Years of mission critical experience
Kevin Ramirez
Data Center Operations
Lenoir,NC
Summary
Senior Data Center Operations & Facilities Leader with over 10 years of experience managing 24/7 mission-critical operations, technical teams, and multi-million dollar budgets. Proven expertise in managing $1.7M+ annual service contracts and $650k+ OpEx budgets to improve plant reliability and drive OpEx savings year over year. Deep technical expertise in 2N+1 electrical power systems (HV/MV switchgear, UPS) and critical cooling infrastructure. Adept at leading complex commissioning projects, driving root cause analysis (RCA), and improving reliability metrics and decreasing downtime. A safety-focused leader committed to 100% uptime and regulatory compliance.
Overview
10
10
Work History
Sr. Data Center Infrastructure Operations
Google
10.2015 - Current
- Independently operate a 200 MW plant as the sole Google representative on-site with knowledge of sequence of operations, switching procedures, cooling load control, and infrastructure monitoring.
- Manage day-to-day work, emergency conditions, and implement permitting/control systems to reduce operational risk.
- Provide field oversight and lead integrated responses to minimize production risk and address excursions/events.
Dedicated Control Room Operations / Controls Team
Google
07.2025 - Current
- Independently operate a 200 MW plant as the sole Google representative on-site with knowledge of sequence of operations, switching procedures, cooling load control, and infrastructure monitoring.
- Manage day-to-day work, emergency conditions, and implement permitting/control systems to reduce operational risk.
- Provide field oversight and lead integrated responses to minimize production risk and address excursions/events.
CCNR Electrical & Critical Cooling Lead
Google
07.2024 - 07.2025
- Managed all operational aspects of CCNR electrical deployment, including coordinating shutdowns, calculating loads, updating power schedules, managing budgets, and overseeing retrofits.
- Served as DCOps POC for the "Marcus Project" to replace legacy CRACs, reviewing all documentation, providing SME-level technical review, and leading commissioning.
- Provided technical leadership and mentoring to junior technicians for complex equipment issue identification, resolution, and escalation.
- Developed and implemented a new critical spares stock for mechanical equipment (chillers, CRACs) to reduce Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for critical failures.
NASA Generator Domain Lead
Google
06.2023 - 11.2024
- Partnered with regional/global engineering and decision-making working groups to drive cross-site consensus and feedback to address systemic issues and global standard process change requests for the North America South America region.
- Developed and implemented operational strategies to enhance team performance and productivity.
- Led cross-functional teams in project management initiatives, ensuring timely completion of objectives.
- Mentored junior staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
- Coordinated with stakeholders to align strategic goals with operational capabilities and resources.
Dedicated Control Room Operations
Google
11.2023 - 07.2024
- Independently operated a 200 MW plant as the sole Google representative on-site.
- Demonstrated commitment by assuming responsibility for site coverage during Xoogler transition, ensuring seamless operations.
- Worked flexible hours across night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
- Demonstrated willingness to help the site wherever needed.
- Proactively revamped the site webpage and ESEIP portal, improving information access and efficiency.
Technical Lead
Google
02.2023 - 09.2023
- Led the $522,000 "Project Treats" initiative to remediate 150 MW of medium-voltage switchgear, managing all vendor contracts (SOW), commissioning scripts, and internal procedures from planning to turnover.
- Led cross-functional teams to design and implement advanced aerospace technologies.
- Oversaw project lifecycles, ensuring compliance with NASA's rigorous safety and quality standards.
- Facilitated regular team meetings to assess progress, address challenges, and promote a collaborative environment.
- Managed resources efficiently, creating project timelines and allocating budgets to maximize return on investment.
- Facilitated knowledge sharing sessions among team members to promote best practices and enhance overall skillset within the organization.
HV/MV Authorized Person, CWP Program
Google
10.2022 - Current
- Experienced HV & LV Authorized Person (one of four on-site) with a track record in leading electrical maintenance on all medium voltage equipment.
- Proficient in preparing safety documents, providing guidance to HV SPs during switching, and leading working parties.
- As part of a highly trained and trusted critical work team, I am responsible for de-energizing critical electrical production equipment in a live data center.
- I attend daily and weekly meetings to deconflicted priorities and minimize downtime and human error.
Generator Program Lead
Google
06.2021 - 10.2023
- Managed a $1.76M+ annual service contract for a critical fleet of 120+ generators (2 MW+), overseeing all vendor performance for Cummins and Caterpillar generators to ensure 100% SLA compliance.
- Developed and implemented a new critical spares program that reduced Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) by nearly 30% (from 17 to 12 hours).
- Improved overall generator plant reliability, cutting annual equipment downtime by 600 hours (a 35% reduction) and increasing availability for critical loads.
- Diagnosed and repaired generator systems, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
- Led safety audits, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations during operations.
- Performed load bank testing on newly installed or repaired generators to ensure they met established performance standards before returning them to operation.
- Implemented process improvements for maintenance schedules, enhancing service delivery efficiency.
- Developed and implemented project management methodologies to enhance efficiency and collaboration.
- Managed vendor relationships, negotiating contracts and performance metrics to optimize service delivery.
- Streamlined communication processes among teams, enhancing transparency and reducing project delays.
- Analyzed project performance data to identify trends, driving continuous improvement initiatives across programs.
NASA Mechanical X-Site Lead
NASA
05.2021 - 08.2022
- As Global Mechanical Cross Site Lead, I led bi-weekly meetings with global data center teams to discuss and implement best practices for critical mechanical plant infrastructure maintenance and operations.
- With a proven track record of mentoring and training cross-functional team members on technical knowledge and Google processes.
- Led cross functional teams and effectively communicate and collaborate with cross-functional teams and drive process improvements by gathering feedback from key stakeholders and escalating them to decision-makers for implementation.
Project Trailbreakers NASA SME
Google
08.2020 - 02.2023
- As an experienced project management and process development professional, I played a critical role in developing and presenting a charter to the central spares team for global implementation of a breaker full end to end lifecycle tracking program improving MTTR on all parent assets containing breakers in the global fleet.
- My ability to lead and successfully launch a site pre-project pilot and establish project goals and business requirements demonstrated my skills and leadership.
- Provided expert guidance to project managers to optimize end user experience.
- Evaluated system functionality, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes.
- Facilitated knowledge transfer among team members by leading training sessions on new tools, techniques, or industry best practices.
Critical Cooling Lead SME
NASA
01.2018 - 06.2021
- Managed a 200 MW critical mechanical plant, overseeing a multi-year $1.2M+ chiller maintenance contract and $250k annual HVAC service contracts ensuring 100% SLA compliance.
- Served as the final technical escalation point for all critical mechanical issues across a 200 MW data center, leading emergency response, mitigation, and communication.
- Provided SME leadership for the successful commissioning of a 30 MW live data center expansion and 3 new building turn-ups.
- Led site mechanical team to establish mechanical best practices and worked with EHS to ensure 100% vendor compliance with safety standards.
- Coordinated maintenance schedules for equipment, minimizing downtime and disruptions.
- Managed inventory control systems, ensuring accurate stock levels and timely replenishment.
- Led safety meetings and promoted adherence to company policies for a safer working environment for all employees involved in the plant operation activities.
Sprint Project Lead
Sprint
09.2018 - 05.2021
- As site lead for the Sprint project, I managed the rollout and implementation of new global projects at the site level, such as Zamboni, Legoland, and Sprint, In and Out, and supported central operations programs under development.
- Responsible for implementing new processes and procedures for technicians and vendors to procure tools, parts, and equipment.
- Supervised a team of vendors that handled all aspects of procurement, logistics, and final delivery of tools, parts, and equipment to over 30 data center technicians.
- Led a project to retool and reorganize two data center tool shops, implemented tool tracking systems, and managed calibration and testing of all tools and PPE.
Non-Critical Cooling SME
Non-Critical Cooling SME
10.2016 - 12.2017
- I led repairs and maintenance for non-critical HVAC and mechanical equipment at the site collaborating with cross-site teams on global quality issues, supply chain improvements, managed refrigerant compliance, and planned and executed HVAC retrofits and minor projects.
- I budgeted and managed vendor repairs for projects and significant maintenance, ensuring coordination among multiple vendors and contractors.
- I successfully supervised the installation and commissioning of cooling equipment on a live data center floor.
- Led training sessions to enhance team skills in troubleshooting HVAC systems effectively.
- Developed maintenance schedules that improved equipment longevity and reliability.
Education
B.S. - Facilities Management
Capitol Tech University
11.2025
B.S. - Business Operations Management / Focus Project Management
SNHU University
10.2025
Program - Mechatronics Fundamentals
Catawba Valley Community College
05.2015
Program - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology
Mid Florida Tech
04.2012
Skills
- Leadership & Financial Management
- Financial & Budget Management (OpEx/CapEx)
- Vendor & Contract Management
- SLA Performance Management
- Project & Program Management
- Technical Leadership & Mentoring
- Critical Operations & Reliability
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Emergency Response & Mitigation
- Reliability & Uptime Improvement
- Critical Work Planning & Deconfliction
- Problem-solving
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
- Safety & Compliance (NFPA 70E, OSHA)
- Technical Systems Expertise
- HV/MV Electrical Systems (up to 110kV)
- Critical Cooling Infrastructure
- UPS & Generator Backup Power
- Building Management Systems (BMS)
- Data Center Commissioning (CX)
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Full Professional
Italian
Limited Working
Certification
- NCMCO: Certified Mission Critical Operator
- Google: Authorized Person High / Medium Voltage Switchgear
- E-Hazard: High Voltage Qualified
- E-Hazard: Low Voltage Qualified
- Schneider Electric: Data Center Certified Associate
- Schneider Electric: Data center Project Management
- Schneider Electric: Data Center Project Commissioning
- Coursera: Project Management
- PMI: Project Management for Beginners
- JCI: YK High Pressure Centrifugal Chiller Operations/Maintenance
- Trane: HVAC Electrical Troubleshooting
- OSHA 10: Construction Outreach Training
- FEMA: ICS 100 & 200
- Google: Emergency Response Training
- CPR First Aid w/ AED
Timeline
Dedicated Control Room Operations / Controls Team
Google
07.2025 - Current
CCNR Electrical & Critical Cooling Lead
Google
07.2024 - 07.2025
Dedicated Control Room Operations
Google
11.2023 - 07.2024
NASA Generator Domain Lead
Google
06.2023 - 11.2024
Technical Lead
Google
02.2023 - 09.2023
HV/MV Authorized Person, CWP Program
Google
10.2022 - Current
Generator Program Lead
Google
06.2021 - 10.2023
NASA Mechanical X-Site Lead
NASA
05.2021 - 08.2022
Project Trailbreakers NASA SME
Google
08.2020 - 02.2023
Sprint Project Lead
Sprint
09.2018 - 05.2021
Critical Cooling Lead SME
NASA
01.2018 - 06.2021
Non-Critical Cooling SME
Non-Critical Cooling SME
10.2016 - 12.2017
Sr. Data Center Infrastructure Operations
Google
10.2015 - Current
B.S. - Business Operations Management / Focus Project Management
SNHU University
Program - Mechatronics Fundamentals
Catawba Valley Community College
Program - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology
Mid Florida Tech
B.S. - Facilities Management
Capitol Tech University