Server Lead

Location: Huntsville, AL Required Clearance: SECRET Required Education: Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, systems administration, engineering, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered. Required Experience: Senior systems administration experience supporting enterprise server, virtualization, storage, backup/recovery, and disaster-recovery operations, including technical leadership in a high-availability environment. Position Description: PingWind is seeking a Server Lead to direct system administration, virtualization, server maintenance, backup/recovery, and disaster-recovery operations for PAE Fires enterprise systems. The Server Lead will provide hands-on technical leadership to maintain secure and highly available platforms, validate backup and restoration capabilities, and support continuity and COOP reconstitution requirements. Primary Responsibilities : Typical Responsibilities/Tasks: • Lead systems administration and maintenance for environments that include ESXi hosts, virtual machines/appliances, Red Hat OpenShift, VDI desktops, Windows Server, Linux/RHEL, file systems, and system-level applications. • Direct hardware installation, troubleshooting, maintenance, system updates, patching, backups, and operational support while maintaining highly secure and available systems on a 24/7 basis. • Perform or oversee system analysis and design, establish and sustain virtual infrastructure, and provide technical input for system administration SOPs and user/administrator documentation. • Operate and maintain enterprise backup and recovery capabilities supporting Linux NFS, Windows SMB, Enterprise SAN, Cohesity, Dell PowerProtect Data Manager, VMware Replication, and vSAN. • Administer or support protection services and protocols such as vProxy, DD Boost, NDMP, REST APIs, S3-compatible object storage, VMware vCenter/vSphere integration, and application-aware backup agents for SQL Server and other enterprise applications. • Regularly test and validate backup, recovery, replication, and restoration procedures; investigate backup failures; verify recoverability, system integrity, and achievement of defined RPO/RTO objectives. • Support disaster-recovery and contingency planning by providing technical data on backup security, software, procedures, media/storage, schedules, audit records, trusted recovery, and restoration capabilities. • Support COOP events and exercises, including reconstitution of IT infrastructure, recovery of systems/software/databases, and troubleshooting of restoration issues. • Coordinate server, storage, backup, and recovery activities with the CIO, Government team leads, cybersecurity personnel, developers, network staff, and other designated stakeholders. Required Qualifications • Advanced systems administration experience with VMware ESXi, vCenter/vSphere, vSAN, virtual machines, and enterprise VDI technologies. • Strong administration skills with Windows Server and Linux/RHEL environments; experience with Red Hat OpenShift is highly relevant. • Experience with enterprise SAN/storage, backup, recovery, replication, and disaster-recovery technologies in mission-critical environments. • Hands-on experience with Cohesity and/or Dell PowerProtect Data Manager or comparable enterprise backup platforms, including NFS/SMB and application-aware protection. • Experience troubleshooting complex server, virtualization, storage, backup, and restoration issues and documenting repeatable technical procedures. • Knowledge of high availability, redundancy, RPO/RTO, system recovery, patching, hardening, and operational monitoring practices. • Ability to lead technical staff, coordinate maintenance windows, communicate risk, and support after-hours or on-call mission requirements when authorized. • SECRET security clearance. Desired Qualifications • VMware VCP/VCAP, Microsoft, Red Hat, Cohesity, Dell, or comparable infrastructure certifications. • Experience with a…