Virtualization Systems Architect (Level IV) SME

Roles And Responsibilities

• Support virtualization technologies with minimum of 13-20 years' experience.
• Design, configure, deploy, integrate, and maintain server virtualization and server infrastructure solutions.
• Consult CLIENT on best practices for server virtualization solutions and make recommendations.
• Specialize in building and managing virtual computing platforms.
• Play a critical role in data migration, virtual machine lifecycle management, troubleshooting, tuning, and performance monitoring of the environment.
• Highly specialized in one or more phases of software systems development, systems integration, or network engineering.
• Provide technical assistance and advice on complex activities.
• Formulate / define specifications, develop / modify / maintain complex systems and subsystems, using vendor engineering releases and utilities for overall operational systems.
• Apply analytical techniques when gathering information from users, defining work problems, designing technology solutions, and developing procedures to resolve the problems.
• Develop complete specifications to enable computer programmers to prepare required programs.
• Analyze methods of approach.
• Review task proposal requirements, gather information, analyze data, prepare project synopses, compare alternatives, prepare specifications, resolve processing problems, coordinate work with programmers and engineers, and orient users to new systems.
• Work with considerable freedom to make decisions on the techniques and approaches to be used.
• Prepare recommendations for system improvement for management and user consideration.

Requirements

• Minimum of 13-20 years' experience, in supporting virtualization technologies preferred.
• Architect and design server virtualization solutions.
• Perform systems administration for Windows Server and UNIX / Linux systems such as RHEL and SLES.
• Develop automation through scripting and APIs (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, PowerShell, Python, Bash, Terraform).
• Evaluate inefficiencies with server resources and make right-sizing recommendations.
• Manage and maintain server virtualization platform on premise as well as cloud (VMware, Nutanix, Harvester, OpenShift, Proxmox, Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Play a lead role in meetings relating to specific technical projects or tasks.
• Work independently with minimal supervision or as part of a team.
• Be assigned responsibility for advanced technical issues in the environment for problem resolution.
• Diagnose and repair system problems working closely with vendor support for all servers, software, and other hardware directly or with the team members.
• Define, monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot system performance of all server virtualization and other related infrastructure systems.
• Have basic understanding of data center networking (TCP/IP, switching/routing, ports and protocols, firewall concepts, load-balancing).
• Have strong, demonstrable scripting experience in one or more of the following: PowerShell, Ansible, Puppet, Chef, VBScript, C++, Unix Shell, Python, Perl, Ruby, JavaScript, etc.
• Have good knowledge of Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, Group Policy.
• Have knowledge of MS Windows Server operating systems including Server 2016, 2019, and 2022 as well as RHEL and SLES operating systems.
• Have knowledge of MS database server SQL Server 2008 R2 and later.
• Have knowledge of container technologies including but not limited to Docker, Kubernetes, and Rancher.
• Have experience with hardening and improving the security of Windows operating systems and hardware platforms, local area networks, wide area networks, messaging, and client-server applications.
• Have ability to develop and maintain IT documentation.
• Independently analyze and develop innovative resolutions for complex problems involving availability and/or performance at the component level.
• Work with vendors to resolve problems and implement solutions independently.
• Lead project teams within assigned unit. Develop, plan, and manage project tasks.
• Participate in efforts to design and deploy AI solutions.
• Provide training to less experienced team members of the IS department.
• Make registry edits.
• Preferred: A current VMware, Nutanix, or similar Certification e.g. VCP, NCP, etc.
• Strong background in server virtualization e.g. VMware, Nutanix, OpenShift, Harvester, Proxmox, MS Hyper-V, Citrix, Azure, AWS, etc.
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience with Terraform or Ansible.
• Experience with Dell and HPE server hardware.
• Experience working in a large enterprise environment.
• Knowledge of storage area networks to include network operating systems, SAN protocols, SAN management, and SAN physical configuration.

Skills

• Virtualization experience in one or more of the following: VMware (Specifically VCF), Nutanix, Morpheus, Harvester, OpenStack, OpenShift.
• Strong knowledge with container technologies: Kubernetes, Rancher, Tanzu, Docker, Podman, etc.
• Automation Skills: Ansible / AWX, VMware PowerCLI, PowerShell, Packer, Chocolatey, Terraform.
• Cloud Knowledge: AWS, GCP, Azure.
• Change Management: ServiceNow, Remedy.
• Compliance: PCI, SOX.
• Artificial Intelligence: Claude, ChatGPT, Machine Learning, AI Agents, MCP, LLMs.
• Database Knowledge in one or more of the following: Oracle, MS SQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Cockroach DB, Spanner, PostgreSQL.
• Systems design and Architecture.
• Hardware: Dell PowerEdge, Dell OME, HPE Servers, HPE OneView, iDRAC, iLO.
• Soft Skills: Project Management, Consulting, Vendor management, Collaboration, Leadership (Team Lead).

Education

• A degree from an accredited College/University in the applicable field of services is preferred.
• If resource does not have a relevant college degree, an additional 4 years of relevant work experience is required.

Additional Provisions

• All candidates must be a US Citizen.
• Pass a client mandated clearance process to include drug screening, criminal history check and credit check.
• Cannot have more than 6 months travel outside the United States within the last five years.
• Military Service excluded. (Exception does not include military family members.)