Data Center Technician

About the Department

ITS collaborates with campus partners to support the mission of the University of Chicago through the consistent delivery of high‑quality solutions and services. We provide secure, stable, and reliable infrastructure and applications to support the University’s mission, enable faculty research and teaching with effective use of technology, simplify the technology experience for faculty, students, alumni, and staff, and ensure technology is mobile‑friendly and accessible.

We identify, manage, and mitigate the technology risks of the University.

The Data Center Technician is responsible for independently supporting and optimizing daily operations across the University’s enterprise data center environments. This role requires in‑depth technical knowledge of Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), hardware lifecycle management, environmental systems, networking infrastructure, and operational controls. Operating under limited supervision, the Technician evaluates, troubleshoots, and resolves complex technical and operational issues affecting data center systems and infrastructure.

The Technician develops and improves operational processes, ensures compliance with infrastructure standards, administers system‑level controls, and serves as a technical resource to internal teams and clients.

• Develop, implement, and maintain processes and procedures related to DCIM monitoring, asset tracking, and infrastructure controls.
• Independently audit, reconcile, and validate equipment inventory, ensuring data accuracy and compliance with University standards.
• Analyze environmental monitoring data and system alerts; troubleshoot irregularities and implement corrective actions.
• Update environmental system firmware and configure IP addresses in accordance with DCIM protocols and enterprise infrastructure standards.
• Design and improve documentation workflows related to equipment lifecycle management.
• Record and validate all equipment changes, ensuring operational records accurately reflect infrastructure state.
• Monitor and maintain operational integrity of servers, storage systems, application infrastructure, and peripheral equipment.
• Execute recovery procedures, system restorations, and infrastructure remediation activities as required.
• Participate in backup validation processes and support emergency response solutions.
• Guide analysis of operating records such as equipment performance metrics and capacity reports.
• Act as a technical resource for junior staff and cross‑functional teams.
• Develop and manage standardized intake procedures for newly received equipment across multiple campus locations.
• Enter and validate detailed equipment records within DCIM.
• Coordinate with vendors and stakeholders to ensure secure and accurate receipt of infrastructure components.
• Evaluate discrepancies and resolve inventory conflicts independently.
• Oversee equipment staging, packing, palletizing, labeling, and shipping to ensure compliance with operational and security standards.
• Coordinate with shipping vendors and internal teams to ensure proper documentation and chain‑of‑custody procedures.
• Ensure all outbound materials are accurately tracked and documented within DCIM and ticketing systems.
• Plan and execute cabinet relocations and infrastructure reconfigurations aligned with project requirements.
• Install, upgrade, and replace PDUs, RDHx units, and related power infrastructure while minimizing downtime.
• Modify cabinet configurations and peripherals to meet evolving infrastructure needs.
• Evaluate power capacity and spatial utilization to recommend improvements.
• Install, remove, fabricate, and test fiber and copper cabling according to project requirements.
• Ensure proper labeling and documentation in accordance with infrastructure standards.
• Troubleshoot connectivity issues related to physical network infrastructure.
• Maintain secure and operationally compliant data center spaces.
• Monitor environmental conditions and respond to anomalies.
• Identify and implement improvements to workspace organization and safety protocols.
• Independently plan and prioritize operational tasks in accordance with data center…