Director of Operations & Maintenance

About the role

We are seeking a Director of Operations & Maintenance to build and lead the O&M organization for the Monarch Compute Campus from pre-operational planning through full operation. As the senior operations leader on-site, you will be accountable for safe, reliable, and efficient operation of one of the largest AI factory and behind-the-meter generation complexes in the world. You will own the operational vision for Monarch: a fleet of 864+ Caterpillar reciprocating gas engines, switchgear and substation infrastructure, three hyperscale data center buildings, and supporting BOP and gas systems - all engineered as a state-certified AI microgrid. This role is on-site in Mason County, West Virginia. Reporting to senior Nscale leadership, you will build the local team, partner with EPC during commissioning, set the operating model, and over time scale the organization as additional phases come online.

Responsibilities

• O&M Organization Build-Out
• Define the Monarch operating model: organisation design, staffing plan, roles, and competency requirements.
• Recruit, hire, and develop the operations, maintenance, engineering, EHS, and support functions - with a strong emphasis on hiring and developing local West Virginia talent.
• Establish training and qualification programs in partnership with Caterpillar, OEMs, and WV community and technical colleges.
• Operational Readiness & Commissioning
• Lead the operations workstream of commissioning and start-up in close partnership with EPC and Nscale construction leadership.
• Develop operating procedures, maintenance procedures, emergency response plans, and the integrated management system.
• Drive systems handover, punch-list close-out, and final acceptance from construction to operations.
• Safe & Reliable Operations
• Own day-to-day safe operation of the generation fleet, microgrid, and data center facilities.
• Establish leading and lagging performance indicators for safety, reliability, availability, heat rate, and cost.
• Champion a robust safety, environmental, and operational risk culture.
• Maintenance & Asset Management
• Develop and execute a comprehensive reliability-centered maintenance strategy across the engine fleet, electrical systems, gas systems, and DC facilities.
• Manage major OEM service agreements with Caterpillar, Powell, Babcock & Wilcox, and others.
• Own the CMMS, spare parts strategy, and asset lifecycle planning.
• Compliance, Reporting & Stakeholder Partnership
• Ensure compliance with all environmental permits, microgrid certifications, and regulatory obligations.
• Report operational performance to Nscale executive leadership, customers (including Microsoft), and external stakeholders.
• Partner with the Government Relations team to maintain strong relationships with the local community and regulators.
• About You
• 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in gas-fired power generation, large hyperscale data centers, or comparable complex industrial / critical infrastructure operations.
• Demonstrated experience commissioning and starting up greenfield generation or data center assets.
• Senior leadership experience managing 100+ person operations organisations.
• Strong safety leader with a personal commitment to zero harm.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• Willing and able to be based in or near Point Pleasant, WV.

Requirements

• Direct experience operating reciprocating engine fleets or large gas turbine power stations.
• Advanced degree.
• Why This Role Matters

Benefits

Additional Information

About Nscale At Nscale, we are building the infrastructure for the AI revolution. Nscale is developing cutting-edge, sovereign generative AI solutions powered by a new generation of high-performance, sustainable data centres and GPUs built specifically for AI workloads. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented global demand for compute and GPU infrastructure. Positioned at the heart of this transformation, Nscale is delivering the platforms that will enable the next decade of innovation. Working closely with the world's most advanced AI technology providers - including Microsoft and NVIDIA - Nscale integrates next-generation compute hardware and GPU clusters across both partner and self-delivered facilities. This is a unique opportunity to join Nscale's journey, play a pivotal role in delivering transformative AI infrastructure, and help shape a company designed to scale rapidly across North America, Europe, and beyond.

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