Principal Systems Engineer - VMware Cloud Foundation (Remote)

First Citizens Bank is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to serve as the senior technical leader for its VMware Cloud Foundation enterprise private cloud platform. The role is responsible for cloud architecture, engineering, automation, lifecycle management, operational excellence, resiliency, platform modernization, and technical leadership across cloud infrastructure initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Cloud Architecture Strategy – Define and implement the overall cloud architecture and strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and technology roadmaps
• Technical Leadership and Innovation – Serve as the primary technical advisor for cloud infrastructure projects, guiding best practices in design, scalability, resilience, and performance. Identify and evaluate emerging cloud technologies and trends, recommending their application within the organization to drive efficiency and innovation
• Project Oversight - Lead end-to-end cloud projects, from concept through deployment, by coordinating with engineering, DevOps, security, and operations teams
• Optimization and Cost Management – Develop strategies for efficient cloud resource management, cost optimization, and performance enhancement, ensuring financial accountability
• Documentation and Knowledge Sharing – Establish, review and maintain high-quality documentation, architectural diagrams, and operational standards for cloud infrastructure
• Support - Provide technical mentorship to cloud engineers at all levels, fostering an environment of continuous learning and technical growth. Provide 24/7 on-call support to ensure the availability and reliability of cloud infrastructure

Requirements:

• Cloud Services (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation)
• Policy as Code & Governance
• Programming & Advanced Automation (e.g., JavaScript, Python)
• Container Orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)
• Monitoring and Observability
• Operating Systems (Windows, Linux)
• Advanced Cloud and Network Security
• Cloud Architecture Expertise
• Developer Enablement
• Agile and DevOps Methodologies
• Security and Compliance Leadership
• Bachelor's Degree and 10 years' experience OR High School Diploma or GED/Equivalent and 14 years' experience in Technical Hands-On Leader of Cloud Teams
• 5+ years leading enterprise virtualization or private cloud initiatives; experience with VMware Cloud Foundation, software-defined data centers, infrastructure automation, disaster recovery, and operational governance
• VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF); vSphere; vSAN; NSX; Aria Suite; Software Defined Data Center (SDDC); Infrastructure as Code; Automation; Private Cloud Architecture; Disaster Recovery; Capacity Planning; Performance Engineering; Enterprise Storage and Networking
• Lifecycle Manager, workload domains, cluster design, private cloud service delivery, self-service infrastructure, platform monitoring, platform upgrades, operational resilience, and integration with enterprise ITSM, security, and observability ecosystems
• Bachelor's or master's degree
• Cloud
• Multi-Cloud
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional - IO;Azure Solutions Architect Expert - IO;HashiCorp Certified: Terraform - IO;Terraform Authoring and Operations Professional - IO;AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional - IO;Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) - IO;Azure DevOps Engineer Expert - IO
• Hybrid Cloud Platforms; Kubernetes; Public Cloud Integration; Policy-as-Code; AIOps; Platform Observability; Financial Services Infrastructure; Security & Compliance Frameworks