Data Center Operations Lead

Location: Austin, United States of America

Thales people architect identity management and data protection solutions at the heart of digital security. Business and governments rely on us to bring trust to the billions of digital interactions they have with people. Our technologies and services help banks exchange funds, people cross borders, energy become smarter and much more. More than 30,000 organizations already rely on us to verify the identities of people and things, grant access to digital services, analyze vast quantities of information and encrypt data to make the connected world more secure.

This is a hybrid position in Austin, TX

Position Summary

The Data Center Operations Lead is responsible for leading day-to-day data center and infrastructure operations, ensuring the availability, reliability, and security of critical production environments. This role provides technical leadership, operational oversight, incident coordination, and continuous service improvement while supporting global infrastructure with dedicated coverage during U.S. business hours. The position works closely with engineering, cloud, security, and cross-functional teams to maintain high service availability and operational excellence.

Essential Functions

Lead daily operations of production data center and cloud infrastructure supporting global services.

Coordinate and manage major incidents, problem management, and operational escalations during U.S. business hours.

Ensure infrastructure availability, performance, security, and compliance with operational standards.

Develop and maintain operational procedures, documentation, and runbooks.

Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives to increase operational efficiency.

Coordinate maintenance activities, upgrades, and change implementations with engineering teams.

Monitor infrastructure health and proactively identify operational risks.

Mentor and provide technical guidance to operations engineers.

Collaborate with Security, Network, Cloud, and Product Engineering teams to resolve complex infrastructure issues.

Participate in on-call rotations and operational leadership as required.

Track operational metrics, service levels, and capacity planning.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in field with a minimum of 5-8+ years of relevant work experience or Master’s degree in field with 4+ years of relevant work experience

7+ years of IT infrastructure or data center operations experience.

2+ years leading technical or operational teams.

Strong knowledge of Windows and Linux server administration.

Experience supporting VMware or other virtualization platforms.

Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure.

Experience with enterprise monitoring and incident management tools.

Knowledge of networking fundamentals, storage, DNS, load balancing, and firewalls.

Experience with scripting or automation (PowerShell, Python, Bash, or similar).

Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work effectively across global teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading global infrastructure operations.

Experience supporting cybersecurity products or SaaS platforms.

ITIL Foundation certification.

Microsoft, VMware, AWS, or Azure certifications.

Experience with Infrastructure as Code and automation frameworks.

Experience managing major incidents in a 24x7 production environment.

Travel: Up to 10% travel for team meetings, data center activities, and operational planning.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.

If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community! https://careers.thalesgroup.com/global/en/jointalentcommunity. You can upload your CV and our recruiters can get in touch with any new opportunities that may be of interest to you.

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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.

Thales champions inclusion and we believe diversity strengthens the fabric of our culture. Thales is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at talentacquisition@us.thalesgroup.com.

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 121,446.00 - 205,102.00 USD Annual

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.

(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please raise HR request through MyThales)

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period

•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off

•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program