How can the energy industry land you a data center job?

Located in the vibrant city of Madrid, Juan Ramón's role as a business development manager specialized in data centers involves developing a range of data center solutions to support the varied demands of his customer base. Juan Ramón's background in industrial engineering allows him to effectively manage customer requirements that sometimes call for detailed technical conversations. He transitioned to that role from a more traditional oil & gas sector of the business, a move that allowed him to expand his work experience within the company. When asked whether his friends and family truly understand what a business development manager does at an energy company concerning data centers, Juan Ramón laughs: “Not always. I have to explain that everything on your mobile phone, or when you open Netflix or shop online, all that information is stored in a place called a data center. And it’s growing and growing... And those data centers need energy 24/7.”

As data centers have become increasingly recognized as part of our critical infrastructure, ensuring their energy efficiency is a crucial challenge that professionals with a data center job at a company like Siemens Energy tackle. With his deep expertise, Juan Ramón frequently engages in interactions with customers to discuss strategies for more energy-efficient operations. In his role focused on the South Europe region, he needs to think strategically, making sure the data center solutions are appropriate for the regional market, while at the same time approaching the customer needs with a global approach.  

Working in data centers sometimes feels like sailing in open waters—always needing to adapt to new winds of technological development and different client needs. “A data center is such a new and evolving topic; we are exploring new data center solutions with our customers on a daily basis,” says Juan Ramón, pointing out that constant learning is key to the role. Whether it's from other experts in the field or through the broad training offerings that the company provides, he is always proactive in his day-to-day work. In the morning, he might find himself strategizing with a renewable energy company on how their sustainable power solutions could be appealing to data centers. Later that day, he dedicates time to in-depth technical discussions with his team to help him prepare for a client meeting that week. During a typical week in a data center job, he also spends time crafting project plans and communicating progress to management, ensuring that everyone is aligned on the goals and milestones of their data center projects. Event attendance and engagement with the customer in person are also significant parts of working as a business development manager, even though he appreciates the ability to work from home for more focused tasks and the flexibility to balance his family life.