DURHAM – Internet giant Google will create an engineering center focused on cloud computing and, in time, create 1,000 jobs, the company announced on Thursday.
“Today is an exciting day for Google Cloud in North Carolina. We help companies and organizations to transform themselves digitally, and to meet this challenge, we need the most talented team possible, and the Triangle region has some of the best and brightest engineers in the world, ”said Marian Croak, vice president of engineering at Google , in the ad. “We are looking forward to forming a close partnership with the local community as we expand our presence on this new engineering site.”
The center will be built in downtown Durham through a space sublease from Duke University at 200 W. Morris Street in the Durham Innovation District, according to a company spokesman. It is evaluating “several locations for its eventual permanent residence,” added the company.
The North Carolina news is part of a $ 7 billion plan to invest in growing its operations in the United States.
“I believe that a lasting economic recovery will come from the local communities and from the people and small businesses that give them life. Google wants to be part of this recovery, ”said Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO and its corporate parent, Alphabet. “That’s why we plan to invest more than $ 7 billion in offices and data centers in the U.S. and create at least 10,000 new full-time jobs at Google in the U.S. this year.”
Google has a long-standing investment in North Carolina that goes back 16 years, with one of its data centers located in western North Carolina. The new operation will be almost double the current number of company employees in the state.
For years, he also maintained a software development office at Chapel Hill.
And its high-speed internet network Google Fiber has significant operations, as well as offices in the Triangle and also in Charlotte.
In Durham, Google works with American Underground (owned by WRAL News and Capitol Broadcasting, the corporate controller of WRAL TechWire) as one of its centers focused on startups.
Why Durham?
Cloud computing is one of the fastest growing sectors of the Internet economy, with Google among the most important players. Competitors include IBM and Raleigh-based Red Hat, as well as Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.
Google said it chose Durham for the new center, which will join four others in the United States, in part because of “the region’s diverse and world-class talent to meet growing customer demand for its business products and solutions”.
In the announcement, Governor Roy Cooper said:
“It’s good to welcome Google Cloud to North Carolina, where I know they’ll find a talented workforce and a great quality of life. When I visited Google’s leadership at its Silicon Valley office in 2018, it was clear to me that our state was perfect for its expansions and we look forward to this hub helping to define the future of cloud computing. “
Lilyn Hester, Head of External Affairs, Public Policy and Government Relations – Southeast, Google
“I have been calling Durham home for decades and I have long shared with my colleagues that there is something very special in this corner of the world that requires a closer look. Google’s growth in the Triangle is a true expression of a shared commitment to innovation and the community. “