Infrastructure Engineer II

AF - Group is an organization focused on providing insurance solutions, and they are seeking an Infrastructure Engineer II to manage secure and highly available computing platforms. The role involves maintaining infrastructure, troubleshooting issues, and mentoring junior staff while ensuring optimal performance and security of the network systems.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the operations of secure and highly available computing platforms, servers, and networks
• Installing, maintaining, upgrading, and continuously improving the Company’s operating environment
• Monitoring the operating environments, responding to incidents, problems and planning for growth
• Deploy the release of new technologies as well as design, install, configure, maintain, and perform testing of PC/server operating systems, networks, and related utilities and hardware
• Troubleshooting problems as reported by users, supporting Web access and electronic messaging services and maintaining a secure systems environment
• May act as a technical project leader or provide work leadership for lower-level employees
• Participates in and may lead groups/committees related to processes, standards, and best practices
• Mentors peers and IT personnel less senior
• Acts as oversight for the network administrator duties to ensure established standards and policies are consistently being followed
• Investigates and analyzes resource utilization and prepares reports
• Optimizes the network infrastructure to maintain the highest possible level of performance and security
• Plans for the replacement of obsolete resources that make up the enterprise network infrastructure
• Recommends new software and hardware that provide new features/functions and prepares documentation to support recommendation of new software/hardware
• Conducts appropriate, routine tests to ensure the proper working condition and security of developed and purchased software/hardware
• Coordinates and schedules initial installation of new equipment or reinstallation of relocated equipment
• Maintains an up-to-date technical and practical knowledge and understanding of system testing and analysis
• Ensures security among data management and associated processes, including adhering to data retention policies, file systems and data transfers
• Ensures maintenance and support agreements are in place with the vendor and licensing is up to date
• Build, support and maintain the protection of company data and systems using security solutions, backups, redundancy, and disaster recovery solutions
• Perform installation, maintenance and support of system software, hardware, and infrastructure for moderately complex projects
• Management of asset lifecycle process through planning and forecasting, including recommendation for replacement of obsolete or end-of-life resources as needed
• Interacts with external vendors to evaluate technology changes, including licensing and contracts, and their impact on the business
• Investigates and analyzes resource utilization and prepares reports and metrics, making appropriate changes to optimize the infrastructure and provide the highest possible level of performance and security
• Conducts appropriate, routine tests to ensure the proper working condition and security of developed and purchased software/hardware
• Coordinates and schedules initial installation of new equipment or reinstallation of relocated equipment
• Recommends improvements and changes to methods and procedures
• Maintains an up-to-date technical and practical knowledge and understanding of system testing and analysis
• Troubleshoots and resolves complex issues that involve the core operating system or desktop components, performing root cause analysis for service interruption and implementing preventative measures
• Analyze complex local and wide area network systems, including planning, designing, evaluating, selecting operating systems and protocol suites and configuring communication media with concentrators, bridges and other devices
• Resolves difficult interoperability problems to obtain operation across all platforms including e-mail, files transfer, multimedia, teleconferencing and the like
• Configures systems to user environments
• Supports acquisition of hardware and software as well as subcontractor services
• Acts as a focal point and subject matter expert for all network administrator responsibilities
• Acts as oversight for the network administrator duties to ensure established standards and policies are consistently being followed
• Performs administrative language (shell) programming
• Build, support and maintain the VDI environment, including standardized templates, application delivery methods, enterprise antivirus, persona management infrastructure, host servers and zero clients
• Build, support and maintain the configuration management suite, including multiple Windows Enterprise desktop images (WIMs), automated task sequences, an automated backup infrastructure, central imaging environment, automated software deployment and patch management updates
• Build, support and maintain Active Directory Group Policy Objects that are used to secure and configure the enterprise client-computing infrastructure
• Build, support and maintain role-based access control for enterprise computing solutions, including VDI, endpoint management suite and Print/Scan solutions
• Build, support and maintain support documents, standard operating procedures and policies related to the network, security systems, server and storage infrastructure, and the client-computing infrastructure
• Work with application developers and third-party vendors to develop software or virtualized installation packages for network deployment via the Enterprise configuration management suite
• Build, support and maintain the enterprise network, security systems, servers and storage infrastructure, both virtual and physical, through the use of routine commands, administration techniques, tools, and utilities
• Mentor Network Infrastructure engineers in maintaining multi cloud ecosystem
• Understanding of network security-based tools available within in Muli-cloud infrastructure
• Follow industry best practices for maintaining Muli-cloud workloads
• Leverage the right tools to script configuration changes that rescale, resize and reform the workload ecosystems through automation
• Partnering with internal business client(s), the Middleware Advisor will have a clear understanding of the context of the application and its usage to ensure successful implementation
• Train members of the technical staff and interface with user groups to resolve project and production issues
• Research and plan implementation of middleware upgrades, security patches and bug fixes
• Assist the development staff as the technical lead for development, integration, test, and production environments
• Responsible for technical recovery plans and lead disaster recovery planning and exercises
• Research and analyze systems, design, implement and conduct thorough Performance Test (PT) reviews in accordance with Application Middleware Infrastructure to accommodate new systems to the shared infrastructure and provide system capacity and enhancements
• Produce periodic reports for management and staff
• Serve as a point of contact for middleware applications and manage vendor relationships
• Leverage middleware technologies to provide robust, cutting-edge integration solutions to achieve new goals and meet new challenges rapidly and cost-effectively fully and successfully
• Mentor Middleware Infrastructure engineers in maintaining multi cloud ecosystem
• Understanding of middleware infrastructure security-based tools available within in multi-cloud infrastructure
• Follow industry best practices for maintaining Muli- cloud workloads
• Leverage the right tools to script configuration changes that rescale, resize and reform the workload ecosystems through automation
• Mentor Middleware Infrastructure engineers in maintaining multi cloud ecosystem
• Understanding of network security-based tools available within in multi-cloud infrastructure
• Follow industry best practices for maintaining multi-cloud workloads
• Leverage the right tools to script configuration changes that rescale, resize and reform the workload ecosystems through automation
• Serves as a technical leader in the installation and configuration of off the shelf enterprise-level applications
• Assists development with analysis and design for new or existing systems
• Provides some scripting (Windows / Unix) as needed
• Participates in and may lead groups/committees related to processes, standards and best practices
• Ensures documentation is up to date
• Supports a wide number and type of applications, including middleware and batch activity through operational (maintenance) and/or new project implementation(s)
• Installs and configures off the shelf enterprise-level applications
• Ensures security among data management and associated processes, including adhering to data retention policies, file systems and data transfers
• Identifies, tracks, resolves, responds, and raises awareness of complex application and data issues
• Develops and maintains technical documentation for supported applications (implementation design documents, support activities, etc.)
• Provides 24x7 support as needed
• Acts as a focal point and subject matter expert for all telecommunications analyst responsibilities
• Participates in and may lead groups/committees related to processes, standards, and best practices
• Mentors peers and IT personnel with respect to the telecommunications infrastructure
• Act as a proxy for management as needed
• Ensures established standards and policies are consistently being followed as it relates to Telecommunications
• Maintain up-to-date technical knowledge and understanding of applications

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or related field required
• 5 years' experience within an IT environment which provides the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities
• Exceptional customer support with proven track record of positive outcomes
• Consistent and proficient demonstration of required job SKA which exceed standard job expectations
• Consistent and proficient demonstration of troubleshooting that demonstrates a comprehensive and holistic understanding of systems integration
• Recognized as a technically credible role model
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach others with less experience
• Knowledge of applications and platforms including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Active Directory and Group Policy, Microsoft Office and Office 365, DNS servers, DHCP servers and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
• Considerable knowledge of, and the ability to practically apply, necessary testing, practices and procedures
• Knowledge of IT system installation, configuration, and maintenance
• Strong software Development Life Cycle principles, processes, tools, and techniques
• Knowledge of performance measuring and monitoring of IT systems
• Ability to apply the principles of independent logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Ability to comprehend the consequences of various problem situations and to refer them for appropriate decision-making
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, establish workflows, and meet necessary deadlines
• Ability to work with minimum supervision
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to communicate factual and technical information with customers clearly and concisely
• Ability to effectively exchange information clearly and concisely and to present ideas, report facts and other information and respond to questions as appropriate
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to perform other assignments at locations outside the office
• Ability to work varying hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays as required
• Ability and proficiency in the use of computers and company standard software
• Must be able to work collaboratively as well as independently
• Advanced knowledge of IT systems, including networking, server, storage, and applications
• Demonstrated leadership ability with proven results as a team facilitator/leader within multi-functional teams
• Advanced technical knowledge of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, VMware vSphere 5.x or later, VMware View 5.x or later
• Ability to work effectively with all levels of management and different business partner organizations
• Ability to document and develop standard operating procedures for day-to-day activities
• Demonstrated ability to go above and beyond to support the business needs and aid in resolution
• Working knowledge implementing, migrating, and upgrading several middleware application platforms
• Strong skills in mentoring staff on their technical challenges and help them become successful
• Ability to set roadmaps for sunsetting or upgrading obsolete software
• Strong leadership, negotiation, conflict management and facilitation skills
• Ability to set priorities and manage workload to meet those priorities
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills
• Consistent and proficient demonstration of troubleshooting that demonstrates a comprehensive and holistic understanding of telecommunications systems
• Advanced knowledge of telecommunications systems and applications
• Demonstrated ability to resolve and collaborate on complex, multifaceted issues
• Certification or progress toward certification of, industry-recognized professional designation preferred and encouraged
• One-year relevant experience supporting personal computers in a multi-site, multi-platform environment as well as telephone support of remote staff preferred
• Experience within the insurance industry highly preferred