Level: 2nd Line Support / Specialist Infrastructure Clearance Requirements: Ability to obtain and maintain Security Clearance Role Purpose As a 2nd Line Support Engineer, you will be responsible for the end-to-end support, stability, and security of a large-scale Windows-based infrastructure. This role sits at the intersection of reactive incident management and proactive system improvement. You will work within a collaborative engineering team to review customer work requests, build and configure virtualized server environments, and maintain the "Gold Build" images that define the estates security and performance standards. Key Responsibilities Server Provisioning & Configuration: Build and configure Windows Servers (predominantly virtualized on VMware vSphere clusters ). Infrastructure Management: Monitor and maintain Active Directory (AD), DNS, and WSUS environments. Automation & Imaging: Update and maintain "Gold Build" images; use scripting (PowerShell) to automate repetitive build tasks and documentation generation. Incident & Problem Management: Investigate, assess, and resolve complex 2nd line technical issues within defined SLAs using ITIL-based service desk tools. Lifecycle Maintenance: Execute regular patching, firmware upgrades, and capacity management reporting to ensure system health. Physical Engineering: Occasionally attend data centers for physical server racking, cabling, and hardware troubleshooting (HP ProLiant or equivalent). Documentation: Create and review technical work instructions and build documents to ensure operational procedures remain current. Security & Compliance: Ensure all builds and changes adhere to strict security policies and Change/Release management processes. Technical Skills & Experience Essential Experience: Windows Server: Expert-level administration of Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022. Virtualization: Some Hands-on experience managing and deploying VMs within VMware environments. Core Services: Deep understanding of Active Directory (AD), Group Policy (GPO), DNS, and WSUS. Monitoring & Tooling: Familiarity with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager or similar enterprise monitoring suites. Desirable Skills: Backups: Experience with NetApp SAN, Cohesity, or Veeam backup solutions. Endpoint Management: Exposure to Microsoft Intune or MECM (SCCM). Security Software: Management of enterprise AV (e.g., McAfee/Trellix) and Defender for Endpoint. Cloud: Basic understanding of Azure infrastructure (VMs, Entra ID). Personal Attributes Analytical Mindset: Strong diagnostic skills with the ability to solve problems under pressure. Collaborative: A proactive team player who values sharing ideas and mentoring junior staff. Communication: Able to translate complex technical issues into clear updates for both customers and management. Process-Driven: Disciplined approach to following Change Control and Security Operating Procedures. Certifications (Preferred) Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate VMware Certified Professional (VCP) ITIL Foundation (v3 or v4)