Server Virtualization Platform Operations Engineer

About the role

The Cloud and Connectivity organization is actively looking for a VMware ESX Platform Operations Engineer to join them. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in maintaining system stability, automating operational tasks, and ensuring high availability for critical workloads, including leveraging modern AI automation tools to improve efficiency and streamline engineering workflows.

Responsibilities

• Maintain system stability and high availability for critical workloads
• Support multi-datacenter operations
• Implement solutions that improve availability and reliability
• Provide mentorship and direction to global Lilly operations SMEs and other platform infrastructure operations SME
• Optimize, configure, and maintain private cloud infrastructure capabilities

Requirements

• Technical expertise and leadership to turn ideas and concepts into solutions
• Strong hands-on experience with automated infrastructure availability and resiliency (VMWare/vSphere/Storage replication) at enterprise scale
• Experience leveraging AI-driven automation tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, or similar) to streamline engineering workflows, improve efficiency, or support infrastructure operations
• Knowledge and experience with modern VMware ESX, Azure VMware Service, IaaS cloud services (EC2, Azure Compute), or languages and tools such as Python, JSON, YAML, ARM, Git
• Ability to optimize, configure, and maintain private cloud infrastructure capabilities to help build, configure, and maintain systems
• Consistent track record of high quality, agile focused, team-based solution delivery
• Excellent analytical, problem solving and communication skills, working across global and diverse teams
• Deep understanding of networking concepts like VLANs and trunking
• Prior experience configuring and leading VMware networking components, including Distributed Switches (vDS), to ensure efficient and secure network communication
• Experience with Zerto and VMware HCX technologies is a plus
• Experience leading operations of a global large-scale ESX infrastructure service

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related technical field
• 4+ years of experience as a VMware ESX / Platform Engineer
• Demonstrated experience or exposure to AI-enabled automation tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, or similar), with the ability to apply them in engineering or operational contexts

Skills

• Linux, Windows, VMware vSphere, Dell SAN storage or Cloud certifications are a bonus, or we are willing to help you develop
• Technical leadership supporting enterprise grade infrastructure solutions and leading the deployment at multiple global locations

Benefits

Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).

Pay

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate's education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $64,500 - $151,800.

Schedule

Shift rotations: Monday to Friday / Thursday to Monday
Less than 5% travel.