Principal Engineer Linux & Virtualization Infrastructure

Insight Global; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global client seeks a Principal Engineer, Linux & Virtualization Infrastructure to lead design and delivery of enterprise infrastructure platforms across Linux, virtualization, storage, and networking.

This hands-on role emphasizes operational excellence, strong collaboration with stakeholders, and guiding production systems through complex projects.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of enterprise networking concepts.
• Hands-on experience with virtualization technologies (VMware, Proxmox, OpenStack).
• Experience supporting enterprise storage environments.
• Ability to lead technical projects while remaining hands-on with implementation.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale infrastructure projects from requirements gathering through implementation.
• Develop architecture diagrams and implementation strategies for infrastructure initiatives.
• Design, deploy, and support enterprise Linux environments.
• Engineer and maintain virtualization platforms and related infra.
• Support storage solutions and related technologies.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership.
• Participate in on-call rotation and incident response.

Skills

Linux expertise

Infrastructure leadership

Networking

Problem solving

Tools

VMware

Proxmox

OpenStack

Job description

A client of Insight Global is seeking a Principal Engineer, Linux & Virtualization Infrastructure to serve as a senior technical leader responsible for designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise infrastructure platforms across Linux, virtualization, storage, and networking environments. This is a hands-on individual contributor role focused on leading infrastructure projects, mentoring junior engineers, developing technical solutions, and supporting highly available production systems.

The ideal candidate brings deep enterprise Linux expertise combined with strong virtualization, storage, and data center experience. This individual will partner with internal stakeholders to research solutions, develop plans and architecture diagrams, manage implementation efforts, and provide ongoing operational support for critical infrastructure initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale infrastructure projects from requirements gathering and solution design through implementation and operational handoff.
• Develop technical plans, architecture documentation, diagrams, and implementation strategies for infrastructure initiatives.
• Design, deploy, and support enterprise Linux environments.
• Engineer and maintain virtualization platforms and associated infrastructure.
• Support enterprise storage solutions and related technologies.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to evaluate requirements and deliver scalable infrastructure solutions.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across the team.
• Support production infrastructure and participate in troubleshooting and incident response activities.
• Perform upgrades, maintenance, and infrastructure changes, including occasional after-hours implementation work.
• Participate in an on-call rotation approximately one week every two months.
• Travel to data center locations as needed to install equipment and support infrastructure projects.
• Maintain strong communication with technical teams, project stakeholders, and leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Strong understanding of enterprise networking concepts and infrastructure services.
• Hands-on experience with virtualization technologies such as VMware, Proxmox, and OpenStack.
• Experience supporting enterprise storage environments.
• Knowledge of DNS, DHCP, NTP, and email server technologies.
• Experience working within data center environments.
• Ability to lead technical projects while remaining hands-on with implementation.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to prioritize work and remain focused while balancing project and operational demands.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Fibre Channel storage.
• Experience with enterprise storage platforms such as Pure Storage, Dell, NetApp, or similar solutions.
• Experience building and deploying new infrastructure and application environments.
• Previous experience mentoring engineers or serving as a technical lead.
• Broad systems engineering background spanning Linux, virtualization, storage, and networking disciplines.

Success Factors

• The successful candidate will demonstrate:
• Reliability, accountability, and strong focus.
• Deep technical knowledge across Linux, networking, and storage.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies.
• Ability to remain productive and organized while managing multiple priorities and interruptions.