Data Center Lead Technician - Structured Cabling

DataLinks is seeking an experienced Data Center Lead Technician to lead technicians performing structured cabling and infrastructure work within active and non-active mission-critical data center environments.

This is not a general commercial low-voltage position. Previous hands-on data center installation experience is required.

The Lead Technician is a hands-on field leader responsible for directing assigned technicians, maintaining installation quality and production, identifying and resolving technical issues, and ensuring work is completed safely and in accordance with DataLinks procedures, customer requirements, and project standards.

The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience with copper and fiber infrastructure, rack and cabinet environments, structured cabling installation, testing, documentation, and leading technicians inside data centers.

Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesField Leadership

• Lead assigned technicians during daily data center installation activities
• Coordinate daily tasks and work assignments with the Foreman and field leadership
• Maintain crew productivity, quality, and accountability
• Provide technical direction and hands-on support to technicians
• Mentor and train junior technicians
• Identify manpower, material, quality, and production issues and escalate them to field leadership
• Support daily safety meetings, site requirements, and customer procedures
• Maintain professional communication with DataLinks leadership, customers, contractors, and other trades

Data Center Installation

• Install, route, dress, terminate, test, and troubleshoot structured cabling systems
• Install single-mode and multimode fiber optic cabling
• Install Cat6, Cat6A, and other copper cabling systems
• Install backbone and horizontal cabling infrastructure
• Perform rack and stack activities
• Install and dress network, server, and telecommunications equipment within cabinets and racks
• Perform copper and fiber patching
• Perform rack decommissioning and cable decommissioning activities
• Install and maintain cable management systems
• Complete cable labeling in accordance with project and customer standards
• Maintain proper bend radius, cable routing, pathway utilization, and cable dressing
• Support material receiving, verification, staging, and installation readiness

Testing and Troubleshooting

• Perform copper certification testing
• Perform fiber optic testing, inspection, and cleaning
• Review test results and identify failures or deficiencies
• Troubleshoot copper and fiber connectivity issues
• Correct installation deficiencies before work is submitted for final inspection
• Ensure testing results are properly documented and submitted

Quality Control

• Inspect completed work for quality and compliance
• Ensure installations meet DataLinks standards, customer requirements, and project specifications
• Verify labeling, cable routing, termination, testing, and documentation
• Identify workmanship deficiencies and ensure corrections are completed
• Verify work is complete before turning areas over for QC or customer inspection
• Support punch-list completion and final project closeout

Documentation

• Read and interpret rack elevations, cable matrices, floor plans, drawings, cutsheets, and project specifications
• Maintain accurate redlines and installation documentation
• Provide accurate daily production information to field leadership
• Document completed work, deficiencies, testing results, and outstanding issues
• Support project closeout and as-built documentation

Safety and Data Center Compliance

• Follow all DataLinks, customer, and OSHA safety requirements
• Follow data center security, access, and badging requirements
• Follow customer change-control and work authorization procedures when applicable
• Maintain clean and organized work areas
• Follow proper housekeeping requirements within active data centers
• Immediately report unsafe conditions, quality concerns, incidents, and customer-impacting risks
• Exercise stop-work authority when unsafe conditions exist

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on structured cabling installation experience
• Minimum 3 years of recent hands-on experience working specifically inside data center environments
• Minimum 2 years of experience leading technicians or installation crews within data center environments
• Strong hands-on experience with single-mode and multimode fiber optic cabling
• Strong hands-on experience with Cat6 and Cat6A copper cabling
• Experience with rack and stack activities
• Experience with rack and cable decommissioning
• Experience with fiber and copper patching
• Experience terminating, testing, and troubleshooting copper and fiber infrastructure
• Experience using copper and fiber testing equipment
• Ability to review and understand test results
• Ability to read rack elevations, cable matrices, drawings, floor plans, cutsheets, and project specifications
• Experience working inside active or production data centers
• Strong understanding of cable routing, dressing, labeling, and installation quality
• Ability to lead technicians while remaining actively involved in field installation work
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to use Outlook, Teams, Excel, and other company applications for basic field communication and documentation
• Valid driver's license
• Ability to travel as required

Important Experience Requirement

Data center experience is required for this position.

Candidates whose experience is primarily commercial AV, security, access control, fire alarm, residential low voltage, or general commercial structured cabling without substantial hands-on data center experience will not meet the minimum qualifications for this Lead Technician position.

Preferred Qualifications

• BICSI Technician (TECH), Installer, or equivalent certification
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification
• Fiber optic certification from FOA, Corning, CommScope, or similar organization
• Experience with hyperscale or colocation data centers
• Experience with data center migrations, deployments, infrastructure upgrades, and decommissioning
• Experience working within live mission-critical environments
• Experience with fiber cleaning, inspection, certification, and troubleshooting
• Experience with data center documentation and installation management systems

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Ability to work on ladders, lifts, and elevated platforms
• Ability to bend, kneel, climb, stand, and perform physical labor throughout the workday
• Ability to work in hot, cold, active construction, and operational data center environments
• Ability to work extended hours when project schedules require
• Ability to travel when required

What Success Looks Like

A successful Data Center Lead Technician:

• Delivers high-quality installations
• Maintains strong field productivity
• Leads technicians effectively
• Identifies and corrects quality issues before customer inspection
• Maintains accurate documentation
• Follows all safety and customer requirements
• Communicates issues before they impact production
• Supports technician development
• Protects customer infrastructure and active environments
• Consistently represents DataLinks professionally

Core Competencies

• Leadership
• Accountability
• Technical Excellence
• Safety
• Quality
• Productivity
• Problem Solving
• Team Development
• Communication
• Customer Focus

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute

Northern VA – Required

Pay: Up to $34.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• lead data center structured cabling crews: 3 years (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)
• Night Shift (Preferred)
• Overnight Shift (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Ashburn, VA 20146 (Required)

Work Location: In person