Principal Consulting Engineer - VMware Cloud Foundation Automation

Role Description

The Principal Consulting Engineer ensures solutions are delivered as designed and meet customer approval. We are seeking an experienced VMware Cloud Foundation Automation Engineer to design, deploy, and optimize automations on VCF 9.0. This role serves as the technical authority for VCF Automation in our software-defined data center strategy, driving standardization and automation across compute, storage, and networking management layers.

• Collaborate with the technical architect on training plans and approaches to best equip staff for successful implementations.
• Develop standards, best practices, and training for team members along with technical architect and technical lead in their area of expertise.
• Define project strategies or technical options to balance customer project goals and financial constraints.
• Provide leadership and expert advice/counsel on technical subject matters and architecture design to Customers, the Infrastructure Solutions Team, and other Extended Sirius Teams.
• Escalate and communicate alternatives with associated risks with executives and stakeholders.
• Ensure procedures are being followed and assist in resolving complex problems which require professional level input.
• Regularly interface with customer’s technical and business executive level and project leadership through sales presentations and/or client project solutions in communicating complex ideas, anticipating potential objections and leading discussions to align expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver VCF Automation engagements end-to-end on VCF9 — design through deployment.
• Design and build automation patterns using Terraform, PowerShell, and Python — including third-party integrations with ServiceNow, Active Directory, and CI/CD pipelines (GitHub/GitLab).
• Lead customer-facing discovery and road-mapping conversations. Framing up-front discovery, framing what's, and co-building the plan with the client.
• Contribute to the team's automation playbook — share reusable components, patterns, and lessons learned with our VCF Ops, NSX, and architect resources so we keep getting faster engagement over engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or computer science or an equivalent field.
• 10 years of IT Infrastructure experience, including at least 3 years in large enterprise consulting, OR 14 years total Information Technology experience, to include 10 years of IT Infrastructure experience, including at least 3 years in large enterprise consulting.
• 7+ years in enterprise virtualization/private cloud architecture.
• Hands-on expertise with VCF 9.0 and building automations in this environment.
• Deep proficiency deploying VCF 9 Automation components such as:
  • Authoring Blueprints / Cloud Templates
  • Building catalogs with approval policies
  • Terraform and Ansible integrations
  • Authoring workflows
  • Orchestrator deployment models
• Ability to maintain client relationships as a trusted advisor and mentor engineers for project design and coordination.
• Excellent communication skills with experience in making technology recommendations.
• History of constructive relationships at all organizational levels and the ability to research complex technology solutions and present them to clients.
• Ability to remain calm and productive in situations of change, ambiguity, and risk.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to work beyond the regular shift, on weekends, and overtime as needed.
• Willingness to travel to other CDW locations or client sites. A valid U.S. driver’s license is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) or VCP-VCF certification.
• VCF Ops experience.
• ServiceNow Integration experience.
• Background in regulated industries (financial services, healthcare, federal).

Benefits

• Pay range: $158,000.00 - $240,800.00 depending on experience and skill set.
• Annual bonus target of 10% subject to terms and conditions of plan.
• Benefits overview:
• Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials.