Site Manager, Network Deployment

Firmus Technologies Firmus Technologies is a global leader pioneering the development and operation of efficient AI infrastructure across Asia Pacific. Founded in Australia in 2019, our mission is to create the most efficient AI infrastructure by combining cutting-edge technology with a steadfast commitment to sustainability. At Firmus, we are unique in our approach. We design, build, and operate a new class of digital infrastructure – the AI Factory. Through our model-to-grid technology approach, we have pushed the boundaries of multi-generational liquid cooling systems, energy management, AI software orchestration, and construction. For our customers, this approach allows us to make every watt count and deliver low-cost AI tokens globally. Firmus AI Cloud Our large-scale GPU cloud platform, Firmus AI Cloud, is purpose-built to deliver energy-efficient AI compute at scale to customers. It empowers developers, enterprises, educational institutions, and government users to train and deploy AI models with unmatched efficiency and cost savings. With an ever-growing suite of services and applications, we are committed to delivering a cloud experience that is market-leading, proprietary, and built to scale. Why Firmus? As an NVIDIA Cloud and Engineering partner in Asia Pacific, you will gain skills, experience, and exposure across the AI industry and be part of shaping what this industry looks like for decades to come. We are founder-led, not a big corporate. Decisions happen fast, our leaders are accessible, and there's minimum bureaucracy between you and the work. Ownership comes early. Whatever your role, you will have a direct line to outcomes, helping shape how the business grows as we scale nationally across a long-term, large-scale roadmap. Work alongside founders and experts in AI infrastructure, energy systems and next-generation compute. What we build here has impact beyond the business. Our AI Factories are designed to operate as assets to the energy grid to actively strengthen the communities and regions they operate in rather than drawing from them. Considering applying? You don't need a perfect background to join our team. If you're driven and curious, there's a path for you. We back our people to grow into new domains and take on challenges beyond their previous experience. Role Summary The Site Manager is responsible for the end-to-end site execution of Network Layer 1 infrastructure for large-scale data center deployment projects. The role leads and coordinates subcontractors responsible for network rack move-in, rack installation, rack & stack activities, fibre optic cabling, patching, labelling, testing and associated physical network infrastructure. The Site Manager works closely with Network Engineers during Layer 2 configuration, activation and testing, ensuring physical installation issues are rapidly identified, isolated and resolved. The role also coordinates closely with the Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team to progressively bring up power and cooling infrastructure in line with the network deployment sequence. A critical part of this role is daily troubleshooting management. The Site Manager is expected to establish clear ownership of faults, coordinate contractors and engineering resources, drive root-cause identification, remove blockers and ensure issues are followed through to closure without allowing unresolved problems to accumulate. This is a site-based, hands-on delivery role requiring strong contractor management, network installation knowledge and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced data center deployment environment. Network Layer 1 Construction & Installation • Take ownership of site execution for Network Layer 1 infrastructure. • Plan, coordinate and supervise network rack move-in, positioning and installation. • Manage rack & stack and physical network equipment deployment. • Coordinate installation of fibre optic cabling, copper cabling, patch panels, ODFs and associated network infrastructure. • Manage fibre pulling, termination, splicing, patching, dressing, labelling and testing activities. • Ensure installations comply with approved drawings, rack elevations, cable schedules, port maps, method statements and project standards. • Ensure physical installation readiness ahead of network configuration, testing and commissioning. • Coordinate rectification of installation defects and punch-list items. Subcontractor & Contractor Management • Manage network installation subcontractors and specialist vendors on site. • Translate project requirements and construction schedules into clear daily execution plans for contractors. • Coordinate contractor manpower, materials, tools, machinery and work fronts. • Monitor contractor productivity and installation performance against daily and weekly targets. • Ensure contractors have required drawings, materials, access, permits and information before commencing work. • Conduct daily coordination meetings and clearly communicate priorities and constraints. • Hold contractors accountable for quality, productivity, safety and timely completion. • Escalate resource or performance issues and drive corrective or recovery actions. Construction Planning & Site Coordination • Develop detailed daily plans and short-term look-ahead plans aligned with the overall project master schedule. • Manage construction sequencing and work-front readiness. • Coordinate installation activities with other trades and project stakeholders. • Identify access, material, design, resource and sequencing constraints before they impact installation. • Coordinate closely with Project Managers, Project Engineers, Site Engineers, Network Engineers, logistics teams and other construction disciplines. • Track physical installation progress and maintain accurate site status. M&E Interface & Progressive Power/Cooling Bring-Up • Work closely with the M&E team to coordinate progressive power and cooling readiness in line with the network deployment sequence. • Maintain alignment between rack installation, power availability, cooling availability and network equipment activation. • Coordinate progressive energisation of network racks and associated infrastructure based on construction and commissioning priorities. • Verify rack power, PDUs, grounding/bonding and associated electrical infrastructure readiness before equipment energisation. • Coordinate with the Mechanical team to ensure cooling systems and suitable environmental conditions are available before network equipment is powered and placed under load. • Participate in M&E readiness reviews and identify dependencies that could impact network rack bring-up. • Establish readiness progression from rack installation to power/cooling readiness, equipment energisation, Layer 1 verification, Layer 2 configuration, network testing and commissioning. • Coordinate with M&E, Network Engineering and Commissioning teams to develop rack, row, zone or data hall bring-up sequences. • Track and escalate power and cooling constraints that could delay network activation or project milestones. • Support troubleshooting where network equipment issues may be related to power, cooling, environmental conditions or other facility infrastructure. Layer 1 to Layer 2 Integration • Act as the primary site interface between physical network installation contractors and Network Engineers. • Ensure Layer 1 infrastructure is complete, tested and ready before Layer 2 configuration and activation. • Coordinate with Network Engineers during switch configuration, network activation, connectivity testing and commissioning. • Support Network Engineers in isolating whether faults originate from physical infrastructure, equipment installation, cabling or configuration. • Coordinate physical checks, cable tracing, re-patching, fibre testing, equipment replacement and other field activities required during troubleshooting. • Ensure physical installation teams are available to support network activation and commissioning activities when required. Troubleshooting & Issue Closure A major responsibility of the Site Manager is to drive troubleshooting activities efficiently from identification through to closure. • Lead daily troubleshooting coordination across contractors, installation teams, vendors and Network Engineers. • Maintain clear visibility of all open installation, connectivity and commissioning issues. • Ensure every issue has a clearly assigned owner, priority and target closure time. • Rapidly mobilise the appropriate contractor or engineering resource when faults are identified. • Coordinate Layer 1 physical checks and Layer 2 engineering troubleshooting in parallel where appropriate. • Drive systematic fault isolation rather than repetitive or unstructured troubleshooting. • Remove blockers preventing troubleshooting activities from progressing. • Prioritise issues according to their impact on network activation, commissioning and project milestones. • Escalate critical or ageing issues promptly. • Conduct daily review of outstanding issues and drive actions through to verified closure. • Capture recurring issues and lessons learned to prevent repetition across subsequent racks, network zones or deployment phases. Quality, Testing & Handover • Ensure Layer 1 installations meet project quality requirements. • Coordinate fibre OTDR, insertion-loss and continuity testing as applicable. • Verify rack installation, equipment positioning, cabling, patching and labelling against approved documentation. • Manage installation punch lists, defects and non-conformances through closure. • Ensure test records, redlines, as-built drawings and installation documentation are completed. • Support network readiness reviews and final handover to Network Engineering and Operations teams. Safety • Ensure all installation activities comply with project HSE requirements. • Coordinate permits, toolbox meetings and pre-task briefings. • Ensure contractors comply with approved method statements and safe working procedures. • Stop and escalate unsafe work where required. Planning & Reporting • Maintain daily installation and deployment trackers. • Report progress against planned quantities and milestones. • Maintain an active troubleshooting and issue register. • Provide clear daily reporting covering completed works, upcoming activities, blockers, troubleshooting status and critical actions. • Identify schedule risks early and develop recovery plans with contractors and the project team. Qualifications • Diploma or Degree in Telecommunications, Network Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Construction Management or a related technical discipline. • Relevant structured cabling, fibre optic or networking qualifications are advantageous. Experience • 5–10 years of experience in network infrastructure deployment, telecommunications, structured cabling, data center fit-out or related construction environments. • Strong preference for candidates with a network installation contractor, structured cabling contractor, telecommunications contractor or systems integrator background. • Demonstrated experience managing subcontractors and installation crews. • Practical experience with network rack deployment, rack & stack and fibre optic installation. • Experience supporting network testing, activation, commissioning and troubleshooting. • Experience coordinating with M&E teams for progressive power and cooling bring-up is highly desirable. • Data center or mission-critical infrastructure experience is highly desirable. Technical Knowledge • Network Layer 1 infrastructure and structured cabling systems. • Fibre optic installation, termination, patching and testing. • Network rack and cabinet installation and rack & stack activities. • ODFs, patch panels, cable containment and routing. • Cable schedules and port maps.…