Data Center Infrastructure Engineering Program Manager (Network and Whitespace)

Details

OpenAI's Data Center Engineering team defines the strategy, reference architectures, technical requirements, and delivery standards for large-scale data centers supporting research, products, and infrastructure partners.

The Engineering Program Manager will lead infrastructure programs focused on production and non-production network integration, controls coordination, and the design and deployment of data hall or whitespace facilities. The role coordinates work across network, controls, structural, electrical, mechanical, hardware integration, construction, commissioning, and operations teams, supporting programs from concept through design, validation, procurement, construction, commissioning, deployment, and operational handoff.

Responsibilities

• Translate infrastructure goals into workstream charters, scopes, milestones, owners, decision points, success metrics, resourcing assumptions, and execution plans.
• Build and maintain integrated execution plans covering network, controls, data hall design, whitespace deployment, commissioning preparation, and deployment readiness.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and support functional DRIs across network, controls, structural, electrical, and mechanical disciplines.
• Coordinate third-party design milestones from concept through detailed design, including basis-of-design development, requirements tracking, design reviews, technical comment resolution, change management, and release readiness.
• Maintain dependency maps, issue logs, risk registers, action trackers, and decision logs for network and data hall workstreams.
• Coordinate reviews for network rooms, non-production network services, OT/IT interface points, rack deployment assumptions, telemetry interfaces, controls dependencies, and data hall deployment packages.
• Track building-level network and support-space interfaces such as MPOE, MMR, Network Core, WAN, support rooms, and associated handoff points.
• Organize reviews, resolve cross-discipline gaps, surface decisions, and keep partner deliverables aligned to schedule.
• Manage partner and vendor deliverables, including submittals, interface packages, installation assumptions, turn-up plans, readiness evidence, field issue logs, and corrective actions.
• Drive readiness tracking for 1P, 3P, colocation, and selected cloud service provider programs, including bring-up sequencing, installation readiness, access dependencies, maintenance windows, and first-use criteria.
• Prepare status updates, dashboards, and executive-ready summaries for the Industrial Compute lead and project stakeholders.
• Capture lessons learned from deployment and handoff activities and incorporate them into playbooks, standards, and interface definitions.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in engineering program management, technical program management, mission-critical infrastructure delivery, data center deployment, or comparable complex execution environments, typically 10+ years or equivalent experience.
• Experience driving ambiguous, cross-functional engineering programs with shifting requirements, urgent timelines, and high operational risk.
• Experience coordinating programs involving network, controls, mechanical, electrical, structural, construction, commissioning, or operations participants.
• Strong technical fluency in several of the following: data hall deployment, non-production network, production network interfaces, controls coordination, telemetry, rack deployment, mission-critical support spaces, and infrastructure handoff.
• Experience building and maintaining integrated schedules, dependency maps, risk registers, decision logs, readiness trackers, and partner action plans.
• Experience coordinating external partners, vendors, design firms, delivery teams, or operators in multi-party infrastructure environments.
• Ability to understand technical tradeoffs, identify hidden dependencies, and help teams reach clear decisions without being the sole technical owner.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Management, Operations, Business, or a related technical or quantitative field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with hyperscale data centers, AI infrastructure, HPC environments, colocation, or partner-delivered data center programs.
• Experience supporting high-density data hall or HAC-related design and deployment efforts.
• Experience with non-production network and support-service readiness for large-scale infrastructure deployments.
• Experience coordinating controls integration, network-room layouts, telemetry interfaces, rack deployment packages, or early operational handoff.
• Familiarity with one-line diagrams, P&IDs, controls sequences, network diagrams, equipment specifications, interface control documents, telemetry schemas, test procedures, and commissioning scripts.
• Familiarity with 1P, 3P, colocation, and cloud service provider delivery models.

Work Environment and Travel

• Periodic travel may be required to data center campuses, manufacturing partners, equipment suppliers, laboratories, construction sites, commissioning activities, and partner program reviews.
• The role may involve office, lab, manufacturing, construction, and operating data center environments requiring PPE, safety briefings, change-control discipline, and coordination with site operations.
• Work may include time-sensitive escalations during design reviews, procurement, manufacturing validation, commissioning, startup, production deployment, vendor testing, operational readiness, or operational incidents.

Benefits

• Base salary range of $226,000–$285,000 per year, plus equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer HSA contributions.
• Pre-tax FSA, dependent care FSA, and commuter accounts.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental, medical, and caregiver leave.
• Paid time off, company holidays, office closures, and paid sick or safe time.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily office meals and eligible meal delivery credits.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.