At Align, we recognize the rapid expansion of the data center market. This sector is becoming a prime career destination for recent graduates, and we're actively shaping its future.
Each summer, we welcome a select group of bright, driven students from universities nationwide. These Data Center interns are eager to immerse themselves in the complexities and innovations of modern data infrastructure. By investing in these talented individuals, we're not only fostering their professional development in a thriving job market but also directly enhancing our capability to deliver cutting-edge data center solutions and services to clients globally.
Data Center Interns 2025
Derek Diaz
Derek Diaz, a graduate of Manhattanville University, is a new addition to Align's 2025 Data Center intern class. Working out of the Virginia office, Derek's role involves assisting the Data Center team with physical on-site assessments. He is particularly excited about learning all he can during his internship. In his free time, Derek enjoys watching films and reading books.
What are some of the highlights of projects you’ve worked on so far this summer?
The growth of the white space seeing the transformation of an empty, barren room into being full of an array of servers and switches. The experience was exciting to watch unfold before my very eyes. Not to mention having to pick up on reseating optics or having to dress cable properly. It gave me a sense of accomplishment to have tasks given to me with complete trust in handling them on my own.
How do you think your experience with Align will help you with your career?
It allowed me to understand what was expected of me but also project managers. How to communicate with the client, have a keen eye on the finer details, be quick on the uptake to developing situations, to work smarter and not harder. and having the patience to solve problems before giving up completely.
What has your favorite part been so far?
One experience I had was learning how to install a server rack, which by far was the most nerve-wracking but exhilarating thing I have done so far. I can’t forget to mention that the people I interacted with on the project were extremely helpful; when there was an issue, we all jumped in to work through it and troubleshoot, only to finally have it solved. This made something that could be considered monotonous and stale feel very exciting and instilled a sense of accomplishment.
What would be your advice to any future Align interns?
Ask for a cable stretcher. You will need one. But in all fairness. It would be to listen and learn as much as you can from the project managers around you. Absorb everything like a sponge. Constantly ask questions, pick everyone’s brain to learn what they are doing, why they are doing it in a certain way and how important it is overall. Shadow them and see how they accomplish the tasks.
Roderick Luster
Roderick attends the University of Memphis where he is pursuing his Bachelors degree in Computer Engineering. During his summer with Align, Roderick will assist our infrastructure team in helping technicians manage cabling, structures, and devices to prepare data centers and server rooms. He is most excited to expand his skillset in new telecom and cabling practices. In his free time, Roderick enjoys playing the piano, listening to music, and building computers.
What are some of the highlights of projects you’ve worked on so far this summer?
I got to experience one of the biggest parts of the new frontier that is AI and it has helped me understand a lot about them. The cooperation between the team and the hospitality they showed us was very welcoming and helped us ease into the data center lifestyle. Learning the lives of project management roles and how to lead from JPC and Nick.
How do you think your experience with Align will help you with your career?
This is a wonderful step into more leadership roles, which I will eventually get into as I want to become a Computer Engineering Team Lead. It also provides ground-level experience in areas like networking, IT, and even hardware engineering.
What has your favorite part been so far?
Recognizing the naming patterns of different cable structures and actually learning how they work and for what application to use them. Learning about siskin, roce, t1 racks and such has helped me learn the backend aspects of network architecture.
What would be your advice to any future Align interns?
Just soak up all you can and be present. Ask questions about everything you see, the leads love it when you make an effort to understand the concepts of their job, its heartwarming! Be yourself and assimilate with the others and you will learn and love your internship.
Emmanuel Montoya
Emmanuel is a student at Rutgers University working towards his degree in Economics. Emmanuel's internship with the Data Center team will focus on on-site maintenance and cable management. During his internship, he is most excited for learning Align's operations while interacting with clients during Data Center build outs. Outside of his internship and studies, Emmanuel enjoys watching and playing sports.
What are some of the highlights of projects you’ve worked on so far this summer?
Working on the Memphis project has been an incredible learning experience. It’s the first time I’ve been involved in a project of this scale, and it has allowed me to see how complex infrastructure projects are managed from start to finish. Being part of such a large and high-impact initiative has taught me how to adapt quickly, work efficiently in a team environment, and think critically to solve real-world problems. The level of coordination, planning, and execution required on a project of this magnitude has broadened my understanding of large-scale operations and strengthened my technical and project management skills.
How do you think your experience with Align will help you with your career?
My experience with Align has significantly helped shape my professional career, especially by giving me hands-on exposure to AI and data center building. This internship has not only enhanced my technical abilities but also given me a clear understanding of the real-world applications of AI infrastructure. Working at Align has helped jumpstart my career in this fast-evolving space, giving me valuable experience in managing cutting-edge technology projects and collaborating with experienced professionals in the field. I now feel more prepared and confident to pursue roles in technology, analytics, or AI-driven operations, with a solid foundation to build on.
What has your favorite part been so far?
My favorite part of the internship has been working on large data center projects. Being involved in a project that supports such an innovative and forward-thinking technology has been both exciting and inspiring. It’s been amazing to contribute to a project that could have a significant impact on the future of artificial intelligence. This experience has deepened my interest in AI and given me firsthand insight into how much work goes on behind the scenes to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers emerging technologies.
What would be your advice to any future Align interns?
My biggest piece of advice would be to work hard and stay engaged — your effort will be noticed and admired here. Align is a place where taking initiative, staying accountable, and being reliable really pays off. The team appreciates individuals who show dedication and a willingness to learn. If you stay focused and put in consistent effort, you’ll not only gain valuable experience but also earn the respect of your colleagues and mentors.
Ronaldo Pascual
Joining the Data Center team for the summer, Ronaldo is a Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Memphis. He'll be a key part of the Data Center Infrastructure team, assisting with equipment installation and low-voltage system troubleshooting. Ronaldo will also work alongside project managers to perform site assessments and define system requirements, eager to expand his Data Center infrastructure skills. In his free time, Ronaldo enjoys carpentry.
What are some of the highlights of projects you’ve worked on so far this summer?
My project highlights this summer include gaining comprehensive experience in data center operations, specifically by shadowing project managers and learning to oversee workers at a higher capacity. I've also acquired proficiency in new software like Penduit, Fastreporter 3, and Easymark, all of which have provided me with invaluable knowledge to advance my career and understand the diverse workloads across different work disciplines.
How do you think your experience with Align will help you with your career?
I believe that working with align will help in my future career. Align has shown me the work needed to be done in such a grand project. The work Align has given me has helped me better grasp the intuition needed to accomplish goals, help direct, and oversee a company of workers throughout a scheduled project.
What has your favorite part been so far?
So far my favorite part during my time with Algin has been the wonderful Project Mangers that have taught me the ins and outs of working with Align and the multitude of tasked needed to run the company correctly and smoothly. Everyone has been very easy and nice to talk to throughout my stay at Align.
What would be your advice to any future Align interns?
I would recommend future Align interns to work diligently and ask questions to any of their peers. Never be afraid to ask question and try to find innovation in things to further one’s horizons.
London Ward
London is a recent graduate of the University of Memphis, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. She will spend her summer internship supporting the Data Center team by providing assistance for data center infrastructure projects. During her summer Align, she is particularly excited to learn about the Data Center processes and immerse herself in our company culture.
What are some of the highlights of projects you’ve worked on so far this summer?
One of the highlights of my summer project has been the opportunity to contribute to various aspects of project management. I’ve been involved in tracking inventory, onboarding new employees by managing access permissions, monitoring project progress, and supporting other operational tasks. It’s been a great learning experience that’s helped me build a well-rounded understanding of how different components come together to keep a project running smoothly.
How do you think your experience with Align will help you with your career?
My experience at Align has taught me the value of embracing the unknown rather than being discouraged by it. Coming in with no background in the data center industry, I initially felt like I was starting from scratch. But the support and guidance from the team helped me build confidence and learn quickly. This experience has strengthened my adaptability and willingness to ask questions—skills that I know will be valuable throughout my career.
What has your favorite part been so far?
My favorite part of the internship has been connecting with different Aligners and hearing about their unique career journeys. It was inspiring to learn how their diverse backgrounds and experiences led them to where they are today.
What would be your advice to any future Align interns?
My advice to future Align interns would be to take initiative and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Whether it’s offering help or asking someone to walk you through a process, those moments can lead to valuable learning opportunities. Being proactive not only helped me gain hands-on experience with tasks I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise, but it also built trust with my supervisors, who began to entrust me with more meaningful responsibilities.
We're incredibly excited to welcome this talented group of Data Center interns to the Align team. We're confident they will be valuable contributors, bringing fresh perspectives to our data center initiatives.
Interested in joining the Align team? Check out our open career opportunities by visiting our website here: https://www.align.com/it-careers-align
