Sr VMware Engineer

Position Summary

Effectual Senior VMware Migration Engineers are specialized technical experts responsible for executing enterprise-scale VMware to AWS migration projects. They partner with Cloud Architects and Engagement Managers to deliver exceptional migration execution during critical datacenter transformation initiatives. Effectual Senior VMware Migration Engineers are hands-on migration specialists who combine deep VMware infrastructure expertise with AWS migration tooling mastery, executing high-quality, repeatable migrations that enable seamless transitions from on-premises VMware environments to AWS. With the ongoing market shift driven by VMware licensing changes, these engineers play a crucial role in executing migration factories and wave-based datacenter exits for organizations seeking strategic cost optimization through AWS migration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Execute VMware Enterprise Migrations

• Execute end-to-end VMware datacenter migrations using AWS Migration Services (MGN), CloudEndure, and HCX
• Perform comprehensive VMware workload assessments, dependency mapping, and application discovery
• Implement migration strategies aligned with the 7Rs framework (Rehost, Replatform, Refactor, Repurchase, Retire, Retain, Relocate)
• Deploy and operate migration factory patterns for VMware datacenter exits with 200-500 VMs per wave
• Execute wave-based migration planning with minimal business disruption and tested rollback procedures
• Migrate complex VMware environments including vMotion transitions, NSX networking conversions, and vSAN/VMFS storage migrations

Build Migration Infrastructure

• Build AWS landing zones and migration target environments following Well-Architected Framework principles
• Implement hybrid connectivity solutions (Direct Connect, VPN, Transit Gateway) for migration networks
• Configure AWS migration tools: MGN replication servers, DMS endpoints, Migration Hub tracking
• Convert VMware NSX micro-segmentation policies to AWS Security Groups and Network ACLs
• Migrate VMware vSAN/VMFS/NFS storage to appropriate AWS storage services (S3, EBS, EFS, FSx)
• Implement disaster recovery and business continuity architectures post-migration
• Conduct post-migration validation, performance testing, and optimization

Automate Migration Workflows

• Develop Infrastructure-as-Code using Terraform and CloudFormation to replicate VMware infrastructure patterns in AWS
• Create Python and PowerShell automation scripts for mass VM migration, validation, and cutover procedures
• Build CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment of migrated workloads
• Automate post-migration tasks: tagging, monitoring setup, backup configuration, security hardening
• Implement migration runbooks and standard operating procedures for repeatable execution

Enable Client Success

• Provide hands-on technical guidance to client VMware and cloud engineering teams during migration execution
• Lead migration workshops, cutover planning sessions, and incident response during maintenance windows
• Troubleshoot complex VMware-to-AWS migration challenges (replication failures, networking issues, application dependencies)
• Create comprehensive migration documentation: runbooks, architecture diagrams, lessons learned
• Support post-migration hypercare and stabilization activities

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of IT implementation or cloud engineering experience
• 5+ years of VMware infrastructure experience with vSphere, vCenter, ESXi, and NSX
• 5-6+ years developing AWS cloud infrastructure
• 3+ years hands-on VMware to AWS migration experience using MGN, CloudEndure, or HCX
• 2+ years of infrastructure automation using Terraform or CloudFormation