Head of Data Center Operations, Perimeter Compute

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in New York.

📋 Description

• Convert site requirements into comprehensive launch plans that address power, cooling, connectivity, physical security, equipment installation, testing, commissioning, and handoff.

• Oversee site activation from construction and fit-out through to commissioning, production launch, and steady-state operations.

• Develop contract workforce models tailored for each market, detailing staffing levels, scopes of work, training, escalation paths, and performance expectations.

• Select, onboard, and manage outsourced operators, field-service providers, maintenance partners, and other essential vendors.

• Create and sustain operating procedures, runbooks, preventive maintenance programs, incident response processes, and site-level documentation.

• Establish operational KPIs and reporting metrics for availability, safety, maintenance, capacity, incident response, and vendor performance.

• Collaborate with infrastructure engineering, networking, real estate, construction, and commercial teams to address launch and operational risks.

• Lead incident response and root cause analysis for site-level failures, translating lessons learned into repeatable improvements across the network.

• Build and manage a distributed organization of direct hires and contract labor capable of simultaneously operating multiple sites and metro launches.

• Create and oversee a distributed customer support organization that caters to customers across the fleet.

• Work closely with the real estate team to transition qualified real estate locations into facilities ready for deployment.

• Take ownership of the deployment and ongoing support for a rapidly growing network of distributed AI infrastructure sites.

⛳️ Requirements

• Proven experience managing operations across at least three data centers at the same time.

• Strong operational expertise in data centers, colocation, neo-cloud infrastructure, hyperscale environments, or other mission-critical facilities.

• Demonstrated success in bringing new data center capacity online, including site readiness, commissioning, operational handoff, and steady-state support.

• Working knowledge of electrical distribution, backup power, cooling, network connectivity, fire and life safety, and physical security.

• Experience in managing third-party operators, contractors, field-service teams, maintenance providers, and equipment vendors against clear service expectations.

• Ability to create operating procedures, maintenance standards, documentation, metrics, and escalation processes from the ground up.

• Proven track record in managing incidents, diagnosing operational failures, and enhancing reliability across multiple facilities.

• Capability to lead through influence initially and build a high-performing distributed team as the company scales.

• Willingness and ability to travel frequently for new deployments, site launches, vendor oversight, and critical incidents.

• Experience operating GPU clusters, AI infrastructure, high-density compute, HPC environments, or liquid-cooled systems (desirable).

• Background with a neo-cloud provider, colocation operator, hyperscaler data center organization, or a rapidly scaling digital-infrastructure platform (desirable).

• Experience launching operations in multiple North American metros or developing an international data center operating model (desirable).

• Customer-facing experience supporting enterprise infrastructure deployments, service reviews, or SLA commitments (desirable).

• Experience managing a hybrid workforce consisting of internal employees, contractors, and outsourced site operators (desirable).

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive Compensation + Equity.

• Meaningful ownership in the platform you contribute to building.

• Studio Support: Utilize Montauk Capital’s resources, network, and operational expertise during critical early stages.

• Opportunity to develop the operations function for a new category of distributed AI infrastructure.

• High-impact leadership responsibilities.

• Chance to define operations across multiple metros and international markets.