Hybrid Senior VDI Engineer chez Spektrum

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Background

NATO Digital Workplace Centre (NDWC), as part of NCI Agency, provides simple yet innovative solutions that underpin the Digital Transformation of NATO by providing feature-rich Digital Workplace, which enable NATO staff members to connect, communicate, and collaborate. Personal Workspace service area delivers the following user-facing services to NATO Commands, NATO Force structure and Nations in all 32 Allied Nations:

• Windows-based and iOS/iPadOS-based end user device provisioning, management, operation, and lifecycle across multiple separate networks of different classifications and various form factors;
• Work stream collaboration including email and instant messaging server backend and client frontend provisioning, management, operation and lifecycle across multiple separate networks of different classifications.

The services integrate with other services such as print/scan/copy, voice, video-teleconference (VTC), collaboration portals and enable NATO-specific functional applications higher up the software stack.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

Installation, configuration, administration and monitoring of VDI infrastructure based on Dell end user devices and Omnissa (former VMware) Horizon technologies

• Perform daily administration, troubleshooting and monitoring of VDI infrastructure instances including underlying virtual, application delivery and profile infrastructure;
• Conduct installation, upgrade and configuration of existing and new VDI instances including associated virtual and application.
• Monitor the performance, troubleshoot and continuously optimize the existing VDI setup including so called master or “golden” images. Responsible for design, implementation and management of end-to-end VDI servers.
• Ensure VDI image, back-end and thin clients are kept updated with security fixes and maintenance updates.
• Continuously monitor the environment to ensure it is always available.
• Ensure all tasks are automated as much as possible so there is minimal overhead to the system.
• Ensure all applications not in the baseline are packaged correctly for the VDI environment.
• Ensure all components of the system have sufficient licenses.

Ensure healthy and functional end user computing environment

• Review, troubleshoot and ensure compliance with security policies and functional requirements of the VDI setup and associated enabling technologies (Active Directory).
• Work on and resolve problem requests.

Enhance business continuity by improving the fault tolerance and disaster recovery

• Propose design, implement, test and maintain fault tolerance and disaster recovery of the complete VDI stack including virtual infrastructure, VDI, application and user profile layers.

Improve the maturity of the IT Operations

• Develop, implement, improve and follow standard operating procedures and instructions on IT operation activities related to the VDI setup.
• Develop, disseminate and improve instructions for Level 1 and Level 2 technicians.
• Perform on the job trainings as needed to team members, Level 1 and Level 2 technicians.

Essential Skills and Experience

• 3+ years of experience with Group Policy Management (GPOs)
  • Assisting in the creation, modification, and maintenance of Group Policies to enforce settings across user devices.
• 3+ years of experience with Application COTS Troubleshooting
  • Ability to diagnose issues related to COTS applications, proficiency in installing and configuring, integration with exiting system, ensuring seamless operations. Ability to diagnose latency, connectivity, and application performance issues
• 3+ years of experience with Windows Server troubleshooting
  • Problem solving, strong knowledge of windows 10 & 11 OS, Diagnose and resolve technical issues, support software and hardware related problems. Deep understanding of Windows Server (2016/2019/2022)
• 7+ years of experience with VMware AppVolume
  • Management and deployment of AppVolumes, troubleshooting, and updates. Strong skills in VMware vSphere / ESXi
• 7+ years of experience with VMware Horizon
  • Setup, configuration, and management of Horizon VDI environments.
• 3+ years of experience with VMware vSphere
  • Managing virtual machines, ESXi hosts, and vCenter operations.
• 2+ years of experience with VMware DEM/UEM
  • User environment management, personalization, and policy enforcement. Expertise in FSLogix, Citrix Profile Management, and UEM
• 2+ years of experience with FSLogix
  • Profile management, troubleshooting logon issues, and optimization.
• 3+ years of experience with Master Image (VDI-MDT)
  • Creating, maintaining, and optimizing VDI master images using MDT.
• 3+ years of experience with Optimization / Monitoring / Performance
  • Performance tuning, monitoring VDI environments, proactive troubleshooting. Experience automating VDI provisioning, patching, and user management. Experience optimizing IOPS, latency, and deduplication for VDI performance. Strong grasp of protocols (RDP, PCoIP, Blast Extreme, ICA)
• 2+ years of experience with PowerShell
  • Create, document, implement and troubleshoot scripts written in PowerShell. Proficiency in PowerShell, Python, Bash, or Ansible for automation
• 2+ years of experience with Other
  • Experience with one or several of the following technologies / products: App Volumes, ThinApp, App-V, MSIX App Attach. Familiarity with vRealize Operations (vROps), LoginVSI or ControlUp

Working Location

• Braine l’Alleud, Belgium

Working Policy

• On-Site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance