Data Center & Lab Technician - AI Accelerator Infrastructure

Data Center & Lab Technician - AI Accelerator Infrastructure - Contract

As a DC & lab technician, you are the hands and feet of the unified infrastructure team: racking servers, running cables, executing hardware bring-ups, and keeping lab environments in the precise, audit-ready state that high-velocity silicon and software development demands.

This is a one-year contract with potential for a full-time conversion. This is an ownership role, not a ticket executor role. You operate independently, document what you build, and escalating with precision when something needs engineering attention.

• Rack, stack, cable, and decommission servers, PDUs, network gear, and storage in on-premises labs and colocation facilities.

• Execute hardware bring-up for d-Matrix AI-accelerated systems and validation test benches, including BIOS configuration, firmware validation, and OS installation (Linux primary).

• Replace and upgrade components: PCIe cards, NICs, storage, memory, and accelerator hardware across multiple server generations.

• Maintain lab spaces in organized, ESD-compliant, and audit-ready condition at all times.

• Own accurate asset tracking and inventory records using DCIM tools (Net Box, Jira, or equivalent); every piece of hardware is accounted for with the current configuration state.

• Coordinate equipment moves between lab, staging, and colocation; manage shipping, receiving, and RMA workflows.

• Track hardware lifecycle status: warranty, EOL, refresh schedules, and spare parts inventory.

• Diagnose and resolve hardware failures, power and thermal issues, and network connectivity problems — escalating to SRE engineers with clear documentation and reproduction steps.

• Serve as the first physical responder for infrastructure incidents requiring hands‑on intervention in lab or colo environments.

• Document all troubleshooting actions in the team’s ticketing and knowledge base systems, contributing to runbooks that reduce repeat escalations.

• Write and maintain SOPs, rack diagrams, and cabling guides clear enough for a new technician to execute without shadowing.

• Communicate issues and status across hardware, software, SRE, and silicon validation teams professionally and with precision.

• Support parallel work streams as silicon development programs evolve; operate independently when SREs are heads‑down on engineering work.

• 3+ years in data center operations, hardware validation, or systems technician roles, hands‑on with real servers.

• Proven rack‑and‑stack experience: physical server installation, PDU and patch panel cabling, rack power planning, and cable management to professional standards.

• Hardware bring‑up experience: BIOS/UEFI configuration, firmware updates, component replacement, and OS installation across Linux distributions.

• Linux command‑line proficiency: enough to run diagnostics, inspect logs, and execute runbooks independently.

• Asset management discipline: experience with DCIM or inventory tools and a track record of accurate, up‑to‑date records.

• Strong written communication: you document what you do, escrow with context, and write SOPs others can follow.

• Comfortable operating independently in a fast‑moving startup environment.

• Prior colocation data center experience (Equinix, Core Site, Digital Realty, or similar).

• Experience with AI/ML or GPU hardware: NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel accelerator cards in a lab or production environment.

• Basic Ansible exposure — able to run playbooks and understand what they do.

• Familiarity with high‑speed interconnects:
  Infini Band, RoCE, SFP/QSFP optics.

• Pytho…