Microsoft signals expansion of APAC datacenter fleet with 'land acquisition' hire

Hiring for regional and global execs to help it find new spots for bit barns, and make sure they get built right

Microsoft has signaled significant expansion of its datacenter footprint in the Asia Pacific region.

A job ad posted over the weekend seeks a Datacenter Land Acquisition Manager to work within a team responsible for "the delivery and pre-positioning of real estate to build Microsoft's cloud infrastructure."

The ad promises applicants the job will "help shape and deliver on a strategy to improve and expand our infrastructure in various markets."

The successful applicant will manage multiple assignments across the APAC region.

The ad calls for a decade of experience in real estate transactions that involve significant technical components and understanding of "high level electrical, power & cooling, fiber optics, and other technical requirements."

Interestingly, the job also requires "strong knowledge of alternative real estate transaction approaches."

Just what "alternative real estate transaction approaches" entails is not spelled out, but Microsoft has already tested an underwater datacenter and buying space on the sea floor would definitely require alternative approaches. Or perhaps Microsoft will, like many of its competitors, house datacenters in high-rise buildings – a plan that often requires engagement with property developers to ensure such structures are built to handle bit barns.

The Singapore-based job may require the successful applicant to spend up to 25 percent of their time on the road, and to get on planes at short notice.

According to Microsoft, it operates 20 datacenter regions across 11 markets in the Asia Pacific region, with more coming.

It is not clear whether the position covers just the countries in which Microsoft uses the moniker "APAC" for its Azure infrastructure – namely Hong Kong and Singapore – or in other nations led by the software giant's regional HQ. If the latter, which The Register thinks is most likely, this job could cover new builds in Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and India.

The ad also doesn't mention how many more datacenters Microsoft plans across the region.

But another Microsoft job ad posted last week, for a global datacenter delivery portfolio director, states "As we continue expanding into existing and new geographies globally, we are seeking an individual with the ability to manage and drive consistency on the portfolio of projects."

Between that job, and the growing APAC team dedicated to finding land for datacenters, Microsoft is clearly looking to deepen the pool of people who help it build new facilities. ®