Job Description Role Overview Jefferies is seeking a hands-on, senior system engineer to join the global platform engineering organization and build, automate, and operate cutting-edge platform solutions in a hybrid cloud environment.
Responsibilities include designing, delivering, and managing a scalable, stable, and highly available private cloud platform with strong focus on automation, orchestration, and tooling, fulfilling user requests, and continuously enhancing the Jefferies Private Cloud Platform.
The role is technical and execution-focused, requires stepping beyond comfort zones when necessary, and involves close collaboration with global technical leads, infrastructure, and cross-functional teams to deliver end-to-end solutions that ensure reliability, performance, and security at scale.
Technical Environment - OS: Oracle Linux, Amazon Linux, RHEL; Windows Server
- Linux: systemd, SELinux, LVM, multipathing, bonding/teaming, PAM/SSH, kernel tuning
- Windows: AD-integrated servers, Group Policy, WSUS/SCCM patching, Failover Clustering, DFS, SMB/NFS, IIS
- Compute/Virtualization: VMware vSphere, Nutanix; Cisco UCS, HPE; KVM
- Storage/Protection: Pure Storage, NetApp ONTAP, Cohesity; SAN (Cisco/Brocade); snapshot/replication technologies
- Identity/Network: Active Directory, DNS/DHCP/IPAM (Infoblox/Microsoft), ADFS/AD CS; SSSD/realmd/Kerberos for Linux; TCP/IP, VLANs (partner with Network Engineering)
- Cloud/Automation: AWS, Azure; Terraform, Ansible, PowerShell, Python, Bash/KornShell, Packer, Git, CI/CD (Azure DevOps/Jenkins), artifact registries
- Containers/Observability: Docker/Podman, EKS/AKS (preferred/desired); Zabbix, Splunk, AppDynamics, SCOM, OpenTelemetry
- Imaging/Config: MDT, Orchestrator, SCCM/SCOM; kickstart/cloud-init for Linux; packaging/repo management (yum/dnf/apt; Spacewalk or equivalent)
- DevOps & Governance: Platform-as-a-Product mindset; IaC/GitOps for infra and app workloads; automated testing (lint/unit/integration), security scanning (SAST/DAST/CSA), policy-as-code (OPA/Conftest); change management driven by CI/CD pipelines; artifacts and SBOM governance
Core Responsibilities - Build hardened golden images and baselines
- Linux: Kickstart/cloud-init, Packer; repo/patching with yum/dnf/apt; SSH/PAM and security hardening
- Windows: GPO baselines, MDT/SCCM task sequences, Sysprep; WSUS/SCCM patching; Defender/ATP integration
- Deliver desired state automation using Terraform, Ansible, PowerShell, and Python; manage code in Git/Bitbucket; integrate CI/CD (Jenkins/Bamboo/GitHub Actions) with automated tests, security scans, and artifact management; enable self-service via APIs/portals for app teams
- Implement and test HA/DR; validate RTO/RPO; performance/capacity tuning across VMware vSphere/Nutanix clusters; document in Confluence, Jira, ServiceNow, Change management (CAB)
- Administer VMware vSphere, Nutanix, Cisco UCS/HPE servers; lifecycle, capacity, firmware/driver updates; vCenter/Prism operations
- Provision and operate storage (Pure Storage, NetApp ONTAP) and data protection (Cohesity); SAN zoning/masking on Cisco/Brocade; snapshot/replication orchestration
- Linux: multipath/udev, LVM, ext4/xfs, snapshot consistency
- Windows: MPIO/VSS, NTFS/ReFS, Volume Shadow Copy
- Operate core services: Microsoft Active Directory, DNS/DHCP/IPAM (Infoblox/Microsoft), ADFS/AD CS; automate with PowerShell/Ansible
- Linux: SSSD/realmd/Kerberos integration, sudo policy, cert enrollment
- Windows: OU/GPO hygiene, AD CS templates, auto-enrollment
- Container support (preferred/desired): collaborate with app teams on base image standards and registry governance; advise on scanners (vulnerability/SBOM); provide templates (e.g., Helm/Kustomize) and GitOps guidance (e.g., Argo CD/Flux) for EKS/AKS.
- Instrument platforms and critical applications; build shared dashboards/alerts/runbooks using Zabbix, SCOM, Splunk, AppDynamics, and OpenTelemetry; define SLOs/error budgets with app teams; enable trace/log/metric correlation
- Linux: journald/syslog, auditd, node exporters
- Windows: Event Logs, PerfMon counters, SCOM agents
- Drive vulnerability remediation and compliance (CIS/NIST); coordinate patch cycles and reporting; use Splunk for evidence and audit support
- Troubleshoot cross-domain incidents spanning infra and apps; lead RCA/postmortems; document fixes in Jira/Confluence; deliver changes through CAB and pipelines; drive "shift-left" reliability improvements with app teams
- Participate in weekly on-call rotation providing off-hours and weekend support; ensure operational readiness with runbooks and automation
- Champion DevOps across Infra-to-App: standardize IaC/GitOps, shared pipeline templates, environment provisioning (ephemeral/dev/test/prod), security/compliance guardrails, and continuous improvement using DORA metrics (lead time, deployment frequency, change failure rate, MTTR)
Qualification and Experience - 10-15+ years in platform/systems engineering across Linux/Windows, storage, and virtualization
- Expert hands-on with VMware/Nutanix; Cisco UCS/HPE; Pure/NetApp; Cohesity; SAN (Cisco/Brocade)
- Strong automation: Terraform, Ansible, PowerShell, Python, Shell (Bash/KornShell); CI/CD (Azure DevOps/Jenkins/GitHub Actions), Git, Packer; artifact/registry/SBOM management; GitOps tools (Argo CD/Flux)
- Deep identity and core services: AD, DNS/DHCP/IPAM (Infoblox/Microsoft), PKI/cert services; Linux integration (SSSD/LDAP/Kerberos)
- Proven HA/DR design and testing; performance tuning, capacity planning, cost optimization across compute/storage platforms
- Observability and SRE: SLOs, error budgets, postmortems; Zabbix, Splunk, AppDynamics, SCOM, OpenTelemetry
- Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs) and security/compliance (CIS, NIST, ISO 27001, SOX)
- Containers (preferred/desired): Docker/Podman, EKS/AKS; image governance and supply chain security; GitOps tools (Argo CD/Flux)
- Packaging and repository management for Linux; experience with Spacewalk or equivalent a plus
- Education/Certs preferred: Bachelor's in CS or related; RHCE/LFCS, MCSE/MCA, VMware/Nutanix, AWS/Azure
- DevOps mindset: experience driving change across infra and app delivery; establishing IaC/GitOps standards, shared pipeline templates, automated testing/security scanning/policy-as-code; measurable improvement using DORA metrics (lead time, deployment frequency, change failure rate, MTTR)
Beyond Technical Desirable Skills - Clear written and verbal communication to technical and non-technical audiences in English
- Effective, timely decision-making aligned with standards and best practices
- Strong problem-solving and customer service; performs well under pressure
- Produces and maintains runbooks and design/deployment documentation
- Initiative and drive; self-directed learning/upskilling
- Works effectively in local and global teams, with and without direct supervision
- Willing to participate in on-call rotation and weekend support
About Us Jefferies is a leading global, full-service investment banking and capital markets firm that provides advisory, sales and trading, research, and wealth and asset management services. With more than 40 offices around the world, we offer insights and expertise to investors, companies, and governments.
At Jefferies, we believe that diversity fosters creativity, innovation and thought leadership through the infusion of new ideas and perspectives. We have made a commitment to building a culture that provides opportunities for all employees regardless of our differences and supports a workforce that is reflective of the communities where we work and live. As a result, we are able to pool our collective insights and intelligence to provide fresh and innovative thinking for our clients.
Jefferies is an equal employment opportunity employer, and takes affirmative action to ensure that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, or any other factor protected by applicable law. We are committed to hiring the most qualified applicants and complying with all federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws. As part of this commitment, Jefferies will extend reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, as required by applicable law.