Infrastructure Operations & Sustainability Lead

📋 Job Overview

OpenAI’s Industrial Compute organization is building and operating the infrastructure required to support frontier AI at unprecedented scale. The organization works across data center development, power, design and construction, hardware, supply chain, deployment, facilities operations, and external partnerships. As this infrastructure footprint grows, OpenAI must ensure that sustainability, operational reliability, and responsible development are incorporated into infrastructure decisions from the beginning rather than addressed as separate downstream initiatives.

🏢 About OpenAI

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory that aims to develop and direct artificial intelligence in ways that benefit humanity as a whole. The organization is known for its cutting-edge research and development in AI technologies.

🎯 The Role

We are seeking an Infrastructure Operations & Sustainability Lead to develop and execute the sustainability strategy for OpenAI’s global infrastructure portfolio. This role will translate environmental priorities and external commitments into practical operating requirements across site selection, data center design, construction, equipment procurement, deployment, and ongoing operations. You will build the frameworks, metrics, governance, and cross-functional programs required to improve environmental performance while preserving the speed, reliability, and scalability demanded by OpenAI’s infrastructure roadmap.

✅ Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive sustainability strategy for OpenAI’s global compute infrastructure.
• Translate sustainability objectives into actionable requirements for site selection, design, construction, procurement, commissioning, and operations.
• Establish decision frameworks that balance environmental impact with infrastructure reliability, deployment speed, cost, and scalability.
• Develop strategies addressing operational and embodied carbon, water stewardship, materials, construction impacts, waste, circularity, and equipment lifecycle management.
• Partner with data center engineering and operations teams to identify practical improvements in infrastructure efficiency, resource use, resilience, and operational performance.
• Incorporate sustainability considerations into self-build, colocation, cloud, and strategic infrastructure-partner decisions.
• Establish measurable goals, operating metrics, dashboards, and governance mechanisms for infrastructure sustainability programs.
• Improve the quality, consistency, and auditability of environmental and operational data across internal teams and external partners.
• Work with hardware, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to develop supplier requirements and lifecycle strategies for infrastructure equipment.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, design approaches, and operating practices and determine which should move from pilot programs into scaled deployment.
• Develop business cases that clearly communicate environmental impact, implementation requirements, cost, schedule, and operational tradeoffs.
• Partner with Public Policy and Government Affairs on infrastructure-related sustainability positions, regulatory developments, and external engagement.
• Represent OpenAI in conversations with infrastructure partners, industry organizations, policymakers, community stakeholders, and other external parties.
• Provide executive leadership with clear assessments of progress, material risks, strategic choices, and recommended actions.
• Build repeatable playbooks that allow sustainability practices to scale across sites, geographies, infrastructure partners, and technology generations.

📌 Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in sustainability, infrastructure operations, environmental strategy, data center infrastructure, or related fields.
• Deep understanding of sustainability principles, environmental regulations, and best practices in infrastructure development and operations.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing sustainability strategies in complex, large-scale organizations.
• Expertise in data center design, construction, and operations, with a focus on sustainability and efficiency.
• Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to drive initiatives across organizational boundaries.
• Experience with sustainability metrics, reporting frameworks, and governance mechanisms.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies and practices in sustainable infrastructure development and operations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to represent the organization externally.

🎁 Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.

🛂 Visa & Eligibility

This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.