AI Infrastructure, Model Serving

Facility Operations Lead

San Francisco, CAOnsiteFull TimeLead$150,000–$195,000 /yrPosted 2 days ago

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Required skills

data center
facility operations
electrical systems
mechanical systems
UPS systems
generators
switchgear
chillers
operating procedures
incident response

Nice to have

trade background
military technical training
colocation customers
Uptime Institute

Role summary

River AI is seeking an experienced Facility Operations Lead to ensure the reliability and safety of its data center infrastructure. This role involves managing the site team, overseeing electrical and mechanical systems, leading maintenance programs, and ensuring continuous operation of compute infrastructure. The Lead will manage daily operations, incident response, and upgrades, working closely with infrastructure engineers, technicians, and vendors. Key responsibilities include maintaining critical systems, managing budgets, enforcing safety standards, and tracking operational metrics to drive improvements. The position requires a strong background in data center operations and team leadership.

At River AI, our mission is to create personal AI owned and shaped by each individual. To achieve this, we are rewriting the entire stack from scratch: personal hardware for local inference, bespoke training infrastructure, next-generation UIs, and frontier deep learning research..

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Facility Operations Lead to own the reliability and safety of the data center infrastructure behind River’s AI systems. Your goal is to keep our compute infrastructure powered and cooled around the clock.

You will lead the site team, own the maintenance program, and oversee the electrical and mechanical systems that keep the facility running. Working closely with infrastructure engineers, technicians, and service vendors, you will manage daily operations, lead incident response, and ensure that maintenance and upgrades happen safely without disrupting live systems.

Who we are

At River AI, our mission is to create personal AI owned and shaped by each individual. To achieve this, we are building the full stack required for people and organizations to create AI models of their own - from training infrastructure and open-weight model post-training to personal hardware and next-generation interfaces.

We are scientists, engineers, and builders from the industry’s leading technology companies and AI labs. Our team has experience scaling consumer products to hundreds of millions of users and building the infrastructure behind frontier AI systems.

What You’ll Do

Operate and maintain the site’s electrical, mechanical, fire protection, and security systems.

Lead, hire, and train site technicians, coordinate contractors, and manage shift coverage and the on-call rotation.

Own preventive and corrective maintenance, keeping schedules, work orders, and service records accurate in the maintenance management system.

Write and enforce operating procedures, review planned changes, and oversee work on live systems.

Lead incident response and root cause analysis, and drive corrective actions that prevent repeat failures.

Track capacity, energy efficiency, and uptime, and use those measures to guide operational improvements.

Enforce site safety standards, including Cal/OSHA requirements, lockout/tagout procedures, and arc flash precautions.

Manage site access, service vendors, and the facility’s operating budget.

Skills & Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

At least seven years of experience operating data centers or other critical facilities, including at least two years leading a team.

Working knowledge of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, generators, switchgear, chillers, and building management systems.

Experience writing and following formal operating procedures for live electrical and mechanical systems.

A strong safety record and practical knowledge of electrical safety requirements.

Experience managing maintenance vendors and operating budgets.

Clear communication, a collaborative approach, and accountability for site reliability and safety.

Preferred Qualifications (We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of these.)

An electrical or mechanical trade background, or military technical training such as the Navy nuclear program.

Experience supporting colocation customers and coordinating work around their operational requirements.

A data center operations certification, such as one from Uptime Institute.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Work on-site in an operating data center, including time in electrical and mechanical rooms and on rooftops.

Work around high-voltage equipment and loud machinery while following site safety procedures and using required personal protective equipment.

Be available to respond to site emergencies at any hour, with extended hours or weekend work as needed.

Travel to other company locations as needed.

Logistics & Benefits

Location: Palo Alto, California. This is an on-site role in an active data center.

Compensation: Depending on experience and skills, the expected base pay is $150,000 - $195,000 USD per year plus equity.

Benefits: River AI offers generous health, dental, and vision benefits, unlimited PTO, and relocation support as needed.

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