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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Joseph LeGare, a 24-year-old project engineer based in Frederick County, Maryland, who works at Rowan Digital Infrastructure, a hyperscale data center developer. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I studied philosophy for two years at The Catholic University of America before dropping out and working as an assistant superintendent at a construction company.

After about a year, I moved into residential and did administrative work, including daily reports, county inspection scheduling, quality verification, and weekly safety meetings with foremen. I even worked as a materials management specialist at a residential home manufacturer.

At the same time, I was taking night classes in construction management at Frederick Community College. I assumed I'd go into residential construction, but my classes made me realize I really wanted to pursue commercial construction. I wanted to get out of office work and back into the field.

My professor said that if I wanted field experience, getting into the data center industry would be a game changer.​​​​

The data center industry caught my eye because it's so fast-paced

Rowan Digital Infrastructure, which builds data centers, ran an internship program with my school, and one of my professors recommended I apply. They hired me full-time after six months.

The data center industry uses the most up-to-date technologies to build projects — whether those technologies are related to safety equipment, heavy equipment, or tools — and it's fascinating to see.

I enjoy working in the data center industry, as there is a massive need for it, and I want to help build the infrastructure that keeps the world running.

As an intern, my mornings started with reviewing data center drawings

I learned to read construction drawings and specifications while gaining hands-on field experience. These are data center-specific, but they share many similarities with general commercial construction drawings. The only real difference is that when we follow our drawings, we build a data center. It could just as easily be for a warehouse or apartment building.

Most mornings, my mentor and I reviewed the drawings and specs. Then we'd head out with an iPad or printed drawings to watch the crews work, whether they were installing or lifting a wall.

In data center construction project management, you don't need specialized skills beyond those required for any other construction project. However, data center construction is extremely fast-paced work. You'll need to adapt to constant changes, whether that's new details being released, deliveries being delayed, or a schedule being pulled in.

I got to be in the field, and the pay was generous

My main focus was on being in the field and learning. I was also learning how requests for information, or RFIs, work and how to move between the architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, and subcontractors.

The internship pay was generous, in the high five figures. I thought I might be taking a pay cut going into commercial construction. Instead, Rowan offered me a full-time job with a six-figure salary after my internship. I'm making more than I was earning at my last job.

My full-time data center role focuses on getting answers

One of the biggest responsibilities after being hired was overseeing the RFI and submittal process with the general contractor. I went from observer to main point of contact.

Now the GC comes to me practically daily with a problem or an RFI, and I assemble the right people to get an answer. Basically, I keep all the documentation moving. Much of my job is closing the gap between what's on the drawings and what's happening in the field.

When something doesn't line up, I track down the answer. That means going back through the specs, talking to the trades, and getting questions to the design team.

I'm constantly coordinating to make sure everything lines up. The specific problem is different almost every day. However, probably the most common issue is that field conditions differ from the construction documents. Sometimes the issue is easy to fix, and we can make a call right then and there. Other times, we have to reach out to the design team for guidance.

We also focus heavily on testing and commissioning before turnover because everything has to work reliably. Additionally, our project is a brownfield site, which means the soil contains higher amounts of regulated materials than is typical. This is because the site used to be an aluminum smeltery, so we have to work hand in hand with the Maryland Department of the Environment to ensure we avoid adding to that regulated soil and remediate it.

There are pros and cons, but overall, I'm happy working in the data center industry

The biggest pro is how fast my career has advanced. The opportunities I've been given are crazy, and so is the knowledge and skill I've been able to build.

I thought it would take five to 10 years to get here, but the company gave me the opportunity right off the bat.

The biggest con is the stress, which I didn't fully expect. Every job has its stressors, but here you're constantly on deadlines, watching budgets because there isn't endless money for a job, and maintaining relationships. There are a lot of days I go home thinking, "Man, that was a really long day."

Eventually, I'd love to be a construction manager or project manager and take on more responsibility, even with the added stress. But I'm happy where I am. As hard as the stress is, it's rewarding to look at something and know I helped build it.

Do you work at a data center and want to share your story? Email this editor, Manseen Logan, at [email protected].

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Kaila Yu

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Kaila Yu is a writer and on-camera correspondent based in Los Angeles. She is the author of "Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty." Learn more on her website, TikTok, and Instagram.

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