Data Center Lead at Confidential company

CONFIDENTIAL company is seeking an Data Center Lead, with an active secret clearance, for a full-time contract position in Washington, D.C. The position is on-site with limited remote work opportunities. Relocation will not be supported!

Primary Function: The Data Center Lead is responsible for leading a team of System Administrators and Engineers in providing operational and engineering support on a classified network. This is a working lead role requiring in-depth operational knowledge and the ability to work hands-on with the team on day-to-day tasks and projects. One administrative Telework day/week is available for this position due to the classification of the network. The Data Center Lead will work with the Contractor Program Manager as a technical expert to provide guidance on technical tasks and report on the daily operations of the Data Center.

This role may include assisting in creating and planning project plans for large-scale projects such as data center migrations, system upgrades, re-engineering tasks, scheduled operational reporting, and assisting in hiring and training staff. The role may include other duties as needed by the client and/or the Program Manager.

Please note: Due to the secure nature of this government agency, all candidates must be U.S. citizens and hold a current, active Secret clearance.

The successful candidate will receive a contingent offer based on the outcome of a government background check. This will take several weeks, and the candidate cannot begin actual employment until the background check is successfully completed.

Requirements

• Active DoD Secret Security Clearance
• Active Security+ or DoD 8570 Baseline Certificate (or ability to obtain within 2 months of hire)
• Hands-on technical experience with some or all the following:
• Active Directory Group Policy troubleshooting
• Windows Server 2012/2016
• Splunk Reporting
• VMware ESXi / vSphere 6.7
• Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop
• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
• Microsoft Exchange
• Familiarity with Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) STIGs
• SANs, storage devices, backup and recovery planning
• Solarwinds or similar system monitoring tools
• Ability to provide expert technical guidance and recommendations to clients. The candidate shall exhibit strong technical understanding when working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
• Ability to create and report on remediation plans for risks and vulnerabilities, and recommend mitigation strategies
• Ensure coordination and collaboration on upgrade activities and routine maintenance to successfully implement hardening of server infrastructure
• Previous management of a Data Center or management of Engineering teams on projects is preferred
• Expert working knowledge of data center daily, weekly and monthly operational tasks such as backup schedules, vulnerability scans, risk reports, etc.
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing with management and technical specialists; to plan, organize and manage tasks on time with minimal supervision.
• Experience with the design and planning of projects using Microsoft Project (or similar project management systems)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead a small team of SMEs to maintain and upgrade Windows Server 2012R2/2016 environment
• Serve as a Lead engineer/administrator for technical tasks for computing, virtualization and storage
• Provide reporting to fulfill contract deliverables related to data center operations and projects being performed by the Data Center team
• Assist in implementing new technology as needed and upgrades to the data center based on client requests.
• Attend Change Control Board (CCB) meetings as a technical advisor/scribe for all Change Requests (CRs)
• Additional duties and responsibilities to be assigned by the Program Manager

Required Skills:

• A minimum of 10+ years of demonstrated professional experience in a Data Center role
• 5+ years in support of a civilian federal government agency
• A minimum of 5+ years of supervisory experience
• Demonstrated understanding of federal government agency support
• Must have to ability to communicate fluently in the English language, both verbally and in writing

Preferred Skills:

• MCSE or MCSA
• Security+ CE or CISSP
• PMP

Physical Demands: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.