Lead System Engineer

About Us:

At Affiliated Monitoring, our success depends on our ability to respond to customer alarms and provide life-saving services in a timely manner. Our networks and telecommunications systems are the lifeblood of our company and our ability to service our customers.

We are looking for a highly skilled Lead Systems Engineer who is both hands-on with system and infrastructure design, and capable of leading teams, projects, and initiatives. If you thrive in a dynamic environment where you can design, implement, and optimize systems while also mentoring and leading a team, this role is for you!

Job Overview:

As a Lead Systems Engineer, you will take ownership of systems architecture, implementation, troubleshooting, and security, while also playing a key leadership role in guiding junior engineers and collaborating with stakeholders. You’ll work closely with IT, security, and operations teams to ensure high availability, scalability, and security across our infrastructure.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Infrastructure Architecture, Cloud & Systems Management

Contribute to infrastructure architecture design that bridges on-prem and cloud environments—supporting a transition to hybrid infrastructure centered around AWS, with potential use of Azure or Google Cloud.

Configure, manage, and monitor SAN storage arrays; support provisioning, performance tuning, and capacity planning.

Plan and implement scalable, resilient system architectures across compute, storage, cloud, and network tiers.

Administer Linux and Windows systems in a hybrid environment (Debian, Photon OS, Windows Server).

Apply infrastructure-as-code methodologies using tools like PowerShell, Ansible, and Terraform to automate builds and configuration.

VMware & Virtualization Infrastructure

Architect, deploy, and manage VMware infrastructure including ESXi hosts, vSphere clusters, and vCenter across production data centers and integrated cloud environments.

Lead support and development of the Horizon VDI environment, including gold image creation, performance tuning, and operational stability.

Build and cable physical hypervisor servers, ensuring proper integration with network, power, and storage infrastructure.

Collaborate closely with the Networking team to align switching, VLANs, and virtual networking within the VMware ecosystem.

Monitor and upgrade VMware infrastructure with awareness of evolving licensing and platform changes resulting from the Broadcom acquisition.

Mentoring & Team Leadership

Serve as the technical lead for the Systems team, providing daily guidance, mentorship, and support.

Lead by example through hands-on contributions, reinforcing best practices in engineering, documentation, and issue response.

Foster a high-performance team culture focused on continuous learning, critical thinking, and proactive problem-solving.

Work closely with the Director of Systems to ensure alignment between team activities and strategic objectives.

Strategic Planning, Cloud Integration & Collaboration

Partner with the Director of Systems on infrastructure roadmaps and long-term cloud strategy, leading hybrid initiatives that transition appropriate workloads to AWS, while maintaining critical on-premise operations.

Own infrastructure projects from design to deployment across our entire organization.

Support DevOps workflows by providing infrastructure support for tools like Nomad, Consul, and Vault within the VMware ecosystem.

Evaluate cloud-based tools and services (e.g., Azure AD, Exchange Online, GCP workloads) to enhance reliability, scalability, or collaboration for internal teams.

Stay informed on industry trends, especially related to VMware’s roadmap under Broadcom, and guide cloud and infrastructure planning accordingly.

Lead or support escalations during critical incidents, contributing to root-cause analysis and resilience improvement efforts.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

Must-Have Skills

8+ years of experience in IT systems engineering, including 5+ years hands-on with VMware technologies.

Deep technical expertise in VMware vSphere, vCenter, ESXi, and Horizon (VDI).

Demonstrated experience architecting and supporting high-availability virtual environments.

Strong knowledge of SAN storage configuration, data center power/cooling, and rack-and-stack practices.

Experience with Linux (Debian, Photon OS) and Windows Server administration.

Comfort with automation and scripting using PowerShell, Bash, or similar.

Proven leadership in a team lead or project lead capacity; ability to guide and mentor engineers effectively.

Strong troubleshooting and incident response skills with a calm, analytical approach.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Foundational knowledge of cloud services with demonstrated experience supporting or planning hybrid infrastructure. Should be comfortable working in or migrating to AWS, with awareness of Microsoft 365 / Azure for core IT services.

Desired Skills

Familiarity with HashiCorp Nomad (container orchestration), Vault (secrets management), and Consul (service discovery).

Experience with Kubernetes is not required but beneficial for understanding container orchestration principles.

Use of Infrastructure-as-Code tools (Terraform, Ansible) for provisioning and configuration automation.

Awareness of VMware licensing changes and product strategy post-Broadcom acquisition.

Exposure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or Azure in addition to AWS.

Relevant certifications: VMware VCP/VCAP, AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, HashiCorp Terraform Associate.

Understanding of ITIL, service management, and compliance standards like SOC 2.

What We Offer:

Impactful Work: Your contributions will directly impact on the reliability and security of our life-saving services.

Cutting-Edge Technology: Work with the latest technologies in a dynamic and innovative environment.

Competitive Compensation & Benefits: We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Collaborative Culture: Be part of a talented and supportive team.

Affiliated Monitoring is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Here, we believe that embracing innovation is not just a core value, but a responsibility. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic, feels valued and supported. We provide equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and strive to foster a culture where differences are celebrated, and everyone's voice is heard. Your unique perspectives and experiences are what drive us forward.