Virtualization Enterprise Systems Engineer

Are you ready for your next challenge? The Marine Readiness Division on behalf of The Leidos Regan Test Site is seeking a Virtualization Enterprise Systems Engineer to support the deployment and sustainment of a virtualized system running VMware on a VxRail cluster. This role is part of the SMDC RTS Modernization contract for the Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, AL, supporting a world-wide mission focused on Space and Missile Overwatch.

Position Overview

As a Level 3 Virtualization Enterprise Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for implementing, supporting, and maintaining VMware ESX infrastructure in a data center environment. This position requires strong technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work in a dynamic, mission-critical setting. You will be involved in infrastructure integration, security compliance, and operations management to ensure high availability and performance of the virtual environment.

Security Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizenship and an active DoD Secret clearance required.

Certification Requirements:

• DoD 8570.01-M Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II certification (CompTIA Security+ CE or higher)
• At least one of the following DoDM 8140.03 Computing Environment/Operating System (CE/OS) certifications:
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) - Data Center Virtualization
• Any VMware Certified Advanced Professional Certification
• MS Azure Suite

Key Responsibilities

Supporting VMware on a Dell VxRail cluster involves several key responsibilities, focusing on deployment, maintenance, troubleshooting, and security. Here are the primary responsibilities:

Deployment & Configuration

• Install and configure VMware vSphere and vSAN on VxRail.
• Perform initial VxRail cluster setup, including network, storage, and compute resource configuration.
• Configure vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) to manage the VxRail cluster.
• Deploy and manage VM templates, cloning, and snapshots for streamlined provisioning.

System Administration & Maintenance

• Monitor cluster health using VxRail Manager, vCenter, and vSAN Health Check.
• Apply firmware, BIOS, and driver updates using VxRail Lifecycle Manager (VxRail LCM).
• Manage ESXi hosts, vMotion, High Availability (HA), and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) settings.
• Perform datastore and storage capacity planning, including vSAN and external storage integration.
• Conduct backup and disaster recovery (DR) planning using tools like Veeam, Dell Data Protection, or VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM).

Troubleshooting & Performance Optimization

• Diagnose hardware and software failures using Dell Secure Remote Services (SRS), iDRAC, and vRealize Operations (vROps).
• Resolve VM performance issues, including CPU, memory, and storage bottlenecks.
• Investigate vSAN-related errors (e.g., disk group failures, object unavailability, or congestion).
• Analyze and resolve networking issues in vSphere Standard Switch (vSS) or Distributed Switch (vDS) configurations.

Security & Compliance

• Apply DISA STIGs and DoD SRGs for security hardening.
• Implement role-based access control (RBAC) and secure authentication methods (e.g., Active Directory integration, MFA).
• Conduct vulnerability scans and remediation using tools like Tenable Nessus, ACAS, or SCAP Compliance Checker.
• Ensure compliance with RMF/ATO documentation and security requirements.

Automation & Scripting

• Use PowerCLI, PowerShell, or Ansible for automation of administrative tasks.
• Implement orchestration workflows for efficient VM provisioning and cluster management.
• Develop scripts for log analysis, performance tuning, and patch management.

Support & Documentation

• Provide Level 3/4 support for operational issues related to the VxRail cluster.
• Maintain technical documentation, including SOPs, architecture diagrams, and system inventories.
• Train junior engineers and operational staff on VMware best practices and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with Dell Support (ProSupport or ProDeploy) for complex issue resolution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, MIS, or a related field (or equivalent experience in IT).
• 8+ years of experience in virtualization and storage infrastructure.
• Expertise in VMware vSphere, vCenter, ESXi, vSphere Update Manager, vSphere Lifecycle manager, High Availability  and Distributed Resource Scheduler.
• Strong knowledge of SANs, Fibre Channel fabric, vSphere Standard/Distributed Switches.
• Proficiency in PowerShell, PowerCLI, and Bash scripting.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise monitoring tools such as Splunk, SolarWinds Orion, and Trellix/McAfee ESS.
• Experience with server rack hardware, firmware, and secure boot technologies.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to work independently and within a team.
• Ability to travel up to 25% as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a government contracting or defense environment.
• Additional VMware or cloud certifications (e.g., VCAP, AWS, Azure).
• Experience with security compliance frameworks and RMF processes.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.