Minimum qualifications:

• PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 15 years of professional or academic experience in systems engineering or computer architecture.
• Experience leading large-scale, cross-functional engineering initiatives and driving technical strategy.
• Technical experience in one or more of the following: power management (DVFS, C-states), hardware-software co-design, distributed systems scheduling, or data center power infrastructure.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with large-scale distributed systems and software-defined infrastructure.
• Experience with telemetry and observability systems for large-scale fleets, including data analysis and extracting actionable insights from large datasets.
• Strong understanding of grid dynamics, renewable energy integration, and carbon accounting standards (Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions).
• Proven ability to motivate others by creating a shared vision, communicating complex technical concepts clearly, and driving collaboration across organizational boundaries.
• Strong track record of academic research, publications, and patents in the field of green computing, energy-efficient architecture, or distributed systems.

About the job

Google is committed to achieving net-zero emissions across our operations, even in the face of dramatic fleet growth driven by Machine Learning (ML) and Cloud computing. We are looking for a Principal Engineer, Data Center Sustainability to define the strategic and technical direction for Google's computing infrastructure sustainability.

In this role, you will lead the systems strategy and engineering efforts to design, build, and operate an emissions-first computing fleet. You will bridge the gap between computer architecture, large-scale distributed systems, power management, and grid carbon dynamics. By optimizing across CPUs, storage, networking, GPUs, TPUs, and accelerators, you will ensure Google's infrastructure scales responsibly, unlocking power capacity while maximizing carbon efficiency.

The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.

We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting-edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical guidance and shape the strategic direction for Google's fleet sustainability initiative. Align hardware deployment and software scheduling systems with Google’s carbon and energy reduction goals.
• Integrate performance-per-carbon metrics directly into CPU, TPU, GPU, and storage platform roadmaps. Define the architectural features and policies for next-generation platforms to minimize both operational and embodied carbon.
• Drive power optimization programs to reclaim idle power capacity.
• Design and implement the telemetry machinery required to measure, attribute, and report carbon emissions.
• Partner with chip design, platform engineering, software infrastructure, data center operations, and climate science teams to resolve system-level constraints and execute cross-functional programs.