Head of Site Selection & Colocations – Data Centers at Nebius — RealJobs — RealJobs

About Nebius:

Nebius is leading a new era in cloud infrastructure for the global AI economy. We are building a full-stack AI cloud platform that supports developers and enterprises from data and model training through to production deployment, without the cost and complexity of building large in-house AI/ML infrastructure.

Built by engineers, for engineers. From large-scale GPU orchestration to inference optimization, we own the hard problems across compute, storage, networking and applied AI.

Listed on Nasdaq (NBIS) and headquartered in Amsterdam, we have a global footprint with R&D hubs across Europe, the UK, North America and Israel. Our team of 1,500+ includes hundreds of engineers with deep expertise across hardware, software and AI R&D.

The role

The Site Selection & Colocation Manager is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and securing optimal locations for new data center developments and colocation expansions. This role combines real estate strategy, technical due diligence, market analysis, and vendor management to support the company’s global data center growth. The manager will collaborate closely with engineering, construction, finance, legal, and network planning teams to ensure that selected sites meet operational, technical, and business requirements.

You’re welcome to work in our office in Amsterdam or Remote in the US, UK, or EU.

Your responsibilities will include:

Site Selection & Market Analysis

Lead the end-to-end site selection process for new data center facilities.
Conduct market assessments, including power availability, fiber connectivity, land suitability, regulatory requirements, and risk factors.
Build and maintain market intelligence on emerging data center regions, supply trends, energy markets, and colocation pricing.
Evaluate and shortlist candidate sites through comparative analysis, scoring models, and feasibility studies.

Technical & Environmental Due Diligence

Coordinate environmental, geotechnical, hydrological, and seismic assessments.
Assess infrastructure availability (power, water, fiber) and future scalability.
Evaluate construction constraints, climate conditions, logistics access, and permitting feasibility.
Work with engineering teams to ensure sites meet mechanical, electrical, and network resilience requirements.

Colocation Strategy & Vendor Management

Identify colocation providers and evaluate facilities based on technical specifications, SLA requirements, and cost structure.
Lead RFPs, negotiations, and contract execution with colocation and connectivity partners.
Manage colocation lifecycle: renewals, expansions, migrations, and optimization of space/power allocations.
Monitor vendor performance against SLA, uptime, compliance, and efficiency metrics.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work with data center design and construction teams to validate site feasibility and development timelines.
Partner with legal on contract terms, property acquisition, lease terms, and regulatory compliance.
Support finance with CapEx/OpEx modeling, ROI calculations, and business case development.
Coordinate with public authorities, utilities, and permitting agencies as needed.

Risk Assessment & Compliance

Evaluate risks related to natural hazards, geopolitical risk, security, environmental constraints, and utility reliability.
Ensure compliance with local regulations, zoning laws, and corporate standards.
Maintain documentation for audits, reporting, and internal approvals.

We expect you to have:

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Engineering, Business, Geography, or related field.
5–8+ years of experience in site selection, real estate development, colocation management, or data center infrastructure.
Strong understanding of data center power, cooling, and network requirements.
Experience in evaluating colocation providers and negotiating leases/SLAs.
Analytical skills in market research, cost modeling, and risk assessment.
Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects across regions.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

It will be an added bonus if you have:

Experience with hyperscale or large-scale data center development.
Knowledge of utility procurement (power, water), renewable energy markets, and substation planning.
Familiarity with geospatial tools (GIS), risk modeling, or data center capacity planning.
Understanding of permitting processes and environmental regulations.

Benefits & Perks:

Competitive compensation
Career growth and learning opportunities
Flexibility and work-life balance
Collaborative and innovative culture
Opportunity to work on impactful AI projects
International environment and talented teams

What's it like to work at Nebius:

Fast moving - Bold thinking - Constant growth - Meaningful impact - Trust and real ownership - Opportunity to shape the future of AI

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Nebius is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace and to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the country in which they apply and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility as a condition of hire.

If you need accommodations during the application process, please let us know.