Chief Engineer – Data Center Engineering Operations

About the role

As Chief Engineer for the Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) team, you will lead the design, operation and maintenance of critical mechanical and electrical infrastructure across AWS data centers in South Africa. Reporting to the DCEO Cluster Manager, you will ensure uninterrupted power and cooling to meet the highest availability standards for our customers.

Key responsibilities

• Set and uphold world‑class safety standards across all facilities.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Facility Managers and Chief Engineers.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Finance, HR, Safety and external vendors.
• Plan and execute preventive maintenance and corrective break‑fix activities for mission‑critical equipment.
• Approve maintenance procedures, drive continuous improvement and manage change.
• Oversee incident management, including drills, escalation, mitigation and post‑event reporting.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in data‑center or large‑scale facility operations.
• Strong people‑management skills, capable of managing managers and cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to operate autonomously in a high‑pace, high‑complexity environment.
• Excellent vendor negotiation and contract management experience.

Required skills

• Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
• Switchgear and Circuit Breakers
• Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS)
• Diesel Generators
• Chillers and HVAC systems
• Exhaust Fans
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
• Transformers

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on world‑leading cloud infrastructure.
• Leadership role with significant impact on service reliability.
• Collaborative environment with top engineering talent.