Principal Engineer, Server Operations

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience
• 15 years of experience in deployment and support lifecycle hardware product
• Experience driving key product innovations and opportunities across stakeholders

Preferred qualifications:

• Deep knowledge of server infrastructure, and experience with server hardware, networking, storage solutions, and virtualization technology
• Proven ability to work effectively with other technical leaders, product managers, and business stakeholders to drive initiatives
• Ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences while being recognized as a thought leader across the organization and industry
• Demonstrated ability to make critical decisions under pressure, balancing technical requirements with business objectives
• Track record of driving innovation, including adopting new technologies and methodologies to improve overall performance

About the job

The Server Operations team is responsible for keeping the servers, networks, and logistics processes in Google’s global fleet of data centers running smoothly and efficiently. The team installs, commissions, operates, and maintains some of the most sophisticated systems equipment in the world. We strive to be creative, team-oriented technicians and managers working on a daily basis to operate systems in Google’s data centers that are changing contemporary computing.

Google is seeking a Principal Engineer who will be responsible for setting the overall technical direction for ServerOps, driving innovation and ensuring the reliability and scalability of Server Operations. You will partner with Platform and Prod Ops leaders to ensure the product hardware roadmap and features are compatible and support product deployability, serviceability and fleet maintenance in all data center designs while balancing cost, efficiency, and technology innovation.

As the overall ServerOps Technical Lead, you'll build collaborative bridges across Google including Platform Engineering, Fleet Management, Tech Writing, and multiple engineering organizations.

Behind everything our users see online is the architecture built by the Technical Infrastructure team to keep it running. From developing and maintaining our data centers to building the next generation of Google platforms, we make Google's product portfolio possible. We're proud to be our engineers' engineers and love voiding warranties by taking things apart so we can rebuild them. We keep our networks up and running, ensuring our users have the best and fastest experience possible.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $256,000-$360,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Define specifications, which include establishing detailed technical requirements for server hardware and specifying the performance metrics, scalability goals, and compliance standards.
• Collaborate with Hardware Engineering teams to align on the product roadmap and features, especially as they impact deployability and serviceability of the hardware systems. This also includes advocating for new technologies or processes that improve efficiency and performance.
• Drive compatibility across hardware platforms and data center types to align features, capabilities, and requirements of enabling tools for the data center technicians.
• Be a thought partner to the leaders of the ServerOps organization and ensure the reliability and scalability of server operations.
• Design and oversee interfaces for seamless communication between systems while ensuring interfaces comply with standards. This also includes assessing and helping to select technologies, frameworks, and tools for optimal server operations.