Virtualisation Engineer - Stoke based, security cleared

Role Purpose

We are seeking a highly skilled Virtualization Engineer to join our dynamic IT team. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing our virtualization infrastructure, ensuring its performance, scalability, and security. This role demands deep expertise in virtualization technologies, strong troubleshooting skills, and a proactive approach to optimising virtual environments.

Role Responsibilities

Key responsibilities for this role may include:

Virtualization Design and Implementation:

· Design and deploy virtualization solutions, including VMware, Hyper-V, and other leading platforms, to meet the needs of the business.

· Implement and manage virtual machines (VMs), storage, and networks within the virtual environment, ensuring optimal resource allocation and performance.

· Collaborate with system architects and other IT teams to integrate virtualization solutions with existing and new IT infrastructure.

Virtual Environment Management:

· Monitor and manage the performance, availability, and security of virtual environments, identifying and resolving issues proactively.

· Perform regular maintenance tasks, including updates, patches, and configuration changes, to ensure the stability and security of the virtual infrastructure.

· Optimise resource usage within virtual environments, ensuring efficient use of CPU, memory, storage, and network resources.

Troubleshooting and Support:

· Diagnose and resolve complex issues related to virtualization infrastructure, including VM performance, network connectivity, and storage bottlenecks.

· Provide tier-2 and tier-3 support for virtualization-related incidents, working closely with IT support and operations teams to resolve issues quickly.

· Maintain detailed documentation of virtualization configurations, changes, and troubleshooting procedures.

Security and Compliance:

· Implement and enforce security best practices within virtual environments, including access controls, encryption, and monitoring.

· Ensure that virtualization solutions comply with relevant industry standards and regulations, such as GDPR, ISO 27001, and others.

· Conduct regular security assessments and audits of virtual environments, addressing vulnerabilities and implementing corrective actions.

Automation and Optimization:

· Develop and implement automation scripts and tools to streamline the management of virtual environments, including provisioning, monitoring, and scaling.

· Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and performance of virtualization infrastructure through automation and optimisation techniques.

· Collaborate with DevOps and infrastructure teams to integrate virtualization with CI/CD pipelines and other automation frameworks.

Disaster Recovery and Backup:

· Design and implement disaster recovery (DR) and backup solutions for virtual environments, ensuring data integrity and business continuity.

· Conduct regular DR drills and tests to validate the effectiveness of recovery plans and procedures.

· Manage backup and restore processes for virtual machines and associated data, ensuring compliance with retention policies.

Education and Experience Requirements

As the Virtualisation Engineer, you will have:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. Relevant certifications (e.g., VMware Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified: Azure Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in virtualization engineering, with a proven track record of designing, implementing, and managing virtual environments.

• Hands-on experience with VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or other enterprise-grade virtualization platforms.
• Experience with cloud-based virtualization solutions (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) is a plus.

• Strong understanding of virtualization concepts, including hypervisors, VM management, storage virtualization, and network virtualization.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex issues within virtual environments quickly and effectively.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation tools, such as PowerShell, Python, or Ansible.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.