Principal Strategic Solutions Engineer

Company Description

Pileus Technologies, LLC is a managed technology services company dedicated to helping clients operate securely, efficiently, and successfully. We deliver managed services, professional services, cloud, infrastructure, communications, and cybersecurity solutions while emphasizing responsive service, clear communication, strong documentation, and long-term client relationships.

Position Overview

The Principal Strategic Solutions Engineer is a senior technical role responsible for complex solution delivery, advanced escalation ownership, technical standardization, and the development of engineering capability across Pileus Technologies. This position converts business and technical requirements into supportable solutions, coordinates high-impact implementations and escalations, and supports the Director of Operations in improving service quality, delivery consistency, and team effectiveness. The role combines hands-on engineering, mentoring, and operational accountability. When the Director of Operations is unavailable, this position may make defined day-to-day service decisions within established company standards and delegated authority.

Key Responsibilities

· Lead complex client implementations and remediation initiatives involving Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Azure, servers, networking, firewalls, endpoint security, backup, and related managed-service technologies.

· Serve as a senior Level 3 escalation resource for complex infrastructure, cloud, identity, and cybersecurity issues; establish technical direction, coordinate resources, and maintain ownership through resolution or formal handoff.

· Translate client requirements, assessment findings, and approved solution designs into practical implementation plans, task assignments, change plans, validation criteria, documentation, and operational handoff.

· Support the Director of Operations by monitoring service delivery priorities, project health, resource constraints, recurring technical risks, escalation trends, and process-improvement opportunities.

· Serve as the senior technical coordinator during assigned major incidents, including impact assessment, troubleshooting strategy, vendor coordination, change control, recovery validation, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action planning.

· Lead the technical workstream for new-client onboarding and designated client re-standardization initiatives, ensuring environments align with Pileus documentation, security, identity, monitoring, backup, and support standards.

· Develop and maintain reusable engineering standards, implementation templates, technical runbooks, knowledge articles, change plans, and operational acceptance criteria.

· Mentor engineers and technicians through case review, paired troubleshooting, implementation guidance, structured training, and constructive technical feedback, without direct personnel-management responsibility.

· Identify recurring service issues and recommend changes to tooling, configurations, standards, workflows, or training that improve reliability, security, efficiency, and client experience.

· Support qualified sales and Client Success opportunities by participating in technical discovery, solution validation, scope review, risk identification, effort estimation, and operational-readiness review.

· Evaluate new products and services with emphasis on security, supportability, integration, standardization, operational effort, client value, and total cost of ownership.

· When the Director of Operations is unavailable or has delegated coverage, make routine service-delivery decisions within established procedures, coordinate immediate technical priorities, and ensure urgent issues have clear ownership. Escalate personnel matters, contractual or pricing decisions, policy exceptions, non-standard risk acceptance, and material client commitments to the appropriate manager or executive.

· Model disciplined use of HaloPSA and related systems through timely time entry, complete ticket and project documentation, clear next steps, accurate status updates, and adherence to change-management requirements.

Delegated Decision Authority

· May determine technical implementation steps for assigned projects and escalations within approved scope, standards, budget, and change controls.

· May coordinate technical resources, facilitate working sessions, sequence implementation tasks, and require completion of technical documentation and validation steps.

· May pause or defer a technical change when required information, testing, rollback planning, authorization, or risk controls are insufficient.

· Escalates scope, pricing, staffing, disciplinary, contractual, policy-exception, non-standard risk-acceptance, and executive client-commitment decisions to the Director of Operations or appropriate executive owner.

· Provides temporary operational coverage only within delegated authority and does not assume personnel-management, commercial, contractual, or executive authority.

Performance Expectations

· Assigned projects and implementation tasks are planned, communicated, documented, validated, and transitioned into support with minimal avoidable rework.

· Advanced escalations receive timely ownership, a clear technical plan, regular status updates, documented resolution, and corrective actions when appropriate.

· New-client and re-standardization work produces complete technical documentation and measurable alignment with approved Pileus standards.

· Technical standards, runbooks, and knowledge articles reduce repeated troubleshooting effort and improve consistency across the service team.

· Mentoring and training improve the team’s ability to resolve issues at the appropriate level and execute standard work independently.

· Operational risks, scope concerns, resource constraints, and potential client impacts are surfaced early with practical options and recommendations.

· Time, ticket, project, and change records are complete, accurate, and maintained in accordance with company requirements.

Qualifications

· Progressive experience in an MSP or similarly diverse technical environment, including senior responsibility for infrastructure, cloud, networking, cybersecurity, projects, and escalations.

· Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work from discovery and planning through implementation, validation, documentation, and support transition.

· Strong hands-on knowledge of Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Azure, Windows Server, networking, firewalls, endpoint security, backup, and modern identity and access practices.

· Experience with PSA, RMM, documentation, monitoring, security, and change-management platforms used in managed services.

· Strong troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, risk assessment, project coordination, and technical documentation skills.

· Ability to communicate technical risks, options, and recommendations clearly to engineers, business stakeholders, vendors, and client leadership.

· Demonstrated ability to coach others, build repeatable standards, manage competing priorities, and maintain ownership in a fast-paced service environment.

· Relevant Microsoft, networking, cloud, cybersecurity, project-management, or vendor certifications are preferred.

· Valid driver’s license and ability to travel occasionally to client locations or approved industry events.

Core Competencies

· Senior technical judgment and decision-making

· Ownership and accountability

· Operational planning and prioritization

· Advanced troubleshooting and root-cause analysis

· Solution design and implementation coordination

· Security and risk awareness

· Project and change management

· Coaching, mentoring, and knowledge transfer

· Client and executive communication

· Documentation and process discipline

· Cross-functional collaboration

· Continuous improvement and service standardization

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work is primarily performed in a professional office and client-site environment. The position requires extended periods of sitting, standing, communicating, reading, writing, typing, and working at a computer; occasional travel to client or vendor locations; and the ability to respond effectively during high-impact or emergency situations. The employee must be able to safely operate a motor vehicle and use standard office and job-specific equipment. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.

Workplace Designation

Due to the technical leadership, cross-departmental, client-facing, implementation, and escalation responsibilities of this position, regular on-site availability is required. Remote work, if authorized, remains subject to company policy, operational needs, client requirements, and management approval.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodation

Pileus Technologies, LLC provides equal employment opportunities and makes employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Reasonable accommodation is available to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

Disclaimer

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by the employee assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, qualifications, or skills. Additional responsibilities may be assigned as business needs require.