Data Center Planning Architect
The Data Center Planning Architect is responsible for designing, planning, and documenting physical data center infrastructure to support large-scale compute, storage, and network deployments. The role focuses on translating High-Level Designs (HLDs), audits, and existing documentation into precise Low-Level Designs (LLDs), including rack layouts, connectivity diagrams, and cable matrices for complex environments.
Responsibilities
- Design physical infrastructure plans for compute, storage, and network platforms
- Develop rack layouts with appropriate power allocation, cooling considerations, and space optimization
- Assess data center capacity and support expansions, refreshes, and migration initiatives
- Produce detailed LLDs covering physical topology, rack elevations, port-level connectivity, patch panels, power distribution, and cable routing
- Ensure all designs comply with internal data center standards and structured cabling best practices
- Create and maintain detailed cable matrices for spine-leaf fabrics, SAN environments, hyperconverged systems, and cross-connects
- Define cable types, lengths, labeling conventions, port mappings, and color standards
- Validate end-to-end cabling accuracy across designs and deployments
- Translate HLDs into executable physical layouts and implementation documentation
- Collaborate with deployment teams during build phases, including acting as a delivery or technical coordination point when required
- Partner with operations and implementation teams to manage updates and changes, ensuring no service disruption outside approved maintenance windows
- Maintain and evolve data center standards related to cabling, rack utilization, and documentation
- Review designs for compliance and perform quality assurance checks on physical builds
- Use DCIM and related tools to manage capacity, power, and connectivity data
- Maintain version-controlled design artifacts and ensure documentation accuracy over time
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience
- 3-7 years of experience in data center design, infrastructure planning, or physical layer engineering
- Strong knowledge of structured cabling standards, network hardware, SAN fabrics, and server platforms
- Hands-on experience with environments such as HPE Synergy 12000 and Cisco Nexus spine-leaf architectures
- Proficiency with Visio, CAD tools, and DCIM platforms
- Solid understanding of redundancy, high availability, and fault-tolerant design principles
- Ability to contribute at an architect level to complex physical and logical data center solutions
- Exceptional attention to detail and documentation accuracy
- Strong communication and stakeholder collaboration skills
- Analytical mindset with effective problem-solving abilities
- Excellent command of written and spoken English (B2+ level)
Nice to have
- Experience working in enterprise or hyperscale data center environments
- Certifications such as BICSI TECH, RCDD, CCNA, or CCNP
- Experience with scripting or automation to improve documentation workflows
