The workers keeping AI compute online: Data center operators walk 30,000 steps a day as hiring surges

The AI infrastructure boom is usually framed around GPUs, power plants, transformers, land and capital spending. Inside data centers, though, the day-to-day reality depends on people who keep cooling, power, cabling and security systems running without interruption. At a Digital Realty facility in Ashburn, Virginia, chief engineer James Waddy walks roughly 30,000 steps a day inspecting air handling units, server halls, pipes, cables and rooftop condensers, sometimes relying on smell, touch and sound to catch issues before alarms go off. The goal is simple: avoid downtime. That work is becoming more visible as AI demand drives new construction. Data Center Map says the US has about 2,700 operational data centers, nearly 400 under construction and at least 1,500 in planning. Hiring data reflects the shift. Indeed says more than 1 million job seekers searched for data center roles this year, with August searches up eightfold from early 2022. The company also found maintenance and installation workers in data centers earn about 42% more than peers in similar roles elsewhere. Digital Realty says entry-level engineers start around $66,000 a year, while experienced engineers average more than $120,000.