Data Center Engineer

Founded in 1999 in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, Cadre5 provides innovative technical solutions to our customers locally and nationally. Our Cadre5 Lab Partners division has partnered with the Digital Hosting Services team of the Enterprise Operations group of the Digital Services Infrastructure & Operations division of the Information Technology Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to recruit a hands‑on Data Center Engineer who will contribute to the modernization of data center operations, especially around DCIM enhancements and PSC (Power, Space, Cooling) metrics integration. You’ll design, implement, and continuously improve the physical and logical infrastructure across enterprise facilities, and build data‑driven visibility through dashboards and automation. You’ll collaborate closely with IT operations, network, and facilities to ensure reliable service, efficient capacity usage, and compliance with ORNL and industry standards.

ORNL delivers scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs needed to realize solutions in energy and national security and provides economic benefit to the nation. This premier research institution located near Knoxville in Oak Ridge, TN, addresses national needs through impactful research and world‑leading research centers.

This is a full‑time, permanent position that requires on‑site work in Oak Ridge, TN. This position requires being available for on‑call rotations and occasional after‑hours work as needed.

Why Cadre5?

• Working with highly talented team members
• Excellent medical insurance, including employer‑paid benefits

Job Responsibilities:

Data Center Operations

• Coordinate installation, migration, and decommissioning of hardware ensuring compliance with PSC requirements.
• Develop and implement preventative maintenance schedules for all data center equipment.
• Identify and resolve problems involving infrastructure telemetry, capacity reporting, DCIM data ingestion, and facility system performance to support enterprise operational integration.
• Assist in managing power, space, cooling, and capacity planning.

DCIM Modernization & PSC Metrics

• Manage data in DCIM platforms including EPMS, BMS, and SCADA integrations.
• Develop dashboards visualizing PSC metrics, PUE, trends, and alerts.
• Standardize DCIM data models, change records, and quality across sites.
• Enhance telemetry collection, health monitoring, and reporting to improve infrastructure visibility and observability.
• Use infrastructure data for predictive capacity planning.
• Optimize cooling and power efficiency from analytics.

Security, Compliance & Business Continuity

• Ensure adherence to NFPA, DOE/ORNL, and facility safety policies.
• Implement strong physical security, surveillance, and access controls.
• Support DR readiness including redundancy and failover testing.
• Serve as the Alternate Laboratory Safety Manager (LSM‑Alt), ensuring SBMS safety policies and requirements are implemented and followed within all ITSD data center facilities.
• Serve as technical escalation for complex issues.
• Provide guidance to junior staff and coordinate with facilities engineers.
• Collaborate with vendors on upgrades and commissioning.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS in information technology, computer science, engineering or a related field, with 5 years of experience in a data center or similar IT infrastructure environment. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Ability to participate in on‑call rotations and occasional after‑hours support.
• Experience with electrical systems, UPS, HVAC, cooling systems, and power distribution in data center environments.
• Familiarity with Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) tools including telemetry ingestion and capacity analytics.
• Experience with dashboarding and data visualization tools such as Grafana, Power BI, or Tableau.
• Experience with automation/scripting using Python or PowerShell.
• Knowledge of the ITIL framework and IT service management best practices.
• The ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy "Q" clearance is required. This requires US Citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• NFPA 70E (Arc Flash) Electrical Safety certification
• Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP)
• DCIM/BMS/SCADA certifications.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to resolve issues under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Attention to detail and commitment to high‑quality work.

Cadre5 offers excellent pay and benefits, to include full medical, dental, and vision coverage coupled with 401K match, 15 days PTO, and 10 holidays.

Cadre5 is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. Cadre5 is an E-Verify Employer.