The massive push to power artificial intelligence across the United States relies on workers who spend their days walking miles of corridors, sniffing for burnt smells, and checking for bird damage to equipment. In Ashburn, Virginia, James Waddy once dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. Now, the 33-year-old engineer logs roughly 30,000 steps daily inside a one-million-square-foot data center in the suburban expanse outside Washington, D.C. During his rounds, he inhales deeply to detect any acrid scent that might signal overheating hardware, presses his hands against pipes to feel for cracks, and scans for flickering lights or damaged power transformers. As the lead engineer at this facility, Waddy also oversees dozens of engineers performing similar duties. He has given himself the nickname "The General." "I haven't heard any unusual sounds," he said, walking across a raised floor that hides an air-circulation plenum designed to cool the servers above. "I don't smell anything odd either. Everything is running smoothly."
As Americans grow more wary of artificial intelligence and its potential risks, data centers face increasing scrutiny. Yet beyond their often unremarkable, boxy exteriors, the inner workings of these facilities remain a mystery to most: What actually goes on inside? What do the workers do? Waddy's workplace, operated by data center provider Digital Realty, features long, echoing corridors so vast that technicians sometimes ride scooters to get around. There are rows of tall metal cages stuffed with tangled cables. The facility even includes fold-out beds and showers, allowing technicians to stay on-site during extreme weather events to keep servers running. Although up to 120 people can be present at any given time—the facility employs about 50 permanent staff, plus outsourced security and client-contracted workers—the building's sheer scale means many rooms sit empty on a typical workday.
Data center workers represent a booming occupation, providing the backbone for America's enormous AI investments. These facilities don't require massive teams; a typical data center might employ anywhere from dozens to a few hundred full-time staff, depending on size. But given the scale of current construction, the sector could ultimately create tens of thousands of jobs. According to industry data provider Data Center Map, the U.S. currently operates roughly 2,700 data center facilities, including the nine-year-old one where Waddy works. It sits in a dense cluster known as "Data Center Alley," about an hour's drive from the nation's capital. Data Center Map estimates nearly 400 more are under construction nationwide, with at least 1,500 more in the planning stages. More than one million job seekers have searched for data center roles on Indeed this year, with searches in August up eight-fold compared to early 2022. Indeed research shows hourly workers handling equipment maintenance and installation earn about 42% more in data centers than in similar roles elsewhere, while a data center project manager averages $115,000 annually.
At Digital Realty, entry-level engineers can earn around $66,000 per year, while experienced staff average over $120,000. Equinix, a data center operator, reports that professionals skilled in electrical systems, network engineering, and cooling technologies are in high demand. Large tech firms like Meta Platforms have begun investing in training programs for data center technicians. In Virginia, where data centers are heavily concentrated, Northern Virginia Community College has launched specialized training programs with private sector support. "These are critical infrastructure that must run 24/7 without interruption," said Cindy Fiedelman, chief human resources officer at Digital Realty. "So workers need a specific mix of technical training, safety awareness, and hands-on experience. And relative to the pace of growth in this industry, talent with those capabilities is still very scarce."
Digital Realty operates more than 300 data centers across six continents. In facilities like the one in Ashburn, the company leases out data hall space to major tech firms requiring computing capacity, including Oracle, Meta, and IBM. Meanwhile, the company faces growing public opposition to new construction. In Atlanta, Digital Realty is seeking a waiver from a local ban on building data centers near public transit hubs for a proposed $500 million facility. Local residents have voiced objections, and the project remains unresolved. A Digital Realty spokesperson said the project would create well-paying jobs and the company is "committed to moving forward the right way by working with the local community."
The Ashburn facility employs a mix of white-collar and blue-collar workers. There are security guards, technicians maintaining client cabling, supply chain managers handling procurement, and engineers monitoring for equipment anomalies. Staffing across other U.S. data centers follows a similar pattern. The single most critical task: keeping the data center online. Digital Realty estimates its facilities currently maintain 99.999% uptime, but the company aims to push that to 99.9999%. That difference may sound trivial, but it translates to reducing annual downtime from about six minutes to just 30 seconds.
Don Atkinson, who has worked at Digital Realty for roughly 14 years, spent 17 years in military service before moving into backup power system maintenance. Now 53, Atkinson has moved into a management role, mentoring younger engineers. Like many in the industry, he's adjusting to the public's suddenly shifting attitude toward data centers—a sector that offered him career stability. "We love America, we love this country, and we love this industry, so the current situation is strange to us," he said, admitting he doesn't use AI much himself. "This is a weird period for the industry right now."
Another employee, Malcolm Mosely, says his family sometimes discusses the political controversies surrounding data centers, but he tries to tune it out. "I just come here to work," he said, standing inside a black metal cage packed with yellow cables. He was inspecting a "cross-connect" line, which links one customer's equipment system to another's. Waddy has been at the Ashburn facility for three years. He holds an associate degree in business and previously worked in sales for an HVAC company. After entering the data center industry on night shifts maintaining equipment for global clients, he climbed the ranks to his current position.
Part of Waddy's daily routine involves checking the air handling area, where massive air conditioning units push cool air throughout the facility. The data halls upstairs resemble locker rooms: servers stacked in racks or cages that companies rent out. But there are no corporate logos or names visible, since competing servers may be deployed right next to each other. Workers are advised to wear earplugs when entering these areas, as the noise from servers is deafening up close. On the roof, Waddy inspects hundreds of neatly aligned condensers that dissipate heat from the facility. He checks for equipment malfunctions and also looks for damage caused by birds, which seem to enjoy pecking at the units. From the rooftop, a crane is visible in the distance—a competitor's data center rising nearby. "It's nice up here," Waddy said, smiling. "This is my favorite part of the rounds."
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