Data Center Engineer

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Data Center Engineer to support enterprise infrastructure initiatives in Bethesda, MD. This role is ideal for a senior-level virtualization and compute engineer with deep expertise in VMware ecosystems and Cisco UCS platforms. The engineer will lead architecture, migration, and optimization efforts across mission-critical environments, with a focus on VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), infrastructure automation, and high-availability design.

Candidates must be eligible to obtain a Public Trust clearance
.

• Design, deploy, and manage VMware vSphere and VMware vCenter environments across enterprise infrastructure
• Lead migration of ESXi workloads into VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) with minimal downtime and data integrity assurance
• Configure and optimize ESXi hosts, clusters, and virtual machines within VCF environments
• Administer and maintain VCF components including vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and vRealize Suite
• Implement, configure, and support Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) hardware including fabric interconnects and chassis
• Develop and manage UCS service profiles and policies via UCS Manager
• Integrate and maintain enterprise storage solutions (SAN/NAS, vSAN, iSCSI, NFS) within VMware clusters
• Perform firmware upgrades, system patching, and lifecycle management across VMware and UCS environments
• Automate infrastructure operations using Power
  
  CLI, Python, or Ansible to reduce manual overhead
• Create detailed implementation documentation, architecture diagrams, and operational runbooks
• Monitor performance, capacity, and system health; proactively resolve hardware, software, and configuration issues

• 5+ years of hands-on experience with VMware vSphere and vCenter in enterprise environments
• Demonstrated experience deploying and managing VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
• Strong expertise with Cisco UCS hardware, server provisioning, and UCS Manager
• Experience integrating and managing VMware storage technologies including vSAN, iSCSI, and NFS
• Proficiency in cluster design, resource optimization, HA/DR configuration, and storage policy management
• Experience scripting and automating infrastructure tasks using Power
  
  CLI, Python, or similar tools
• Solid understanding of system monitoring, backup strategies, and disaster recovery planning in virtualized environments
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification
• Experience with NSX, vRealize Suite, or hybrid cloud architectures
• Experience with enterprise storage platforms such as Pure Storage or Net App
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Ansible or Terraform

• $130,000 - $160,000 (DOE)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Full-time onsite role in Bethesda, MD
• Occasional travel may be required based on project needs

This job opens for applicants on 2/26/26 and will be accepting applicants for 30 days.