Senior IT Infrastructure Engineer

Job Description : We are seeking a Senior IT Infrastructure Engineer with deep technical expertise in backup, storage, and virtualisation platforms. This role is a hands-on Subject Matter Expert (SME) responsible for designing, optimising, and supporting critical infrastructure services across onprem and hybrid cloud environments.The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring resilient, secure, and cost-efficient infrastructure platforms, contributing to platform roadmaps, driving automation, and supporting strategic initiatives such as virtualisation optimisation and workload migration.Key Responsibilities : 1. Act as a technical SME for : - Backup platforms (Veritas, Rubrik preferred)- Storage platforms (Pure Storage, HPE)- Virtualisation platforms (VMware and at least one alternative such as KVM or HyperV)2. Design, implement and support backup, storage, and virtualisation solutions for business-critical workloads : 3. Deliver against platform strategy and roadmap, including : - Optimisation of VMware environments (VCF, Telco Cloud)- Migration of workloads away from VMware where required4. Drive platform stability, performance, and resilience, ensuring services meet operational and availability requirements : 5. Identify and deliver cost optimisation opportunities, particularly in : - Virtualisation licensing- Storage utilisation- Backup retention and architecture6. Develop and implement automation and standardisation to improve operational efficiency : 7. Troubleshoot and resolve complex incidents and problems across infrastructure layers : 8. Collaborate closely with : - Cloud engineering teams (Azure, GCP)- Architecture and security teams- Wider Infrastructure & Operations teams9. Maintain and produce high-quality technical documentation, including : - Platform designs- Runbooks- Operational procedures- Audit and compliance artefacts10. Participate in the on-call rota to support critical incidents : Required Skills & Experience : 1. Strong hands-on experience in : - Storage platforms (Pure Storage, HPE)- Virtualisation platforms (VMware essential + KVM/HyperV desirable)- Backup solutions (Veritas required, Rubrik highly desirable)2. Proven experience in : - VMware optimisation (VCF / licensing efficiency)- Migration of workloads between virtualisation platforms3. Experience working in hybrid environments : - Integration of on-prem infrastructure with Azure and/or GCP4. Solid knowledge of : - Compute infrastructure (Cisco UCS preferred)- Linux and Windows operating systems- Networking fundamentals5. Strong troubleshooting capability across complex, multi-layered infrastructure environments : Technical Competencies : - Deep technical expertise; recognised as a go-to SME within the team- Ability to independently lead technical delivery of complex changes- Experience with automation, optimisation, and platform engineering practices- Strong understanding of high availability and resiliency design- Strong understanding of backup and disaster recovery strategies- Ability to contribute to design decisions in partnership with architecture teamsBehavioural & Professional Skills : - Ownership & Accountability : Takes full responsibility for platform stability and technical outcomes- Technical Leadership : Influences engineering direction without direct line management responsibility- Outcome-Driven : Focuses on measurable improvements in performance, cost, and resilience- Collaboration : Works effectively across infrastructure, cloud, security, and architecture teams- Communication : Clearly articulates technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders- Continuous Improvement : Proactively identifies opportunities for automation, optimisation, and simplificationPreferred Qualifications : 1. Exposure to : - Container platforms (Docker, Kubernetes)2. Relevant certifications such as : - VMware (VCP)- Storage vendor certifications- Backup technologies (Veritas / Rubrik)- Cloud certifications (Azure / GCP)Education & Experience : - Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience)- 5-8 years of hands-on experience in infrastructure engineering (storage, backup, virtualisation)- Demonstrated experience operating at senior engineer / SME level (ref:hirist.tech)