CORE INFRA - Associate Lead Consultant Job

Experience

Job Description

Role summary

Site execution. Builds and validates the new PowerEdge + PowerStore clusters on vSphere 9.x after Dell's handover, migrates workloads off VxRail, runs cutovers in each site's maintenance window, and performs the rolling host upgrades on the clusters that keep their hardware. Executes IQ/OQ protocols and captures the evidence.

Key responsibilities

• Site readiness: current-state discovery, prerequisite packs (rack, power, cabling, VLAN/IP, PowerStore connectivity, DNS/NTP/AD/certificates), change requests.
• Post-handover build: cluster build or join under vCenter 9.x, host profiles, HA/DRS/EVC, distributed switch and VMkernel config, PowerStore volume and datastore presentation, multipathing verification.
• Backup re-registration in Avamar and Veeam with Data Domain, retention mapping, restore verification.
• Workload migration: migration matrix per workload, vMotion / Storage vMotion / cross-vCenter / cold migration, cutover execution in approved windows, post-cutover validation and hypercare.
• Rolling host upgrades 8.0 U3 to 9.x via VxRail Manager or vLCM, standalone host upgrade with coordinated VM shutdown, post-upgrade validation.
• Execute approved IQ/OQ protocols; capture configuration exports, screenshots, logs and validation results; compile the qualification package.
• Logical decommissioning of retired VxRail clusters; as-built documentation and runbook updates.

Required Technical/ Functional Competencies

Must-have experience

• 8 to 12 years hands-on VMware vSphere administration and engineering, with vSphere 7 and 8 in production; exposure to vSphere 9.x or VCF 9.
• Dell VxRail operations (VxRail Manager, LCM) and PowerEdge; PowerStore or comparable external block/file storage provisioning to ESXi.
• Has executed workload migrations and cutovers in production, including EVC and Storage vMotion, and knows the failure modes.
• Has executed IQ/OQ or equivalent test protocols and captured evidence to a documented standard.
• Comfortable working night and weekend windows on rotation for US and European sites.

Good to have

• VCP-DCV 2023/2024 or later.
• Veeam VMCE or Avamar administration.
• PowerShell/PowerCLI automation of build validation.
• Prior pharma or GxP site work.

Required Behavioral Competencies

Accountability:

• Takes responsibility for and ensures accuracy of results and deadlines of the function and/or team and in completing own work.

Collaboration:

• Reaches out to others in team to ensure connections are made and team members are working together.
• Looks for ways to integrate work with other teams, identifying similarities and opportunities, making necessary changes in work to ensure successful integration.

Agility:

• Demonstrates openness to the possibilities that change presents and begins to plan for how role may change.
• Works with others to prepare for change.

Customer Focus:

• Identifies trends and patterns emerging from customer preferences and works towards customizing/ refining existing services to exceed customer needs and expectations.

Communication:

• Communicates well-organized ideas, information, and data to broad and diverse audiences across the Organization (through formal and informal presentations).
• Helps others identify their appropriate audience.

Drives Results:

• Sets realistic stretch goals for self & others and perseveres to follow through with resilience and remains calm in a crisis or stressful situation to exceed organization/client expectation.

Resolves Conflict:

• Identifies and understands the source of conflict, addresses, and overcomes.