Senior Infrastructure Engineer

Overview

We are seeking a Senior Infrastructure Engineer to our growing IT group. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on technical engineer working directly under the Regional IT Director to help modernize and secure our infrastructure across all PowerGEM offices. This is not a role for someone looking to maintain a stable status quo. We are at the start of a multi-year modernization journey: refreshing aging infrastructure, hardening security, building cross-site disaster recovery, advancing toward SOC 2 compliance, and migrating workloads to a modern hybrid cloud architecture. The candidate will help shape that future, contribute to its execution, and grow with the team as it scales, with scope and leadership opportunities that expand as you do.

This role is ideal for someone who wants to be the technical force behind a true modernization journey, with the opportunity to shape everything from physical infrastructure and data center operations to Azure architecture, cloud transformation, and security maturity, leaving a lasting impact across the entire technology stack.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Modernization & Project Leadership

• Lead the modernization and lifecycle refresh of data centers, network equipment, servers, UPS systems, and supporting infrastructure across PowerGEM offices.
• Plan, design, and execute new infrastructure, network, and systems projects from concept through deployment and handoff.
• Conduct technical assessments, build business cases, and drive procurement and implementation in coordination with the Regional IT Director.
• Take initiative to identify gaps, propose improvements, and champion modernization efforts proactively.

Data Center & Physical Infrastructure

• Lead all physical Data Center work in Hoover: rack-and-stack, structured cabling, power planning, cooling oversight, and hardware decommissioning.
• Manage and maintain UPS systems, including capacity planning, battery lifecycle, monitoring, and failover testing.
• Maintain accurate documentation, diagrams, and asset inventory for all physical and logical infrastructure.

Server & Virtualization Management

• Administer Dell server hardware, including blade enclosures, iDRAC configuration, firmware management, and remote lifecycle operations.
• Build, maintain, and optimize Windows Server environments and Hyper-V virtualization clusters.
• Manage virtual machines across on-premises and cloud, including provisioning, performance tuning, and capacity planning.
• Administer Linux servers (RHEL, Ubuntu, or similar) and support the ongoing Linux migration on the SERVM compute cluster.

Microsoft Ecosystem & Identity

• Administer Active Directory, Domain Controllers, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy (GPO), WSUS, and DFS.
• Manage Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive) and Entra ID, including conditional access, MFA, and identity governance.
• Implement and maintain hybrid identity and synchronization between on-premises AD and Entra ID.

Cloud (Azure)

• Design, deploy, and manage Azure infrastructure: virtual networks, VMs, storage, backup, monitoring, and security.
• Implement and maintain hybrid connectivity between on-premises data centers and Azure (ExpressRoute, VPN, Azure Arc).
• Optimize Azure cost, governance, and resource organization (subscriptions, management groups, tagging, policies).
• Support cloud migration initiatives and evaluate which workloads belong on cloud, on-premises, or hybrid.

Networking

• Manage and modernize enterprise networking: switches, routers, wireless, and firewalls across all offices.
• Administer firewalls and network security appliances (Cisco Meraki, Cisco ASA/Firepower, or equivalent), including rules, VPN, segmentation, and SD-WAN.
• Manage HP Aruba switching environments and migrate to centrally managed configurations where applicable.
• Implement network monitoring, logging, and performance optimization.

Cybersecurity & SOC 2

• Implement and enforce cybersecurity procedures, controls, and best practices across all infrastructure.
• Support PowerGEM's SOC 2 compliance program and ongoing audit readiness work.
• Manage endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, and remediation.
• Drive a structured patching program for servers, network devices, and endpoints.
• Participate in enterprise penetration testing scoping, execution, and remediation across all PowerGEM offices.
• Respond to security incidents and lead post-incident reviews.

Backup, Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

• Own backup strategy and operations using Veeam Backup & Replication for on-premises and cloud workloads.
• Design, document, and regularly test Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity plans, including cross-site replication between Hoover and Cambridge.
• Ensure RTO/RPO targets are met across critical systems.

Monitoring & Observability

• Deploy and maintain monitoring infrastructure including Grafana, with alerting on system performance, drive health, and environmental conditions.
• Coordinate with the Managed SIEM provider for log ingestion, alert tuning, and incident triage.

Database & Application Support

• Provide infrastructure-level support for SQL Server: installation, patching, backup, and basic administration in coordination with DBAs and application owners.
• Support tooling such as RedGate where applicable.

Automation & Scripting

• Automate administrative, deployment, and reporting tasks using PowerShell, Bash, and Azure CLI / ARM / Bicep / Terraform.
• Build runbooks and standardized operating procedures to improve reliability and reduce manual effort.
• Maintain and extend automation for VM provisioning, NAS share mapping, and patching.

Multi-Office Support

• Provide remote support and project leadership for PowerGEM offices including Cambridge (DAYZER), MEA, TARA, and PROB.
• Coordinate with the Regional IT Director on multi-site standards, policies, and rollouts.
• Travel periodically to the Cambridge, MA office for project work and infrastructure activities.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of progressive experience in network and systems engineering roles; candidates with 7+ years and senior-level experience will be considered for a senior title and scope.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field; Master's degree preferred. Equivalent professional experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.
• Hands-on experience across the Microsoft stack: Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, M365, Entra ID, Hyper-V.
• Experience administering Microsoft Azure (networking, IaaS, identity, security, governance); experience at scale is a plus.
• Solid Linux administration skills (RHEL, Ubuntu, or equivalent).
• Strong PowerShell scripting and automation skills.
• Experience with Cisco Meraki and Cisco networking; firewall administration, VLAN segmentation, and VPN design.
• Experience with Dell server hardware including blade enclosures and iDRAC management.
• Practical experience with SQL Server from an infrastructure/operations perspective.
• Hands-on experience with physical data center work and equipment refresh projects; experience leading full refreshes is preferred.
• Working knowledge of UPS systems and data center power, cooling, and environmental management.
• Strong understanding of DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, VLANs, VPN, and routing/switching fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience with patch management and vulnerability remediation.
• Proven experience designing and operating backup and disaster recovery solutions, ideally including Veeam Backup & Replication.
• Solid grounding in cybersecurity principles, frameworks, and operational practices, with awareness of SOC 2 controls.
• Ability to drive projects forward — contributing to scoping, delivery, and follow-through — and to take initiative without being prompted. Senior candidates should have demonstrated experience leading projects independently end-to-end.
• Excellent troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant certifications such as: Microsoft Azure Administrator/Architect (AZ-104, AZ-305), Microsoft 365 Administrator, Cisco CCNA/CCNP, Meraki CMNA, CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or equivalent.
• Experience supporting high-density compute, HPC, or scientific computing environments.
• Experience with AWS (EC2, VPC, IAM, S3, etc.) multi-cloud exposure is a strong plus.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep, ARM).
• Experience with Grafana, Prometheus, or similar observability tooling.
• Experience with SIEM/EDR platforms (Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, CrowdStrike, or Managed SIEM services).
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks (SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls).
• Experience with SAN/NAS storage, hyperconverged infrastructure, and enterprise backup appliances.
• Experience working alongside or coordinating with Managed Service Providers (MSPs).
• Background in or exposure to the energy, utilities, or power systems industry.

Soft Skills & Mindset

• Initiative-driven — spots problems and opportunities and acts on them.
• Ownership mentality — sees projects through end-to-end and is accountable for outcomes.
• Comfortable working hands-on in the data center as well as designing at the architectural level.
• Strong communicator who can translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Calm and methodical under pressure, especially during incidents and outages.
• Continuous learner who keeps current with cloud, security, and infrastructure trends.
• Collaborative across teams, vendors, and the MSP.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid schedule based out of Hoover, AL with 3 days onsite per week.
• 5–15% travel to the Cambridge, MA office for project work, planning sessions, and infrastructure activities.
• On-site presence required for data center and physical infrastructure work.
• Occasional after-hours and weekend work for change windows, upgrades, and incident response.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and rack server/network equipment.