Senior Network Engineer

Ryan Consulting Group, LLC; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Ryan Consulting Group, LLC is seeking a seasoned Network/Infrastructure Engineer to manage and optimize enterprise VMware and cloud environments in a hybrid data center. You will drive virtualization roadmaps, architect storage and compute platforms, and ensure secure, scalable networking across LAN/WAN/Wi‑Fi.

Strong Kubernetes, Windows Server, and SQL Server skills are required to support critical production workloads.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a senior network/infrastructure engineering role supporting enterprise environments (hybrid datacenter + cloud).
• Strong, hands on experience with Kubernetes, VMware (vSphere/ESX/ESXi), and Microsoft Azure (these are must-haves).
• Proven experience designing/supporting enterprise networks: LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi, routing/switching, VPNs, QoS, and troubleshooting (packet capture/traffic analysis).
• Firewall administration experience with one or more of SonicWall, Cisco ASA, and Palo Alto (policy, VPN, logging/triage).
• Experience with virtualization operations and performance tuning (compute, storage, networking).
• Windows Server administration experience (including legacy environments as needed), Active Directory, Group Policy, and Exchange in enterprise contexts
• Working knowledge supporting SQL Server environments (AlwaysOn preferred)
• Strong operational habits: change management discipline, incident response, documentation, and clear communication

Responsibilities

• Own day to day operations of the VMware environment (vSphere/ESX/ESXi): lifecycle management, capacity, performance tuning, patching, upgrades, backup/DR coordination, and incident response
• Partner on the virtualization roadmap, including planning and execution for migration from VMware to Nutanix (or Nutanix-based platforms), minimizing downtime and risk
• Operate and optimize storage and compute platforms (e.g., Cisco UCS, SAN/NAS such as NetApp FAS/AFF, FlexPod), including performance troubleshooting and resilience planning
• Manage and optimize Microsoft Azure workloads: networking, compute, storage, security controls, cost optimization, and operational monitoring
• Operate Kubernetes environments (cluster upgrades, reliability, networking, ingress, policy, and workload troubleshooting)
• Build, deploy, and support Docker containerized applications and supporting infrastructure (registries, image hygiene, runtime security, scaling)
• Implement and maintain load balancing solutions (L4/L7), including TLS configuration and operational monitoring
• Design, implement, and support enterprise data/voice/video networks across LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi
• Configure and support routing/switching and core network services (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, QoS, DHCP/DNS)
• Administer and harden firewalls/VPNs (SonicWall, Cisco ASA, Palo Alto) and support secure remote access patterns
• Security, Secure Transfers, and Compliance Support
• Maintain secure internal and external data transfer mechanisms (e.g., SFTP/managed file transfer), including certificate/keys, access controls, and auditing
• Support vulnerability remediation, security hardening, and practical control implementation aligned to customer/security expectations (e.g., PCI/SOC related controls where applicable)
• Own SSL/TLS certificate lifecycle management across infrastructure components
• Operational Excellence & Automation
• Build repeatable, automated operations (Infrastructure as Code and configuration management preferred), reducing manual work and increasing reliability
• Improve observability and troubleshooting practices (monitoring, alerting, packet capture, traffic analysis) and drive root cause prevention
• Participate in on call/after hours support rotations as needed for high priority incidents and maintenance windows
• Collaborate across internal teams and external vendors/clients to plan changes, execute upgrades, resolve incidents, and document outcomes
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation (runbooks, diagrams, standards) to improve operational consistency and knowledge sharing

Skills

Kubernetes

VMware vSphere/ESX/ESXi

Microsoft Azure

Networking

Firewall administration

Windows Server / AD / Exchange

SQL Server (AlwaysOn)

Operational discipline

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Certifications (CCNA/CCNP, VCP, Nutanix, Azure AZ-104/305, Security+)

Tools

Jira

Kace

SolarWinds

PRTG

Cerberus SFTP

Zerto

Trend Micro

WSUS

Job description

W2 Only - No C2C candidates will be accepted for this opportunity.

Key Responsibilitie

sNetwork Enginee

rInfrastructure Managemen

• tOwn day to day operations of the VMware environment (vSphere/ESX/ESXi): lifecycle management, capacity, performance tuning, patching, upgrades, backup/DR coordination, and incident response
• .Partner on the virtualization roadmap, including planning and execution for migration from VMware to Nutanix (or Nutanix-based platforms), minimizing downtime and risk
• .Operate and optimize storage and compute platforms (e.g., Cisco UCS, SAN/NAS such as NetApp FAS/AFF, FlexPod), including performance troubleshooting and resilience planning
• sManage and optimize Microsoft Azure workloads: networking, compute, storage, security controls, cost optimization, and operational monitoring
• .Operate Kubernetes environments (cluster upgrades, reliability, networking, ingress, policy, and workload troubleshooting)
• .Build, deploy, and support Docker containerized applications and supporting infrastructure (registries, image hygiene, runtime security, scaling)
• .Implement and maintain load balancing solutions (L4/L7), including TLS configuration and operational monitoring
• sDesign, implement, and support enterprise data/voice/video networks across LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi
• .Configure and support routing/switching and core network services (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, QoS, DHCP/DNS)
• .Administer and harden firewalls/VPNs (SonicWall, Cisco ASA, Palo Alto) and support secure remote access patterns

.Security, Secure Transfers, and Compliance Suppor

• tMaintain secure internal and external data transfer mechanisms (e.g., SFTP/managed file transfer), including certificate/keys, access controls, and auditing
• .Support vulnerability remediation, security hardening, and practical control implementation aligned to customer/security expectations (e.g., PCI/SOC related controls where applicable)
• .Own SSL/TLS certificate lifecycle management across infrastructure components

.Operational Excellence & Automatio

• nBuild repeatable, automated operations (Infrastructure as Code and configuration management preferred), reducing manual work and increasing reliability
• .Improve observability and troubleshooting practices (monitoring, alerting, packet capture, traffic analysis) and drive root cause prevention
• .Participate in on call/after hours support rotations as needed for high priority incidents and maintenance windows
• nCollaborate across internal teams and external vendors/clients to plan changes, execute upgrades, resolve incidents, and document outcomes
• .Create and maintain clear technical documentation (runbooks, diagrams, standards) to improve operational consistency and knowledge sharing

.Qualification

sRequired Qualification

• s5+ years in a senior network/infrastructure engineering role supporting enterprise environments (hybrid datacenter + cloud)
• .Strong, hands on experience with Kubernetes, VMware (vSphere/ESX/ESXi), and Microsoft Azure (these are must-haves)
• .Proven experience designing/supporting enterprise networks: LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi, routing/switching, VPNs, QoS, and troubleshooting (packet capture/traffic analysis)
• .Firewall administration experience with one or more of SonicWall, Cisco ASA, and Palo Alto (policy, VPN, logging/triage)
• .Experience with virtualization operations and performance tuning (compute, storage, networking)
• .Windows Server administration experience (including legacy environments as needed), Active Directory, Group Policy, and Exchange in enterprise contexts
• .Working knowledge supporting SQL Server environments (AlwaysOn preferred)
• .Strong operational habits: change management discipline, incident response, documentation, and clear communication

.Preferred Qualification

• sBachelor’s degree in a related field and significant datacenter operations experience
• .Certifications such as CCNA/CCNP, VCP, Nutanix (NCP), Azure (AZ-104/AZ-305), Security+, or equivalent experience
• .Experience with Cisco UCS, NetApp FAS/AFF, and FlexPod architectures in production environments
• .Familiarity with IIS/Tomcat administration and email security tooling (e.g., SpamTitan)
• .Experience with tools such as Jira, Kace, SolarWinds, PRTG, Cerberus SFTP, Zerto, Trend Micro, WSUS, and related monitoring/endpoint/security platforms