Storage Architect

Job Title: Storage ArchitectLocation: Lutz, FL 33549 , 4 days onsite required 1 day remote per weekWork Schedule: 4 days onsite required 1 day remote, 9am to 5pm Est, 5 days per weekDuration: 12-Month W2 Contract (Potential Extension of contract) About the Role The Compute & Storage Solution Architect will lead the design, implementation, and lifecycle management of enterprise compute, virtualization, and storage platforms using Cisco UCS, VMware vSphere 8, and Fibre Channel SAN solutions. This role focuses on architecting scalable on-prem infrastructure, driving hardware/OS refresh initiatives, and supporting workload migrations in a primarily onsite enterprise environment. Key Responsibilities Lead the implementation of enterprise-wide compute and storage infrastructure initiatives and solutions. Architect and integrate Cisco UCS compute solutions, including UCS Manager, blades, chassis, fabric interconnects, and service profiles. Lead the design, architecture, and implementation of on-premises compute and storage infrastructure using VMware vSphere and Cisco UCS hardware. Architect, deploy, and operationalize VMware vSphere 8 clusters supporting enterprise workloads, including HA, DRS, vMotion, Lifecycle Manager (vLCM), and cluster-level design best practices. Design and implement Cisco UCS-based compute platforms, including: UCS X-Series blade infrastructure UCS C-Series rack-mount servers Mixed blade and rack deployments including UCS-X Direct Build and manage UCS environments in both UCS Manager (UCSM) mode and Cisco Intersight Managed Mode (IMM), including: Service Profiles / Server Profiles Policies (BIOS, boot, firmware, LAN/SAN connectivity) Firmware baselines and lifecycle management. Integrate compute platforms with Pure Storage All-Product arrays and HPE Alletra MP using Fibre Channel SAN connectivity, including: End-to-end FC fabric design (dual fabric best practices) Zoning on Cisco MDS or Nexus FC switches LUN provisioning and host presentation. Experience required: Architect and Design VM and Compute solutions to support project delivery. Determine Product and create server build sheet to be handed over to build team. This may range from VM builds within the enterprise to include the purchase of hardware. Work on vSphere lifecycle needs to eliminate vSphere 7 from the environment. Installing vSphere 8 hosts and configuring them for workload migrations Work on hardware lifecycle needs across the enterprise Work on operating system lifecycle needs across the enterprise Experience with cloud technologies (Azure, AWS, Google, Oracle) is a plus. VMware vSphere: Deep expertise in architecting and managing VMware vSphere environments (ESXi, vCenter, DRS, vMotion, storage integration, etc.). Cisco UCS: Extensive experience in designing and managing Cisco UCS environments, including UCS Manager, blades, fabric interconnects, and service profiles. Storage Solutions: Knowledge of enterprise storage solutions and protocols (iSCSI, NFS, Fibre Channel, etc.), including storage design for VMware environments. Architecture Documentation: Proven ability to create clear, actionable architecture designs and detailed documentation for build teams Qualifications Required: High School Diploma required. Bachelor’s Degree Preferred Certification Certifications: VMware Certified Professional (VCP), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), or higher-level certifications in VMware and Cisco technologies. Automation: Experience with automation tools (e.g., Ansible, PowerShell, Terraform) for infrastructure provisioning and management. #IRI-IT Job Type: Contract Benefits: 401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Work Location: Hybrid remote in Lutz, FL