Senior Virtualization Architect / Lead VMware & Hyper-V

Experience 10–15 years in enterprise IT infrastructure, with deep specialization in virtualization technologies Location-Remote Role Summary We are seeking a highly experienced Virtualization Architect / Lead with strong expertise in VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V platforms. The role requires ownership of design, implementation, optimization, and modernization of large-scale virtualized environments across on-premises and hybrid infrastructures. The candidate will provide technical leadership, mentor teams, and engage with stakeholders to ensure high availability, performance, security, and scalability. Key Responsibilities Virtualization Architecture & Operations Design, deploy, and manage enterprise-grade VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V environments Lead virtualization strategy, capacity planning, and lifecycle management Architect high availability, DR, and fault-tolerant virtual infrastructures Perform platform upgrades, migrations, and consolidations with minimal downtime Define and enforce virtualization standards, best practices, and governance Platform Management & Optimization Administer ESXi, vCenter, Hyper-V clusters, and System Center components Optimize performance, storage, and network integration (SAN/NAS, iSCSI, FC, vSAN, SMB) Troubleshoot complex virtualization, OS, and hardware-related issues Implement and manage backup, replication, and disaster recovery solutions Hybrid & Modern Infrastructure Support hybrid cloud integration and workload mobility Enable virtualization for Dev/Test, VDI, and business-critical workloads Collaborate with cloud, network, storage, and security teams Contribute to modernization initiatives (automation, infrastructure as code) Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement Act as technical lead for virtualization projects and transformations Mentor and guide junior engineers and operations teams Participate in architecture reviews, audits, and client discussions Support RFPs, solution designs, and effort estimations Required Technical Skills Core Virtualization VMware vSphere (ESXi, vCenter, HA, DRS, vMotion, Storage vMotion) Microsoft Hyper-V (Failover Clustering, Live Migration, Replica) System Center (SCVMM, SCOM – preferred) Storage & Networking SAN/NAS technologies (FC, iSCSI, NFS, SMB) vSAN, Storage Spaces Direct (S2D – preferred) Virtual networking concepts (VLANs, vSwitches, NIC teaming) Backup, DR & Security Backup and replication tools (Veeam, Commvault, or equivalent) DR planning, testing, and execution Role-based access control, hardening, and compliance practices Automation & Tools (Good to Have) PowerCLI, PowerShell scripting Monitoring and capacity management tools Exposure to automation frameworks and orchestration platforms Experience & Qualifications 10–15 years of overall IT infrastructure experience 8+ years hands-on experience with VMware and/or Hyper-V in large environments Experience managing mission-critical, high-availability systems Strong understanding of enterprise IT operations and ITIL processes Certifications (Preferred) VMware Certified Professional (VCP) / VMware Advanced Professional Microsoft certifications related to Windows Server / Hyper-V ITIL Foundation (optional) Key Competencies Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Excellent documentation and communication abilities Leadership mindset with client-facing experience Ability to work under pressure in 24x7 enterprise environments