Kforce is working with a client in search of a Lead Systems Engineer to join their team! This position is full time, direct hire and on-site 4 days a week near Maplewood, NJ. Responsibilities: * Contribute to infrastructure architecture design that bridges on-prem and cloud environments-supporting a transition to hybrid infrastructure centered around AWS, with potential use of Azure or Google Cloud * Configure, manage, and monitor SAN storage arrays; support provisioning, performance tuning, and capacity planning * Administer Linux and Windows systems in a hybrid environment (Debian, Photon OS, Windows Server) * Apply infrastructure-as-code methodologies using tools like PowerShell, Ansible, and Terraform to automate builds and configuration * Architect, deploy, and manage VMware infrastructure including ESXi hosts, vSphere clusters, and vCenter across production data centers and integrated cloud environments * Lead support and development of the Horizon VDI environment, including gold image creation, performance tuning, and operational stability * Build and cable physical hypervisor servers, ensuring proper integration with network, power, and storage infrastructure * Collaborate closely with the Networking team to align switching, VLANs, and virtual networking within the VMware ecosystem * Monitor and upgrade VMware infrastructure with awareness of evolving licensing and platform changes resulting from the Broadcom acquisition * Partner with the Director of Systems on infrastructure roadmaps and long-term cloud strategy, leading hybrid initiatives that transition appropriate workloads to AWS, while maintaining critical on-premise operations * Support DevOps workflows by providing infrastructure support for tools like Nomad, Consul, and Vault within the VMware ecosystem * Evaluate cloud-based tools and services (e.g., Azure AD, Exchange Online, GCP workloads) to enhance reliability, scalability, or collaboration for internal teams