Lab Support Senior Engineer

KellyMitchell Group; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 34,440 - 41,328; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Employee-Owned Profit Sharing (ESOP)

401(k) offered

Job summary

KellyMitchell Group is seeking a Lab Support Senior Engineer in Durham, NC. This role involves hands-on setup and maintenance of server and storage equipment within an Engineering/R&D lab for a 32-week contract. The ideal candidate will possess 3+ years of relevant experience, strong organizational skills, and expertise with fiber-channel storage systems.

This position includes a pay rate of $25.00 – $30.00 per hour, with benefits such as medical and vision insurance and a 401(k).

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in lab operations or server/storage hardware support.
• Hands-on experience with datacenter-class servers and storage.
• Familiarity with cabling standards and server architectures.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, and tear down servers and storage devices.
• Maintain fiber-channel storage arrays and related infrastructure.
• Coordinate vendor integrations and troubleshooting.

Skills

Lab operations

Server/storage hardware support

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Associate or Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, IT, or related field

Tools

Fiber-channel storage arrays

Diagnostic and test equipment

Job description

Job Summary

Our enterprise technology client is looking for a Lab Support Senior Engineer to handle the hands‑on setup, configuration, and maintenance of the server, storage, and networking equipment in their Engineering / R&D Laboratory on a 32‑week contract, fully onsite in Durham, NC. This role centers on installing, cabling, configuring, and maintaining datacenter‑class servers and storage arrays while keeping the lab running for engineering teams. The right candidate brings 3+ years of hands‑on lab or server/storage hardware experience, knows fiber‑channel storage arrays and SAN infrastructure, and is comfortable physically working with equipment in a fast‑moving lab environment. Strong organization, vendor coordination, and documentation skills round out the profile. This position is W‑2 only; we do not work with third‑party firms or C2C arrangements for this role.

Core Responsibilities

• Install, cable, configure, and tear down servers, storage devices, and related lab computing equipment
• Deploy and maintain fiber‑channel storage arrays, hosts, switches, and storage networking infrastructure
• Run preventive and corrective maintenance to keep equipment reliable and available
• Plan and optimize lab floor layouts for safe, efficient, and scalable equipment placement
• Manage equipment across its lifecycle, including procurement support, inventory tracking, utilization monitoring, upgrades, and archival of legacy systems
• Coordinate with server, storage, and hardware vendors on integration, troubleshooting, maintenance, and escalations
• Partner with engineering teams to build hardware configuration test plans that support development and validation
• Mentor and project‑supervise less experienced lab engineers

Required Skills and Experience

• Associate or Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, IT, or related field, or equivalent experience
• 3+ years of experience in lab operations, server/storage hardware support, or a similar engineering environment
• Hands‑on experience installing, cabling, configuring, and tearing down servers and storage devices
• Working knowledge of fiber‑channel storage arrays, SAN, hosts, switches, and storage networking infrastructure
• Familiarity with server architectures, cabling standards, and datacenter‑class hardware
• Experience using diagnostic and test equipment for hardware characterization
• Strong organizational, communication, and documentation skills
• Comfortable working onsite full‑time in a fast‑paced, constantly evolving lab environment

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Hands‑on experience with enterprise server/storage vendors (Dell, HPE, Lenovo, NetApp)
• Background supporting R&D or software development laboratories
• Experience defining and implementing network security policies
• Experience mentoring or project‑supervising junior engineers
• Experience developing tools or processes to improve system management and lab efficiency

Key Competencies and Behaviors

• Hands‑on and comfortable physically racking, cabling, and configuring datacenter‑class equipment
• Stays organized across equipment logistics, inventory, and shifting priorities
• Works cleanly with vendors on integration, troubleshooting, and escalations
• Comfortable operating in a fast‑moving environment where priorities shift often
• Follows standard operating procedures, escalation paths, and lab compliance requirements
• Proactive about spotting and proposing improvements to lab processes and equipment utilization

Work Environment

Location: Durham, NC
Schedule: Onsite
Duration: 32 weeks

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Range: Approximately $25.00 – $30.00 per hour (based on factors such as background, skills, and location)

Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans; Employee‑Owned Profit Sharing (ESOP); 401(k) offered