Platform Engineer

Platform Engineering is responsible for the implementation, 24x7 operational support, automation, availability, and performance management of the CareFirst cloud platforms and the on-premise virtualization platforms and virtualization infrastructure.

The candidate is required to support engineering team projects and facilitate technical design discussions as well as troubleshooting activities. This candidate is also responsible to work with multi-disciplined IT technical teams to interface and manage infrastructure, automation, and applications in the public cloud with a focus on (but not limited to) AWS and Microsoft Azure. They need to contribute valuably to the evaluation of application and infrastructure cloud readiness, work on cloud migration plans to support on-premise moves/migrations to a cloud service (i.e. IaaS or PaaS) as well as the long-term management of the Cloud infrastructure associated with these applications.Candidate must have a strong and broad foundational IT skillset including support of Azure server virtualization environments, Linux and Windows Operating Systems (in both on-prem and cloud deployments), server configurations and baselines (including networking, storage and security principals), Containerization environments (i.e., Tanzu/Kubernetes), automation tools (i.e., Ansible, Terraform). The candidate must also have a strong understanding and working knowledge with critical IT services such as Active Directory/Azure Active Directory, DNS, Virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V), IaaS, PaaS, Containers, Automation, Azure Marketplace.

Responsibilities include working with server teams as well as with other IT teams to collaborate on designing and implementing cloud infrastructure services. This is a highly technical cross-functional role that understands all components of IT infrastructure (operating systems, network, compute, storage, security, etc.), and knows how to integrate and automate each of the components using automation tools, like Ansible, and being able to integrate these with ServiceNow to build workflows for automated server/system/infrastructure builds/deliveries.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Public Cloud & Virtualization Services Management:Help to build and maintain a hybrid cloud infrastructure design incorporating the on-premises VMware Platform with large cloud providers such as Amazon Webservices (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.Collaborate with multi-disciplined technical teams to manage and monitor applications in large cloud environments.Contribute to the evaluation of application cloud readiness while also working on migration plans and long-term management of applications.Work with Architecture to design Cloud platforms to support the highest levels availability, performance, security, and agility.Implement cost transparency, disaster recovery and business resiliency best practices and technologies.Implement process and procedures as well as the creation and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documentation enhancing and standardizing the support of the Cloud Platforms on documented best practices.Ensure that each cloud platform complies with well-established policies, standards, licensing agreements and configuration guidelines.dminister/Support DNS infrastructure across all CareFirst environments.ssist in administering Active Directory for the highest levels of security and availability.Understand and apply new technical skills through a combination of research, instructor lead training and self-training.Lead the review, design and implementation of new technologies that improve infrastructure or reduce cost.Provide excellent customer service to all customers, both internal and external. Exhibit poise and confidence when working with and communicating to our customers and vendors.ct as an interface to members of the IT infrastructure team, keeping management and peers informed, and disseminating information as needed.Utilize strong troubleshooting capabilities to diagnose and resolve problems and escalate to next level of support as necessary.Working knowledge of agile-sprint and traditional waterfall project management methodologies. Ability to track and report on status of projects assigned.ssist in problem management and root cause analysis.Familiar with change management concepts/processes.Work independently and cross-functionally with others to resolve problems. Teams may include internal associates as well as outside contractors/consultantsInfrastructure Automation:Design and build out Azure infrastructure as neededUse automation tools and scripts to convert daily manual tasks into services.o i.e. Ansible, TerraformWork with ITSM team to integrate cloud and on-premise service catalog and workflows into ServiceNow to support efficient and automated deliveries.Implement, manage, troubleshoot converged and hyper-converged hardware solutions using compute, networking, and storage expertise.Support cloud (Azure/AWS) builds via ARM Templates and integration with automation tools.Provide project management over technical aspects of implementing infrastructure projects and major release upgrades for CareFirst's largest, most complex and critical systems. Including on-premise and cloud based infrastructure services. Responsibilities will include performing the below.Properly follow a project life cycle (using Jira and Agile methodologies)Develop project/task plansComplete all appropriate documentation and notifications to obtain resolution within the established timeframesProvide input to the development of corporate IT standards and policies to ensure compatibility and integration throughout the companyComplete project work within budget constraints if they existReview or manage subcontractors and vendors pertaining to the teams' services and projectStay current in new IT technologies to maintain high level subject matter expertiseCompose a set of ideas into a clear presentation for leadership to consume. Capable of presenting PowerPoint clearly and confidently.Take highly technical concepts and organize it into a PowerPoint presentation when applicableSCOPE DATA:Responsible for:o Designing, implementing, and supporting infrastructure used for business mission critical applications including Claims Processing, Enrollment, Financial and Portal websites, and other applications.o Supporting infrastructure to enable 99.98% availability for all systems, 7x24x365 support.o Act as Point of Escalation and expert in troubleshooting for on-call and emergency support.SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:Individual Contributor - Position does not have direct reports but is expected to assist in guiding and mentoring less experienced staff as well as self-manage projects from inception to completion. May lead a team of matrixed resources.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education Level: Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology or Computer Science. In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, an additional 4 years of relevant work experience is required in addition to the required work experience.Licenses/Certifications: ITIL Foundations within 180 DaysExperience:5 years software, hardware and/or systems engineering related experiencePreferred AWS/Azure/VMware certificationsMust have cross platform enterprise experience across IT (Server, Network, Storage, Security)Must be able to work 24x7 and an On-Call shift as needed

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)Knowledge of programming languages and web-based technologies.Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.bility to collaborate to solve technical problems across teams.Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.Must be able to effectively work in a fast-paced environment with frequently changing priorities, deadlines, and workloads that can be variable for long periods of time. Must be able to meet established deadlines and handle multiple customer service demands from internal and external customers, within set expectations for service excellence. Must be able to effectively communicate and provide positive customer service to every internal and external customer, including customers who may be demanding or otherwise challenging. #J-18808-Ljbffr