Job Title: L3 Infrastructure & Virtualization Engineer
Location: Houston, TX
Duration: Contract
Key Responsibilities
VMware & VCF Administration
- Administer and support VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 environments.
- Manage and maintain VMware vCenter Server and ESXi hosts.
- Perform cluster management, resource optimization, and capacity planning.
- Troubleshoot complex virtualization issues related to compute, storage, networking, and VM performance.
- Execute VMware lifecycle management activities, including patching and upgrades.
- Support vMotion, Storage vMotion, DRS, HA, and distributed switch configurations.
- Implement VMware best practices for performance, security, and availability.
Windows Server Administration
- Manage and support Windows Server environments (2016, 2019, 2022).
- Perform advanced troubleshooting of OS, services, AD integration, DNS, DHCP, and GPO-related issues.
- Manage server provisioning, decommissioning, patching, and hardening activities.
- Ensure compliance with security and operational standards.
SCCM / MECM Administration
- Administer Microsoft SCCM/MECM infrastructure.
- Manage software deployment, patch management, OS deployment, and compliance reporting.
- Troubleshoot SCCM client, distribution point, and deployment issues.
- Create deployment packages, task sequences, and automation workflows.
Upgrade & Migration Projects
Lead and execute infrastructure upgrade and migration projects.
Plan and perform:
VMware vCenter upgrades.
ESXi upgrades and lifecycle management.
VCF platform upgrades.
Windows Server migrations.
SCCM/MECM upgrades and migrations.
Develop migration runbooks, rollback plans, and implementation documentation.
Conduct pre-upgrade assessments and post-implementation validations.
Incident & Problem Management
- Act as L3 escalation point for critical incidents and major outages.
- Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and implement permanent fixes.
- Participate in major incident bridges and provide technical leadership.
- Work closely with OEM vendors and support teams for issue resolution.
Documentation & Process Improvement
- Create and maintain technical documentation, SOPs, and knowledge articles.
- Develop automation and operational improvement initiatives.
- Provide technical mentoring and guidance to L1/L2 engineers.
- Participate in regular audits, reviews, and capacity-planning exercises.
Required Technical Skills
VMware Technologies
- VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0
- VMware vCenter Server
- VMware ESXi
- VMware HA, DRS, vMotion, Storage vMotion
- vSphere Lifecycle Manager
- Distributed Virtual Switches (vDS)
Windows Technologies
- Windows Server 2016/2019/2022
- Active Directory
- DNS, DHCP
- Group Policy Management
- Windows Patching & Hardening
SCCM / MECM
- Infrastructure Administration
- OS Deployment (OSD)
- Software Distribution
- Patch Management
- Compliance Management
Upgrade & Migration
- Datacenter Modernization
- Platform Upgrades
- Server Migration
- Virtualization Migration
- Infrastructure Transformation Projects
Preferred Skills
- PowerShell Scripting and Automation
- VMware Aria Suite
- Azure or Hybrid Cloud Exposure
- ITIL Framework Knowledge
- Monitoring Tools (vROps, SCOM, SolarWinds, etc.)
- Backup Technologies (Veeam, Commvault, NetBackup)
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field.
- VMware VCP/VCAP certification preferred.
- Microsoft certifications preferred.
- ITIL Foundation certification preferred.
Key Competencies
- Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
- Ability to manage critical incidents under pressure.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills.
- Experience working in enterprise and global support environments.
- Strong stakeholder management and leadership abilities.
Expected Deliverables
- Stable and highly available virtual infrastructure.
- Successful execution of upgrade and migration projects.
- Timely resolution of critical incidents.
- Process improvements and automation recommendations.
- Accurate technical documentation and knowledge transfer to support teams.