Architect and curate the "Kentik Certified Hardware" standard
Own vendor relationships and the complexity of global hardware sourcing
Act as the air traffic controller for product deployment
Perform similar tasks for our SaaS environment
Identify and curate the technical debt that hinders our delivery speed or complicates maintenance
Requirements
8+ years of experience in infrastructure operations, technical sourcing, or data center or technical program management
Deep technical knowledge of data center infrastructure:
Server Hardware: Experience with any or all of Dell, HPE, and Supermicro as vendors, and the configuration tradeoffs between CPU, RAM, and storage.
Network & Connectivity: Solid understanding of switches, routers, and basic network architecture.
Colocation Operations: Experience managing power, cooling, space planning, and cross-connect logistics.
Supply Chain & Logistics: Proven ability to manage hardware sourcing, BOM validation, and global delivery logistics.
Execution & Orchestration: Ability to map complex dependencies and drive prioritization across multiple engineering and SRE teams.
Influential Leadership: Strong cross-functional skills with the ability to drive alignment and "burn down" technical debt without direct authority.
Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable interfacing with both internal engineers and customer leadership.
Deep Infrastructure Roots: You have a background in data center operations, network engineering, or NOC/Systems administration. You can talk deeply about CPU/RAM trade-offs, NIC performance, and Linux internals.
Delivery Mastery: You have experience managing high-risk, company-wide technical programs. You know how to guide multidisciplinary teams through complex execution plans without losing the thread or resorting to "status update" bureaucracy.
Startup Scrappiness: You thrive in an environment where you need to build the playbook while you’re playing the game. You are an IC today, but you have the seniority and vision to eventually build and lead a small team.
Strategic & Analytical: You understand that "shipped" is only half the battle. You advocate for long-term operational health and can push back on engineering or sales when a delivery path creates unsustainable technical debt.
Tech Stack
Linux
Benefits
100% of premiums are paid by company for health, vision and dental coverage for you and your dependents
Additionally, an annual Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) of $3,000 for an individual or $4,500 for a family
Paid family & medical leave
Open PTO, a quarterly Wellness Day, and a minimum of 10 paid holidays