Data Center Capacity & Forecasting Strategist

Lambda is the #1 GPU Cloud for ML/AI teams training, fine-tuning and inferencing AI models, where engineers can easily, securely and affordably build, test and deploy AI products at scale. Lambda’s product portfolio includes on-prem GPU systems, hosted GPUs across public & private clouds and managed inference services – servicing government, researchers, startups and Enterprises world-wide.

If you'd like to build the world's best deep learning cloud, join us. 

*Note: This position prefers presence in our Bay Area office locations, but is open to remote presence for the right candidate. 

About the Job

As Lambda continues to scale its AI platform and customer base, infrastructure decisions must be tightly aligned with product roadmaps, platform growth, and fiscal discipline. The Manager – Data Center Capacity & Forecasting will own the modeling, planning, and forecasting that underpins Lambda’s long-term data center strategy.

This role will work cross-functionally with Platform Engineering, Business Strategy, and Finance to interpret compute roadmaps, understand workload patterns, track data center utilization, and build multi-year demand and cost forecasts that guide budgeting and site planning decisions.

This position is a critical link between infrastructure supply and AI platform demand—and will help ensure Lambda builds the right capacity, in the right place, at the right time.

What You’ll Do

Capacity Planning & Demand Modeling

• Build and maintain quarterly to multi-year capacity models for data center space, power, and servers

• Translate Lambda Platform Engineering growth roadmaps into physical infrastructure needs

• Integrate product, sales, and engineering inputs into usable, scenario-based infrastructure forecasts

Utilization Tracking & Insights

• Monitor real-time and trailing utilization across deployed data center sites

• Provide insights on underutilized or oversubscribed facilities and propose mitigation options
  Recommend optimization strategies based on rack power density, occupancy, and cooling capacity

Business Alignment & Budget Forecasting

• Partner with Finance and the Office of the CFO to develop long-term capex forecasts for data center spend

• Ensure infrastructure investments align with company growth objectives, ROI thresholds, and timing constraints

• Support the creation of Board-level materials related to infrastructure needs and capital allocation

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Power & Utility Development Manager to ensure demand signals align with power acquisition timelines

• Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Data Center Partnerships to validate partner site timing and capacity commitments

• Interface with Platform Engineering, Business Ops, and AI teams to understand evolving infrastructure requirements

You

• Self-starter with a proven ability to independently drive and build programs in infrastructure planning, capacity modeling, or cloud/data center operations

• 6+ years of experience in infrastructure planning, capacity modeling, or cloud/data center operations

• Deep familiarity with AI or compute workload patterns, scaling dynamics, and infrastructure cost drivers

• Strong financial modeling and forecasting experience, including capex planning and TCO analysis

• Ability to synthesize complex technical and business inputs into clear, actionable strategic recommendations

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical, operational, and financial stakeholders

Preferred Experience 

• Prior experience in hyperscale or cloud infrastructure environments

• Familiarity with GPU cluster sizing, workload forecasting, or energy-efficient compute architectures

• Knowledge of DCIM tools, telemetry systems, or utilization analytics platforms

• MBA, MS in Systems Engineering, or background in business analytics

Salary Range Information

Based on market data and other factors, the annual salary range for this position is $150,000-$225,000. However, a salary higher or lower than this range may be appropriate for a candidate whose qualifications differ meaningfully from those listed in the job description. Exceptional candidates with deep infrastructure and financial strategy experience may fall outside this range.

About Lambda

• Founded in 2012, ~350 employees (2024) and growing fast

• We offer generous cash & equity compensation

• Our investors include Andra Capital, SGW, Andrej Karpathy, ARK Invest, Fincadia Advisors, G Squared, In-Q-Tel (IQT), KHK & Partners, NVIDIA, Pegatron, Supermicro, Wistron, Wiwynn, US Innovative Technology, Gradient Ventures, Mercato Partners, SVB, 1517, Crescent Cove.

• We are experiencing extremely high demand for our systems, with quarter over quarter, year over year profitability

• Our research papers have been accepted into top machine learning and graphics conferences, including NeurIPS, ICCV, SIGGRAPH, and TOG

• Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents

• Wellness and Commuter stipends for select roles

• 401k Plan with 2% company match (USA employees)

• Flexible Paid Time Off Plan that we all actually use

A Final Note:

You do not need to match all of the listed expectations to apply for this position. We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lambda is an Equal Opportunity employer. Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation and identity, genetic information, veteran status, citizenship, or any other factors prohibited by local, state, or federal law.