Storage Architect

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Storage Architect with a diverse background in enterprise storage solutions, including Pure Storage and other industry-leading storage platforms. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing storage architectures for enterprise environments while developing into a broader Enterprise Architect role. This position requires deep technical expertise in SAN, NAS, object storage, backup & disaster recovery, cloud storage, and storage security.

The right candidate will be a strategic thinker with hands-on experience in storage automation, performance tuning, and hybrid/multi-cloud storage strategies, with a desire to expand into a broader enterprise architecture role over time.

Key Responsibilities:

Storage Architecture & Strategy:

• Design and implement scalable, high-performance storage architectures that support enterprise applications and workloads.
• Lead storage modernization initiatives, including migration to Pure Storage, NVMe, and software-defined storage solutions.
• Evaluate and recommend storage technologies to enhance performance, scalability, and cost efficiency.
• Define storage best practices, standards, and policies across the organization.
• Work closely with business stakeholders, IT teams, and cloud architects to align storage infrastructure with enterprise goals.

Storage Operations & Optimization:

• Manage and optimize SAN, NAS, object, and cloud-based storage solutions across on-prem and hybrid environments.
• Oversee data replication, backup, disaster recovery (DR), and business continuity planning.
• Ensure high availability, fault tolerance, and compliance with security and governance requirements.
• Implement storage automation and orchestration using tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or PowerShell.
• Conduct capacity planning, performance tuning, and proactive monitoring.

Multi-Vendor Storage Expertise:

• Hands-on experience with Pure Storage (FlashArray, FlashBlade, Portworx).
• Knowledge of Dell EMC, NetApp, Hitachi, HPE 3PAR/Nimble, IBM Storage, and cloud storage solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Expertise in storage protocols (iSCSI, FC, NVMe-oF, NFS, SMB, S3) and integration with virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V, Kubernetes).
• Strong understanding of data tiering, archiving, deduplication, and compression strategies.

Path to Enterprise Architecture:

• Expand expertise beyond storage to include compute, networking, security, and cloud architecture.
• Participate in enterprise-wide technology strategy and transformation initiatives.
• Develop skills in IT governance, compliance, and business process alignment.
• Collaborate with CIOs, CTOs, and cross-functional teams to shape long-term IT roadmaps.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in storage engineering, architecture, or administration.
• Proven experience with Pure Storage and at least one other major storage vendor (NetApp, Dell EMC, Hitachi, IBM, HPE, etc.).
• Strong knowledge of storage security, encryption, compliance (HIPAA, NIST, ISO 27001).
• Experience with cloud storage solutions (AWS S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Storage).
• Familiarity with backup and DR solutions (Rubrik, Veeam, Commvault, Veritas, Cohesity, etc.).
• Understanding of containerized storage (Kubernetes, Portworx, CSI drivers).
• Experience in automation and scripting (Python, Ansible, PowerShell, Bash).
• Excellent troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks (TOGAF, Zachman, ITIL).
• Experience with storage and cloud cost optimization strategies.
• Certifications in Pure Storage, NetApp, Dell EMC, AWS/Azure, or enterprise architecture (TOGAF, AWS Solutions Architect, etc.).
• Familiarity with software-defined storage (SDS), hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), and edge computing.