MOHAMED FOFANA
Ashburn
Summary
Experienced Data Center Leader with a strong background managing mission-critical cloud infrastructure, high-impact technical operations, and multidisciplinary teams. Over a decade of hands-on experience across hyperscale environments including Google, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Amazon, and federal agencies. Adept at leading 24/7 operations, driving escalations to rapid resolution, overseeing large-scale capacity expansions, and collaborating with engineering, architecture, and product teams. Proven ability to build and grow high-performing teams, optimize processes, and deliver complex projects on time with high quality.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Data Center Engineer
Akkodis E&T, LLC – Supporting Google
Leesburg, VA
01.2025 - Current
- Provide leadership and operational oversight for high-availability data center environments.
- Manage escalations, drive incident response, and ensure rapid resolution with after-action reviews.
- Coordinate with engineering and architecture partners to evaluate failures and implement improvements.
- Support workforce planning, technician development, and onboarding for new hires.
- Contract
Lead Data Center Engineer
ZT Systems – Supporting Microsoft
Ashburn, VA
08.2023 - 09.2024
- Respond promptly to server service tickets in customer data centers.
- Maintain stocked and organized parts lockers.
- Diagnose server failures to ensure quick recovery.
- Monitor server fleet health to exceed uptime requirements.
- Share detailed feedback with engineering teams on failures and serviceability.
- Perform firmware and BIOS updates using approved tools.
- Adhere to all safety, security, and operational protocols.
- Contract
Data Center Hardware Engineer
IBM
Leesburg, VA
07.2023 - 08.2023
- Rack, build, cable, configure, and provision Intel and AMD servers.
- Deploy Cisco Layer 2 networking equipment.
- Troubleshoot and perform QA testing on server hardware.
- Resolve hardware issues through ticketing workflows.
- Contract
Senior Facility Data Center Engineer
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
10.2021 - 11.2022
- Categorize and track asset tags for critical infrastructure components.
- Provide daily infrastructure support and serve as technical escalation point.
- Configure Raritan and Legrand systems through vendor portals.
- Lead structured data center migrations and decommissioning projects.
- Deliver hardware and network support for servers, switches, and routers.
- Analyze asset performance trends to identify inefficiencies.
- Review HPE server logs and coordinate hard drive replacements.
- Manage VM migrations and server maintenance modes via iLO.
- Record environmental data hall metrics and maintain compliance logs.
- Coordinate secure disposal of failed storage media.
- Manage inventory logistics and vendor shipments.
- Maintain organized spare-parts inventory to minimize downtime.
- Contract
Infrastructure Data Center Technician
Rose International – Supporting Meta
Ashburn, VA
05.2019 - 08.2020
- Supported multiple data centers and equipment, including network, server, and storage devices.
- Maintained proper documentation and asset-management processes to ensure accurate records of hardware and software inventory, configurations, network diagrams, and documented procedures.
- Performed system monitoring and maintenance.
- Conducted troubleshooting and issue resolution.
- Maintained comprehensive documentation of Meta processes, configurations, and procedures.
- Supported vendor activities via escort assistance using internal tools.
- Forecasted and planned resources required to meet current and future data center needs, such as power, cooling, space, and network capacity, via a proprietary system called SERF.
- Deployed server hardware, networking equipment, storage devices, and other infrastructure components within the data center.
- Continuously monitored data center infrastructure, including servers, networks, storage, and applications, to identify performance issues, bottlenecks, and capacity utilization.
- Complied with industry standards and regulatory requirements, such as data privacy regulations.
- Contract
Field Technician
Unisys
Ashburn, VA
12.2018 - 05.2019
- Provide onsite technical support for desktops, laptops, servers, and network devices.
- Assist with system installations and decommissioning tasks.
- Contract
Data Center Engineer
Tata Consultancy Services
Ashburn, VA
12.2014 - 08.2018
- Support enterprise data center infrastructure deployments and maintenance.
- Install and decommission compute and network equipment.
- Manage inventory lifecycle and hardware replacement workflows.
- Perform rack installations, cabling, power-up, and provisioning handoffs.
- Full-Time
Data Center Technician
Fannie Mae
Ashburn, VA
02.2013 - 05.2014
- Install and configure data center hardware components.
- Monitor infrastructure performance including servers, network, power, and cooling systems.
- Identify root causes of incidents and implement corrective solutions.
- Contract
Education
Associate of Science - Information Technology
Northern Virginia Community College
Skills
- Server Hardware Diagnostics & Replacement
- Server, Storage & Network Hardware Expertise
- Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
- Rack / Stack / Cabling & Provisioning
- Network Equipment Installation (Cisco, Mellanox, etc)
- People Management & Team Leadership (15–20 Technicians)
- Inventory, Asset Tagging & Chain of Custody
- Hiring, Training & Talent Development
- Data Center Safety, Compliance & Access Control
- Troubleshooting & Root Cause Isolation
- Rack / Block / White Space Buildout Management
- Power, Cooling & Capacity Planning
- Documentation & Reporting
- Cross-Functional Collaboration (Engineering, Build, Site Selection, Product)
- Change Management & Field Change Order Execution
- Vendor & Colocation Partner Management
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
French
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Senior Data Center Engineer
Akkodis E&T, LLC – Supporting Google
01.2025 - Current
Lead Data Center Engineer
ZT Systems – Supporting Microsoft
08.2023 - 09.2024
Data Center Hardware Engineer
IBM
07.2023 - 08.2023
Senior Facility Data Center Engineer
U.S. House of Representatives
10.2021 - 11.2022
Infrastructure Data Center Technician
Rose International – Supporting Meta
05.2019 - 08.2020
Field Technician
Unisys
12.2018 - 05.2019
Data Center Engineer
Tata Consultancy Services
12.2014 - 08.2018
Data Center Technician
Fannie Mae
02.2013 - 05.2014
Associate of Science - Information Technology
Northern Virginia Community College