Senior Infrastructure Engineer (VMware & Cloud)

Job Description:

Working as a Senior Infrastructure Engineer (VMware & Cloud) for a Randstad client in Washington, D.C., puts you at the center of critical infrastructure modernization. This role is a mix of high-level systems architecture and hands-on technical leadership, specifically supporting core Amtrak sites. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of enterprise virtualization - from drafting complex Bills of Materials (BoM) and designing net-new ESXi clusters to managing high-availability physical security clusters. By bridging the gap between on-premises VMware stacks and modern cloud identity through Azure AD (Entra), you will ensure the reliability, scalability, and security of transit-critical technology environments in a fast-paced, mission-driven atmosphere.

Core Responsibilities

• Architectural Design & Deployment: Lead the net-new design, BoM specification, and full-stack installation of VMware ESXi clusters across primary regional sites.

• Cluster Management: Maintain and optimize a high-stakes physical security cluster consisting of 6 ESXi hosts and 15+ Windows Server 2022 VMs.

• Lifecycle Operations: Manage critical firmware upgrades, VMware core OS updates, and storage array maintenance to ensure 24/7 system availability.

• Performance Optimization: Conduct regular health checks, failover testing, and workload balancing to maximize resource allocation and HA (High Availability) stability.

• Data Protection & Recovery: Design, implement, and rigorously test comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions to ensure zero-loss data integrity.

• Security & Compliance: Oversee vulnerability management and patch cycles while collaborating with security partners to harden the infrastructure.

• Documentation & Strategy: Create and maintain SOPs, best-practice guides, and detailed system configuration diagrams for cross-functional team alignment.

Qualifications & Technical Profile

• Experience: 4+ years of dedicated expertise in designing, implementing, and managing VMware vSphere, ESXi, and iSCSI SAN storage.

• Core Infrastructure: Proficiency in Windows Server 2022, Linux OS, and fundamental networking protocols (TCP/IP routing, DNS).

• Identity & Cloud: Strong functional knowledge of Azure AD (Entra) and exposure to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) or VMware Horizon/Desktop.

• Storage Expertise: Hands-on experience with SAN environments; specific familiarity with HPE Alletra storage arrays is highly desirable.

• Tooling: Experience utilizing ServiceNow for ITSM and familiarity with Citrix environments or Equinix/co-lo facility procedures.

• Soft Skills: Proven ability to communicate complex technical specs to business partners and collaborate with diverse technology infrastructure teams.