Senior Data Center Technician

As a Senior Data Center Technician (SDCT), you will demonstrate expertise in standard processes and procedures for preparing, installing, performing diagnostics, troubleshooting, replacing, and/or decommissioning equipment, as well as a holistic understanding of the functions of, and interactions between, network and server equipment. You will provide input for suggested modifications to these processes and procedures as needed to improve service quality and efficiency while providing guidance to other technicians.

Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) is the engine that powers our cloud services. As a CO+I DCT, you will perform a key role in delivering the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's online services including Bing, Office 365, Xbox, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform. As a group, CO+I is focused on the personal and professional development of all employees and offers training and growth opportunities including Career Rotation Programs, Diversity & Inclusion training and events, and professional certifications.

Our infrastructure is comprised of a large global portfolio of more than 200 Data Centers in 32 countries and millions of servers. Our foundation is built upon and managed by a team of subject matter experts working to support services for more than 1 billion customers and 20 million businesses in over 90 countries worldwide.

With environmental sustainability and optimization at the forefront of our data center design and operations, we continue to grow and evolve as we meet the ever-changing business demands that hold Microsoft as a world-class cloud provider.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Datacenter Operations

• Demonstrates expertise in and participates in providing guidance on standard processes and procedures for preparing, installing, performing diagnostics, troubleshooting, replacing, and/or decommissioning IT datacenter technology(ies) and equipment. Maintains expertise with the functions of, and participates in providing guidance on the interactions between cabling infrastructure, network, server, and storage equipment.
• Provides guidance to other technicians on changes to processes and procedures. Reviews Process Change Notifications (PCNs) and proactively shares relevant information to enable efficient workflow and evaluate impact on work execution to and identify and mitigate impact changes to their area of work will have on others. Asks questions when they do not have required information, resolves others' questions in a timely manner, and may provide feedback on changes to processes to direct-line management.
• Complies with Data Center business unit policies, procedures, and deadlines with guidance from experienced technicians and/or direct-line management. Escalates issues related to compliance or operational assurance activities to direct-line management.
• Completes assigned tickets efficiently and in alignment with relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) per task type independently. Provides guidance and/or assists less experienced technicians with complex tickets or tasks, and appropriately escalates challenging or complex tickets to internal business partners as needed. May coordinate and assign tasks to other technicians on temporary basis, (i.e. in absence of direct-line manager availability and/or ticket assignment automation,) providing direction as needed, to ensure work is appropriately allocated to meet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) per task type.

Service Delivery

• Provides guidance to less experienced technicians for, and develops/employs own effective execution order strategy(ies) for assigned tasks. Prepares, stages, sets up, and performs basic startups and shutdowns for hardware (e.g., racks, hard drives, switches) according to specific written instructions provided via checklists, guides, standard processes, emails, while providing guidance to less experienced technicians, with direction from management where applicable. May perform tasks in tandem with other technicians to comply with procedures and safety requirements.
• Performs discrete quality control activities and assessment of work, to compliance standards and process adherence, performed by other technicians. Regularly performs post-execution verification of grounding, staging, labeling, and cabling to align with all safety protocols, deployment standards, and planned Network Design Templates (NDTs). Identifies errors in deployment standards or Network Design Templates (NDTs) and escalates to relevant technicians, specialists, or internal business partners to coordinate corrections as needed.
• Applies advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting expertise and/or leverages standard procedures to quickly and efficiently identify the cause(s) of technical issues and replace faulty components in network, storage, or server equipment with zero-to-minimal customer and/or business disruption. Maintains advanced awareness of conditions, circumstances, and scenarios which may reflect significant customer or business impact within the Data Center environment, and escalates observations of imminent incident risks or potential situations immediately to direct-line management.
• Follows procedures to immediately communicate, report, and escalate data center technical or safety related incidents to direct-line management. Participates in bridge calls to provide details on incident status and executes on-site follow-up actions as directed if necessary. May leverage learnings to contribute to the improvement of quality of service and support.
• Directly performs decommissions, simple changes (e.g., memory upgrades, OS rebuilds) complex changes (e.g. upgrading entire racks) and refreshes of infrastructure cabling, network, storage, and server equipment, following standard procedures with minimal-to-no guidance. Processes and verifies compliance with standards and procedure for data-bearing devices (DBDs) destruction and/or confirms any-and-all such devices (e.g. hard-drives, solid-state drives, flash cards, etc.) contained within network, storage, or server equipment has been identified for eradication or destruction. May engage as needed to execute work as defined by organizational standards project timelines as communicated, with guidance from direct-line management and appropriate notification to stakeholders.

Managing Service

• Escalates and/or seeks guidance from experienced technicians or direct-line management regarding client interactions.
• Maintains an awareness of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through reporting dashboards, systems, for personal monthly performance discussions as needed.
• Develops a comprehensive understanding of cross-functional Data Center processes to support partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Completes required training aligned to job focus areas and workloads (i.e., Break fix, Deployment, Simple Change, Decommission, IT Critical Environment) in a timely manner per direct-line management assignment(s). Actively mentors and supports training of other technicians through on-the-job training (OJT) and by providing direct guidance on specific job focus areas and workloads (i.e., Break fix, Deployment, Simple Change, Decommission, IT Critical Environment). May complete additional or supplemental training to obtain or maintain relevant industry or technical certifications.

Datacenter Work Environment

• May conduct, assists in conducting, and/or participates in daily safety briefings. Completes required Environmental & Health Safety (EHS) training, provides other technicians with guidance to comply with safety procedures (e.g., equipment use, lifting, electrical hazards, ladder/rolling stair use), completes required Task Hazard Analysis (THAs), and uses appropriate equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for assigned tasks. Adheres to and promotes a culture of safety, taking proactive action to alert others of safety concerns, near-misses, and/or incidents. Participates in the regular cadence of proactive safety observation reporting processes and systems.
• Completes required security and data management training while complying with security and data management procedures/policies with guidance from direct-line management. May escort third party vendors or IT support on-premises at data centers or network sites. Appropriately takes action and reports physical security access concerns and/or incidents to direct-line management or via established reporting methods.
• Reinforces a positive and effective team environment by sharing information and best practices with other shifts/technician teams, assisting as needed in cross-discipline collaborations, staying apprised of the status of others' work to respond to questions regarding work-window adjustments, internal business partner inquires, and other team members, while partnering with other shifts of technician teams to complete smooth transition and effective handover of ticketed work. Provides, responds to, and encourages providing feedback
• regarding on ways to work more effectively or enhance efficiency within their team and adopts best practices shared within-and-across shifts or technician teams.

Physical Requirements (Applies to but is not limited to US-based Data Center roles)

• Occasional climbing of ladders.
• Frequent climbing of stairs and/or ramps.
• Prolonged standing.
• Occasional lifting 50lbs. / 22.5kg.
• Occasional push or pull 50-75lbs. / 22.5-34kg. with assistive device.
• *Normal visual acuity (near, far and peripheral with correction).
• *Normal color vision for electrical work.
• *Normal is defined via standard medical terms and applicable criteria.

Other

• Embody our culture and values.