Principal Architect - ePlus inc.

This is a hybrid role with remote work from home as well as local travel to customer sites located within the tri-state area (PA, NJ, DE) as needed. This person will need to live close to Philadelphia.

As a Principal Architect, you will be responsible for leading and mentoring a team of engineers who together with you will plan, design and implement network infrastructure, data center and next generation security IT solutions for our clients. You will have the opportunity to work with an industry-leading professional services team to help deliver world-class services to the ePlus customer base.

CORPORATE VALUES

Respectful communication and cooperation:  We prioritize respectful communication, fostering an environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Teamwork and employee participation:  Collaboration and teamwork thrive through diverse perspectives, both within our teams and in our interactions with our customers.

Work/life balance that supports our employees’ varying needs: We value the well-being of our employees, recognizing that a healthy work-life balance is pivotal to our collective success.

Embracing communities: We embrace and support the communities that nurture us. Our employees' dedication to fostering positive change is a source of immense pride for us.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING

We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate or allow discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

ePlus is dedicated to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture that represents diversity, enables inclusion, and makes our employees feel comfortable bringing their full, unique selves to work. 

YOUR IMPACT

The Principal Architect will be responsible for understanding complex IT business needs and will research, design, develop and implement solutions for our customers.

The essential functions of this position include:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of network Engineers, Consultants, and Architects
• Consult with our clients to plan, design, and implement multi-vendor Network and Security Solutions
• Design and implement network and security solutions from providers such as Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, and Fortinet
• Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise to drive the growth of ePlus Professional Services
• Assist with the recruitment, technical screening and hiring of new engineers.
• Be a technical escalation point for ePlus Network Engineers, Consultants, and Architects
• Manage the technical development and training of the service delivery team.
• Conduct monthly internal technical training workshops for the service delivery team.
• Develop standardized assessments, design documents, implementation plans, test & acceptance plans and as-built documentation for delivery of repeatable solutions.
• Assist the regional service management team with resource management, project priorities and scheduling.
• Manage Quality Assurance (QA) of all projects within region to insure ePlus standards and manufacturer best practices are being followed.
• Engage with key manufacturers and their engineering teams to stay abreast of new products, design assistance, lab access and technical training resources.
• Maintain one or more of the following advanced manufacturer-specific certifications, relevant to focus area. e.g.: Cisco CCIE Enterprise, Data Center, Security, etc., Palo Alto PCNSE, Fortinet FCX, FCP

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of hands-on IT experience
• 5+ years of experience performing in a Sr. Consultant or Architect leadership role
• One or more of the following industry-recognized certifications is required, e.g.: Cisco CCIE, VMware VCP, VCDX, CISSP, Palo PCNSE, Fortinet FCX, FCP
• Excellent customer service skills, both in-person and over the phone
• Excellent presentation, communication and documentation skills
• Strong business understanding including costing, P&L and pricing strategies
• Ability to think on your feet and come up with solutions quickly
• Must be fully knowledgeable and able to design, plan, implement and support most of the following technologies:

• Data Center Infrastructure
• In-depth knowledge of high availability data center design, hardware redundancy options, Backup and disaster recovery.
• Data Center switching experience with Nexus 7 and 9 platforms
• NX-OS architectures such as vPC, OTV, etc.
• Familiarity with emerging fabric technologies such as MP-BGP (EVPN) with VXLAN.
• Familiarity with Nexus Dashboard (ND) and various applications is a plus. Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO), ND Fabric Controller (NDFC), Network Assurance Engine/Network Insight (NAE/NI), Data Broker (DB)
• Enterprise Network Infrastructure

• • • In-Depth routing protocol experience, including BGP, EIGRP and OSPF, VXLAN-BGP EVPN on IOS-XE, STP, MPLS, Multicast Networking

• Network Security
• Experience designing and implementing security-driven infrastructure solutions to support network segmentation such as virtual NGFW, physical firewalls and cloud-native security, Cisco Identity Service Engine (ISE)

• • Enterprise Wireless

• Cisco, Aruba, Meraki or any other vendor.  Cisco DNA Spaces is a plus.
• Software Defined Networking
• Experience Designing and implementing software-defined network (SDN) architectures such as Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), VMware NSX, and Cisco Catalyst (DNA) Center, (Assurance/SWIM & Provisioning), SD Access and SD WAN.
• Virtualization
• Experience with data center virtualization including VMware vSphere, ESX and NSX.
• Cloud Computing
• Public, Private and hybrid, experience with Azure Express Route, AWS Direct Connect and any Azure and AWS networking exposure  
• Automation
• Python and Ansible scripting

POSITION SPECIFICS

The base salary range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $145,000 and $175,000 annually; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including commissions and discretionary bonuses, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and personal leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. ePlus Benefits highlights can be viewed here.

If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Notice to Recruiting Agencies: ePlus only accepts unsolicited resumes when presented directly by a candidate. Unsolicited resumes submitted to ePlus from any other source will be considered ePlus property and will not qualify for any placement or referral fees. ePlus will only pay such fees in connection with a valid written agreement between ePlus and the referring agency, and then only after providing advance written approval to the referring agency to submit resumes in connection with a particular opportunity.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

While performing this role, you will engage in both seated and occasional standing or walking activities. We provide reasonable accommodations, in accordance with relevant laws, to support success in this position.

By embracing our values, you will contribute to our collective mission of making a positive impact within our organization and the broader community. We understand that this job description serves as a guide and is not an employment contract.

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