Manager, Operations Engineering (Physical Infrastructure)

ABOUT xAI xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates. ABOUT THE ROLE: As a Manager, Operations Engineering (Physical Infrastructure) on the xAI infrastructure team, you will lead the design, build, activation, and continuous optimization of the world’s most technically advanced data centers and AI compute facilities. You will own end-to-end operational excellence for physical infrastructure, driving process improvements, metrics-driven decision making, and cross-functional alignment to ensure maximum uptime, efficiency, and scalability. This role will report directly to the department head (or equivalent senior leader) and serve as a key leader org-wide, managing a team of operations engineers and analysts while acting as a strategic partner to site directors, construction, maintenance, and facilities teams. If you thrive on strategic planning, leading continuous improvement initiatives, building high-performing teams, and operating in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, this role is for you! RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead and develop a team of Operations Engineers and analysts focused on physical infrastructure optimization for xAI’s hyperscale data centers Define and own department-level visual standards, JIRA workflows, PowerBI dashboards, and operational processes; drive adoption and continuous refinement across the organization Champion department-wide continuous improvement projects, including new process rollouts, standardization, and lean/six sigma initiatives Partner with all levels of the business to map current workflows, identify systemic gaps, and implement scalable solutions Establish and evolve department-level metrics & dashboards that quantify operational health, drive data-informed decisions, and demonstrate impact to leadership Conduct in-depth analyses using SQL, Python, Excel, and other tools to uncover trends, mitigate risks, and recommend optimizations Develop and implement automation, tools, and reports that reduce business risk, improve efficiencies, and enhance communication with facility and site directors Lead department-wide operations audits to streamline repair, maintenance, and construction engineering workflows Own maintenance program enhancements, focusing resources on critical hardware health while descoping low-value work Evaluate, select, and implement construction management, maintenance, and facilities tools (software/hardware) to minimize waste and maximize technician/engineer productivity Perform site services analysis for contracts (custodial, utilities, waste, power, cooling, fiber, etc.), negotiate improvements, and build roadmaps for cost optimization and reliability Standardize material libraries and procurement processes to reduce lead times and support rapid scaling across sites Drive alignment and best-practice sharing with maintenance and construction teams at other xAI sites nationwide to eliminate duplication and accelerate execution Build and mentor high-performing cross-functional teams while fostering a culture of operational excellence and accountability BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, operations research, industrial engineering, management science, or related field 5+ years of experience in operations, process improvement, or facilities management (with pro