Sr Data Center Implementation Engineer (VMware & Cisco UCS)

Job Description

Job Title: Sr Data Center Implementation Engineer (VMware & Cisco UCS)

Location: Bethesda, MD (onsite)/ or VA/DC

Job Type: $130k

Eligibility: USC/GC Only

Key Responsibilities:

• VMware Infrastructure Deployment & Migration:
• Design, implement, and manage VMware vSphere and vCenter environments.
• Plan and execute the migration of VMware ESXi workloads to VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
• Use VMware tools and best practices to facilitate seamless migration from ESXi to VCF, ensuring minimal downtime and no data loss.
• Configure and optimize VMware ESXi hosts, clusters, and virtual machines on VCF platforms for performance and scalability.

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Management:

• Oversee the deployment and management of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), integrating it with existing VMware environments.
• Manage and maintain VCF components, including vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and vRealize Suite, to provide a fully automated cloud infrastructure platform.
• Monitor VCF health, capacity, and performance, and provide recommendations for optimization.

Cisco UCS Management:

• Implement, configure, and maintain Cisco UCS hardware, including servers, fabric interconnects, and chassis.
• Create and manage server profiles and policies within Cisco UCS Manager.
• Troubleshoot and perform firmware upgrades on Cisco UCS components, ensuring seamless integration with VMware.

Storage Solutions:

• Implement and maintain storage solutions within VMware environments, including SAN/NAS and VMware vSAN.
• Integrate storage into VMware clusters, ensuring redundancy, high availability, and performance.
• Provide support for storage provisioning, LUNs, datastores, and VMware storage policies.

Automation & Scripting:

• Leverage automation tools such as PowerCLI, Ansible, or Python to streamline VMware and Cisco UCS operations.
• Automate common tasks and configuration changes to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.

Project Implementation & Delivery:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth and timely delivery of IT infrastructure projects.
• Assist in the creation of project timelines, risk assessments, and detailed implementation plans.
• Provide high-level and granular configuration documentation for systems and solutions.

Support & Troubleshooting:

• Provide ongoing support for VMware and Cisco UCS environments, ensuring minimal downtime.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, and configuration issues within both VMware and Cisco UCS environments.
• Monitor systems for performance and capacity issues, responding to alerts and ensuring optimal system uptime.

Required Qualifications:

At least 5 years of hands-on experience with VMware vSphere and vCenter in enterprise environments, including experience with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) for managing cloud infrastructure

• Strong experience with Cisco UCS hardware, including servers, fabric interconnects, and UCS Manager.
• Experience working with VMware storage technologies (vSAN, iSCSI, NFS, etc.).
• Proficiency in configuring, optimizing, and managing VMware clusters, virtual machines, and storage within VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
• Familiarity with server provisioning and resource management in VMware environments.
• Strong troubleshooting skills for both VMware and Cisco UCS systems.
• Experience with scripting tools like PowerCLI or Python to automate VMware and UCS tasks, including automation for VCF management.
• Good knowledge of system monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery processes in virtualized environments, including VCF-based solutions.

Qualifications:

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification.
• Experience with VMware NSX, VMware vRealize Suite, VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), or other VMware enterprise tools.
• Experience with storage systems such as Pure Storage, NetApp, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with cloud environments or hybrid cloud solutions.
• Knowledge of automation frameworks (Ansible, Terraform) for infrastructure management.

Work Environment:

• Office environment with the potential for occasional client visits.
• Requirement for full-time on-site presence at customer location.
• Some travel may be required for implementation, support, or training.