Senior OpenShift Virtualization Engineer
Title : OpenShift EngineerLocation: California Preferred (Remote is also fine)Senior OpenShift Virtualization Engineer(VMware Migration & Platform Modernization)Position SummaryWe are seeking a highly experienced Senior OpenShift Virtualization Engineer to lead the design, implementation, and operationalization of Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization as a strategic virtualization platform. This role will serve as a technical leader for evaluating, migrating, and modernizing enterprise virtual infrastructure, with a primary focus on transitioning workloads from VMware vSphere/ESXi environments to OpenShift Virtualization.The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in KVM-based virtualization, Red Hat OpenShift, KubeVirt (optional), enterprise infrastructure, and large-scale VMware migration programs. The engineer will be responsible for designing migration strategies, automating deployment processes, validating platform readiness, and ensuring production-grade operational excellence. Key ResponsibilitiesPlatform EngineeringArchitect, deploy, and maintain highly available OpenShift Virtualization clusters.Design scalable virtualization platforms supporting both virtual machine and container workloads.Configure and optimize storage, networking, security, monitoring, and backup solutions within OpenShift environments.Develop standards, reference architectures, operational procedures, and platform governance models.VMware Migration LeadershipLead migrations from VMware ESXi/vSphere to OpenShift Virtualization.Assess existing VMware environments and create migration roadmaps.Define migration waves, dependency mapping, rollback plans, and validation procedures.Utilize Red Hat Migration Toolkit for Virtualization (MTV/Forklift) to automate workload migrations. Migration tooling is a key capability highlighted in vendor documentation.Execute proof-of-concept, pilot, and production migration activities.Validate workload performance, functionality, availability, and disaster recovery after migration.Automation & Infrastructure as CodeDevelop automation using: Ansible Automation PlatformGitOps methodologiesTerraformOpenShift OperatorsCI/CD pipelinesAutomate cluster deployment, lifecycle operations, VM provisioning, and configuration management.Storage & Data ServicesEngineer storage integrations using enterprise storage platforms.Implement CSI-based storage solutions and persistent storage strategies.Design migration procedures for VMDK-to-PVC conversion, storage class mapping, and data movement workflows. These capabilities are central to VMware-to-OpenShift migration processes documented by Red Hat and NetApp. Operations & ReliabilityEstablish monitoring, logging, alerting, capacity planning, and performance management practices.Support high availability, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity requirements.Develop operational runbooks and troubleshooting guides.Participate in architecture reviews and strategic infrastructure planning.Technical LeadershipProvide mentorship to infrastructure, virtualization, and platform engineering teams.Serve as a subject matter expert for OpenShift Virtualization and KubeVirt (optional).Collaborate with application owners, security teams, storage engineers, and cloud platform teams.Present technical recommendations to senior leadership and stakeholders. Required QualificationsExperience8+ years of enterprise infrastructure engineering experience.5+ years supporting VMware vSphere and ESXi environments.3+ years of hands-on Red Hat OpenShift administration and engineering experience.Proven experience leading VMware-to-OpenShift Virtualization migration initiatives.Experience migrating production workloads involving: Windows ServerLinux platformsTier-1 business applicationsEnterprise databasesTechnical SkillsOpenShift Red Hat OpenShift PlatformOpenShift VirtualizationOperators and Operator Lifecycle ManagementVMwareVMware ESXiVMware vSphereVMware vCenterVM lifecycle managementDatastore and networking architecturevMotion and migration planningMigration TechnologiesRed Hat Migration Toolkit for Virtualization (MTV/Forklift)Workload discovery and assessmentMigration planning and executionCutover and rollback proceduresVM conversion methodologiesAutomationAnsibleTerraformGitGitOps frameworksPython, Bash, or PowerShellStorage & NetworkingCSI storage integrationsSAN/NAS technologiesEnterprise storage platformsSoftware-defined networkingVLANs, load balancing, DNS, and identity integration Preferred QualificationsRed Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift AdministrationRed Hat Certified Architect (RHCA)Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)VMware VCP or VCAP certificationExperience with NetApp, Pure Storage, Dell PowerFlex, or similar enterprise storage platformsExperience supporting environments with 1,000+ virtual machinesExperience implementing hybrid cloud and platform modernization strategies Desired Leadership CharacteristicsStrategic thinker with strong architecture skills.Demonstrated success leading large-scale infrastructure transformation programs.Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive adoption of new platforms.Ability to balance operational stability with modernization objectives. Success MetricsSuccessful migration of VMware workloads to OpenShift Virtualization.Reduction in operational complexity through automation.Achievement of platform performance and availability targets.Delivery of repeatable migration frameworks and processes.Adoption of OpenShift Virtualization as a strategic enterprise platform.Improved infrastructure agility through convergence of VM and container workloads.