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How to hire a data center specialist

Data center specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring data center specialists in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a data center specialist is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per data center specialist on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 4,652 data center specialists in the US and 162,770 job openings.
  • Fremont, CA, has the highest demand for data center specialists, with 8 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of data center specialists.

How to hire a data center specialist, step by step

To hire a data center specialist, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a data center specialist:

Here's a step-by-step data center specialist hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a data center specialist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new data center specialist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a data center specialist do?

A data center specialist is in charge of overseeing the daily operations in information technology offices, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include installing and upgrading systems and networks, developing test structures for devices, troubleshooting issues, conducting research and analysis to identify areas needing improvement, and implementing solutions to optimize operations. They must also perform regular inspections on systems, executing repairs as required. Furthermore, it is essential to develop strategies to keep data safe and secure, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Learn more about the specifics of what a data center specialist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the data center specialist you need to hire. Certain data center specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A data center specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, data center specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents data center specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Data Center SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Data Center SpecialistComputer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization... Show more$22-65
    Data Center TechnicianA data center technician is an information technology (IT) professional who ensures the optimal performance of data servers and network of a data center. Datacenter technicians are required to protect company data by preventing the overheating of data center components and replace failing parts promptly... Show more$13-35
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Data Centers
    • Windows
    • Cloud
    • HVAC
    • Customer Service
    • Linux
    • Switches
    • Problem Resolution
    • Escalate
    • Structured Cabling
    • Cable Management
    • Unix
    • Network Infrastructure
    • Technical Support
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Design and manage studies for alternative API qualification for commercial products.
    • Used VMware VirtualCenter to reboot unresponsive virtual machines.
    • Develop and utilize UNIX scripts for monitoring inbound/outbound transmission files.
    • Monitor status of switches, routers, and servers within a data center.
    • Issue temporary accounts for second-level support staff to access VMS or UNIX server.
    • Share storage backups for the remote clouds are monitored through VEEAM and VMware.
    More data center specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your data center specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A data center specialist can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, data center specialists' average salary in alaska is 59% less than in delaware.
    • Seniority. Entry-level data center specialists 65% less than senior-level data center specialists.
    • Certifications. A data center specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a data center specialist's salary.

    Average data center specialist salary

    $80,754yearly

    $38.82 hourly rate

    Entry-level data center specialist salary
    $47,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average data center specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Delaware$111,433$54
    2District of Columbia$110,098$53
    3Virginia$109,669$53
    4New Jersey$108,701$52
    5Maryland$105,339$51
    6North Carolina$103,130$50
    7Ohio$101,894$49
    8New York$99,824$48
    9South Carolina$99,047$48
    10Massachusetts$92,519$44
    11New Hampshire$90,084$43
    12Pennsylvania$89,646$43
    13Connecticut$87,732$42
    14Georgia$87,527$42
    15California$86,555$42
    16Louisiana$85,743$41
    17Michigan$84,509$41
    18Indiana$83,989$40
    19Arkansas$83,484$40
    20Missouri$79,833$38

    Average data center specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Stanford Health Care$130,124$62.5615
    2Meta$115,063$55.32832
    3NVIDIA$111,024$53.3812
    4Amd$97,848$47.0411
    5Intel$96,849$46.562
    6Los Alamos National Laboratory$92,306$44.385
    7World Wide Technology$91,848$44.1613
    8Enterprise Bank$84,074$40.42
    9Equinix$78,401$37.6919
    10Sungard Availability Services$77,805$37.41
    11Olsson$76,576$36.82130
    12Sam Houston State University$75,431$36.264
    13ZT Systems$66,343$31.90
    14Robert Half$63,207$30.39194
    15Binghamton University$50,504$24.286
    16Allied Universal$50,496$24.28
    17E! News$48,495$23.312
    18Banner Health$44,536$21.4123
    19Oregon Health & Science University$41,758$20.084
  4. Writing a data center specialist job description

    A data center specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a data center specialist job description:

    Data center specialist job description example

    Infosys is seeking Data Center Support Specialist who will be responsible for basic support of highly critical production environment ( Data Center, Network Data rooms in different sites within a campus, Network devices in the site ( Business Office / ADC / Manufacturing plants etc. )) and will be engaged in ensuring uninterrupted Data Center services.

    Required Qualifications:
    • Candidate must be located within commuting distance of Louisville, KY or be willing to relocate to the area. This position may require travel in the US
    • Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent required from an accredited institution. Will also consider three years of progressive experience in the specialty in lieu of every year of education.
    • At least 2 year of Information Technology Experience.
    • At least 1 year experience in supporting highly critical production environment ( Data Center, Network Data rooms in different sites within a campus, Network devices in the site ( Business Office / ADC / Manufacturing plants etc. )) and will be engaged in ensuring uninterrupted Data Center services.
    • Provide L1/L2 Support in getting the issues troubleshooted ( Assistance/guidance to remotely operated different Infra ( Network / Windows / Unix / Storage / Backup / Infra Security etc.
    • Resolve moderate to complex (P1, P2 and P3) incidents and problems effectively and in a timely manner.
    • Ethernet/Fiber Cable Swapping or checking the Cable connectivity
    • Providing 24X7 production support and available for escalations
    • Manage all Data Center Cabling and perform all Cabling in accordance with industry standard best practices
    • Manage the utilization of environmental equipment (including Data Center UPS, power systems and backup generators), perform all systems preventive maintenance
    • Configuring Network Card, K/M or DRAC / RIB /ILO
    • Unpack, unbox and inspect the equipment for physical damages before installation and make necessary arrangements for return for damage equipments.
    • Maintain contact details of all stakeholders of Data Center and establish a method of communication to maintain uninterrupted services.
    • Checking power status at site / device, Looking at the LEDs to identify any alarms, Escorting vendor during site visit, Unmounting and mounting of Servers / Network Devices & Hard reboot for the devices.
    • U.S. citizens and those authorized to work in the U.S. are encouraged to apply. We are not able to sponsor at this time.

    Preferred Qualifications:
    • In-depth understanding of current technologies.
    • Experience of working within a Service environment and technical teams of IT experts
    • Experience of working on ITIL ticketing systems (Service Now), understand ITIL framework
    • Experience in representation in Change Advisory Board (CAB) meetings
    • Strong verbal/written communication skills
    • Ability to work in a highly dynamic and complex environments.

    The job entails sitting as well as working at a computer for extended periods of time. Should be able to communicate by telephone, email, or face to face.

    About US
    Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

    Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

    EOE/Minority/Female/Veteran/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find data center specialists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your data center specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit data center specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting data center specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a data center specialist applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

    • TestDome
    • CodeSignal
    • Testlify
    • BarRaiser
    • Coderbyte

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new data center specialist

    Once you've selected the best data center specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new data center specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a data center specialist?

Hiring a data center specialist comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting data center specialists involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of data center specialist recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $80,754 per year for a data center specialist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for data center specialists in the US typically range between $22 and $65 an hour.

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