma or similar process improvement methodologies experience and customer service excellence certifications

• Safety certifications including OSHA 30-hour and first aid/CPR, along with demonstrated innovation interest in emerging technologies

Location:

On-site –Atlanta, GA

If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet all the requirements.  We’re interested in getting to know you and what you bring to the table!

Personalized benefits that support personal well-b