Lead Lab Support Engineer

Summary

The Lead Lab Support Engineer will be a crucial member of our R&D team, responsible for the day-to-day operations, maintenance, and setup of our specialized AI data center lab infrastructure. You'll work directly with engineers and researchers, ensuring our hardware and software environments are always optimized, available, and ready for critical experimentation. This role is perfect for someone with a strong technical foundation in data center hardware, networking, and Linux, who thrives in a dynamic environment and loves to solve complex problems hands-on.

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies

• • Perform hands-on installation, configuration, cabling, and troubleshooting of servers (including GPU-accelerated systems), network switches, storage devices, and other lab equipment within a rack-based environment.

  • Monitor lab infrastructure health, identify potential issues, and proactively address them to minimize downtime for R&D projects.

  • Manage and track lab assets, inventory, and spares, ensuring resources are always available.

  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe lab environment, adhering to all safety protocols.

  • Install, configure, and maintain Linux operating systems (e.g., Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL) on lab servers and other devices.

  • Assist R&D engineers with setting up specialized software environments, including AI/ML frameworks, drivers, and custom tools.

  • Provision network configurations, IP addresses, and ensure network connectivity for all lab devices.

  • Support virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, KVM) and container platforms (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) within the lab as needed.

  • Act as the primary point of contact for lab infrastructure issues, diagnosing hardware failures, software conflicts, and network problems.

  • Collaborate with hardware design, software development, and research teams to reproduce issues, gather data, and facilitate quick resolution.

  • Perform component-level diagnostics and replacement (e.g., replacing RAM, GPUs, SSDs, NICs).

  • Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for lab configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting guides.

  • Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation within lab operations to increase efficiency.

  • Work closely with engineers and researchers to understand their infrastructure needs and provide timely support.

  • Communicate effectively with internal teams regarding lab status, issues, and planned maintenance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in a data center, lab, or server support role.

• Must have flexible work hours to support a global team across different time zones.

• Strong proficiency with Linux operating systems (e.g., Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL), including command-line operations, scripting, and system administration.

• Demonstrated experience with server hardware installation, troubleshooting, and component replacement, including CPUs, GPUs, memory, and storage.

• Solid understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, Ethernet, VLANs) and hands-on experience with network cabling and basic switch configuration.

• Familiarity with data center best practices for cabling, racking, and power management.

• Ability to lift and move server equipment (up to 50 lbs) as required.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and a meticulous attention to detail.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• • Experience with GPU-accelerated systems (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD Instinct) and their specific hardware/software requirements.

  • Basic scripting skills (e.g., Bash, Python) for automating routine tasks.

  • Familiarity with virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, KVM) or container platforms (Docker, Kubernetes).

  • Experience with lab management tools or inventory systems.

  • Knowledge of data center power and cooling systems.

  • Relevant certifications (e.g., CompTIA A+, Network+, Linux+).

Notes

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees are held accountable for all duties of the job. Job duties and the % of time identified for any function are subject to change at any time.