Infrastructure Architect

JR United Kingdom; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in IT is seeking a seasoned Lead Infrastructure Engineer / Architect in Bournemouth. This role requires deep expertise in network design, infrastructure architecture, and security solutions. The successful candidate will lead complex IT infrastructure projects across various environments, ensuring robust and scalable solutions. Ideal for someone with strong leadership abilities and a solid technical background.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in IT infrastructure.
• Hands-on expertise with VMware vSphere/ESXi and related technologies.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of enterprise-grade IT infrastructure solutions.
• Design and review network topologies and infrastructure security policies.
• Oversee implementation teams to ensure adherence to architectural standards.

Skills

Leadership in architecture and solution design

Network design

Infrastructure planning

Firewall and security design

VMware vSphere/ESXi

UNIX/Linux

Windows Server

Data center

Backup/DR

Routing/switching

Automation tools (Ansible, Terraform)

Monitoring solutions (Nagios, Zabbix, SolarWinds)

Education

VMware Certified Professional (VCP)

ITIL Foundation

TOGAF

Job description

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We are looking for a seasoned and hands-on Lead Infrastructure Engineer / Architect with deep expertise in network design, infrastructure architecture, firewall and security solutions, and virtualization technologies such as VMware. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving end-to-end design and delivery of complex IT infrastructure projects across on-prem, hybrid, and cloud environments. The ideal candidate will have a solid technical background, strong leadership capabilities, and a passion for delivering robust, secure, and scalable infrastructure solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of enterprise-grade IT infrastructure solutions.
• Design and review network topologies, security zones, firewall rules, and infrastructure security policies in alignment with business and compliance needs.
• Architect and implement solutions across virtualization platforms (VMware), cloud environments (IaaS), and on-premises systems.
• Develop scalable infrastructure roadmaps, ensuring high availability, performance, and disaster recovery capabilities.
• Oversee and guide implementation teams, ensuring adherence to architectural standards and best practices.
• Work collaboratively with other architects, project managers, security teams, and stakeholders to align infrastructure plans with overall IT strategy.
• Conduct regular technical reviews, risk assessments, and performance evaluations of infrastructure solutions.
• Contribute to the development of automation, monitoring, and proactive support frameworks for infrastructure systems.
• Stay updated with emerging infrastructure and security technologies and evaluate their potential integration into existing systems.

Required Skills and Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in IT infrastructure with leadership in architecture and solution design.
• Proven experience in network design, infrastructure planning, firewall and security design.
• Hands-on expertise with VMware vSphere/ESXi, vCenter, and virtualization best practices.
• Strong knowledge of UNIX/Linux and Windows Server platforms.
• Experience in architecting solutions across data center, SAN/NAS storage, backup/DR, and IT security domains.
• Exposure to cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP) and hybrid architectures.
• In-depth understanding of routing/switching, firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco ASA, etc.), and security hardening practices.
• Familiarity with automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, etc.) and monitoring solutions (Nagios, Zabbix, SolarWinds, etc.).
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure on critical issues.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Certifications:

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)
• ITIL Foundation / TOGAF (preferred but not mandatory)