Director of Operations

About Nscale Nscale is the GPU cloud engineered for AI. We provide cost-effective, high-performance infrastructure for AI start-ups and large enterprise customers. Nscale enables AI-focused companies to achieve superior results by reducing the complexity of AI development. Our GPU cloud bolsters technical capabilities and directly supports strategic business outcomes, including cost management, rapid innovation, and environmental responsibility. At Nscale, our Operations team is accountable for the safe, reliable, and high-performing delivery of the critical infrastructure our customers run on. Our data centres are designed for high-density, high-performance AI workloads at scale, combining significant power capacity, advanced cooling technologies, sophisticated infrastructure controls, and rapidly evolving compute environments. We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you'll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. If you join our team, you'll be contributing to building the technology that powers the future. About the Role We're looking for an experienced Director of Operations to lead the operational performance of our Ward County, Texas campus. This is a senior leadership role with accountability for day-to-day operations, operational readiness, maintenance, incident response, risk management, team development, and continuous improvement across a highly complex, high-availability data centre environment. Nscale's AI infrastructure requires an operating model that goes beyond traditional data centre facilities management. High-density compute, significant electrical loads, advanced cooling systems, rapid infrastructure deployment, and evolving AI technology create a dynamic environment where operational discipline, speed of execution, and sound technical judgment are critical. You'll provide leadership across the Operations function, establishing clear accountability, strong operational standards, effective escalation paths, and consistent execution. You'll work closely with Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, IT/AI Infrastructure, Security, EHS, and Procurement to ensure the facility is operationally ready, maintainable, scalable, and capable of supporting Nscale's rapidly growing AI infrastructure. This is a site-based leadership role requiring a strong operational presence at the Ward County campus. Relocation will be expected for candidates who are not within a reasonable commuting distance. What You'll be Doing Operations Leadership - Provide overall operational leadership for the Ward County campus and its critical infrastructure. - Build a culture centred on safety, operational discipline, accountability, reliability, and continuous improvement. - Establish the operating model, staffing, capabilities, and leadership structure required to support current operations and future growth. - Establish effective communication, escalation, and decision-making processes for routine operations and critical events. - Maintain strong operational visibility through site engagement, performance reviews, audits, and leadership routines. Operational Readiness & Handover - Establish Nscale's operational readiness requirements for new facilities, systems, capacity expansions, and major infrastructure deployments. - Partner with Engineering, Construction, and Commissioning to ensure infrastructure transitions into operations with the appropriate procedures, documentation, training, maintenance strategies, spares, controls, and monitoring in place. - Set clear readiness and acceptance criteria before infrastructure is placed into operational service. - Lead the transition from project execution into stable operations and build a repeatable readiness model that scales with Nscale's growth. Infrastructure & AI Operations - Provide operational oversight of critical electrical, mechanical, cooling, controls, monitoring, and facility infrastructure. - Ensure infrastructure operates within defined design parameters, operating envelopes, and safety requirements. - Develop operational strategies for high-density AI environments, including significant electrical loads and advanced cooling systems. - Partner with IT/AI Infrastructure and Engineering teams to understand the operational requirements of GPU and other high-density compute platforms. - Identify and manage risks associated with increasing power density, thermal loads, infrastructure complexity, and rapidly evolving technology. Maintenance & Asset Management - Establish a disciplined maintenance strategy for critical infrastructure. - Ensure preventive and predictive maintenance programmes are effectively planned, executed, tracked, and reviewed. - Establish appropriate CMMS, asset management, critical spares, and OEM service practices. - Monitor equipment condition, recurring failures, maintenance trends, and emerging risks, and continuously improve based on operating experience. Incident Management - Lead the operational response to significant incidents and critical infrastructure events. - Establish clear incident management, escalation, communication, and recovery processes. - Ensure MOPs, SOPs, EOPs, and emergency response procedures are current, practical, and routinely exercised. - Lead post-incident reviews and root cause analysis, ensuring corrective actions are owned, tracked, and closed. - Incorporate lessons learned into procedures, training, maintenance strategies, and future designs. Operational Standards, Controls & Data - Establish and maintain consistent standards for SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, emergency response, and management of change. - Ensure BMS, EPMS, DCIM, monitoring, alarming, and historian systems provide the visibility required to safely operate the campus. - Set expectations for alarm quality, operational data, dashboards, and performance reporting. - Use operational data and trends to identify emerging risks and opportunities for improvement. Safety, Security & Compliance - Maintain safety as a fundamental operating principle across employees, contractors, and service providers. - Partner with EHS to establish safe operating practices for high-energy and mission-critical infrastructure. - Ensure appropriate controls are in place for energised work, switching, hazardous energy, and other high-risk activities. - Support physical security and cybersecurity requirements associated with critical infrastructure and operational technology. - Maintain compliance with applicable regulatory, environmental, safety, and operational requirements. Team & Cross-Functional Leadership - Build and develop a high-performing Operations organisation capable of supporting a rapidly scaling AI infrastructure environment. - Establish appropriate staffing, competency, training, authorisation, and succession requirements. - Recruit, develop, coach, and retain strong operational leaders and technical talent. - Represent Operations in project planning, design reviews, technology decisions, and infrastructure deployment, bringing operational requirements and lessons learned in early. Operational Excellence - Establish and lead an operational excellence programme for the Ward County campus. - Develop meaningful performance indicators for safety, availability, maintenance, readiness, response, training, and operational execution. - Identify opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, maintainability, process quality, and team performance. - Establish a culture where problems are addressed at their root and improvements are standardised and sustained. About You - 10+ years of experience in mission-critical operations, data centres, power generation, utilities, industrial facilities, semiconductor manufacturing, or another highly complex operational environment. - Demonstrated experience leading critical infrastructure operations where safety, availability, and operational discipline are essential. - Experience leading technical teams and developing operational leaders. - Strong understanding of electrical and mechanical infrastructure and the interdependencies within a mission-critical facility. - Experience with operational procedures, maintenance programmes, incident management, and emergency response. - Experience working in MOP-, SOP-, and EOP-driven environments. - Strong judgment and decision-making ability during high-pressure operational events. - Excellent communication and leadership skills. Nice to Have - Experience operating hyperscale, AI, high-density compute, or large-scale data centre infrastructure. - Experience with high-density electrical distribution and advanced cooling systems, including liquid cooling. - Experience with BMS, EPMS, DCIM, SCADA, controls, or other critical infrastructure monitoring systems. - Experience establishing operational readiness or handover programmes for new facilities or major infrastructure deployments. - Experience with CMMS, critical spares, OEM service models, management of change, operational risk management, or root cause analysis. - Experience leading operations through significant infrastructure growth or organisational change. - Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, facilities management, or a related technical field. Why this role matters Nscale is operating at the intersection of two rapidly evolving industries: AI and critical infrastructure. This role is your opportunity to help define how large-scale AI infrastructure is operated as the industry moves toward higher power densities, advanced cooling technologies, increasingly complex infrastructure, and unprecedented levels of compute demand. In your first 12 months, you'll establish the Operations model for the Ward County campus, build the team and leadership depth behind it, put consistent standards and readiness processes in place, and create the KPIs, maintenance discipline, and incident learning routines that let the site scale without compromising safety or reliability. You'll play a significant role in building not only a high-performing facility, but the operational standards, teams, and practices that scale with Nscale's growth. We are looking for an operational leader who wants to help build what comes next. What We Can Offer You At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and we want you at the core. - Highly competitive package (base + equity) with reviews every 12 months. 🚀 - Join the fastest-growing tech startup, your chance to push boundaries, collaborate with brilliant minds, and make your mark on cutting-edge AI. ✨ - Expect a dynamic progression plan tailored to your ambitions. Grow by trying new things, leading, challenging the status quo, and owning your impact, always with our full support. - Human-First Flexibility: We treat you as humans first. 🫶🏽 Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy to shape your day around life's moments. Equal Opportunities Statement At Nscale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. We believe that a variety of perspectives enriches our work environment, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. If there's anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know. The range below reflects the base salary for the position. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location. In addition to base salary, this r…