Location: This role is based in our office located in Hammersmith, London + 1 day remote work per week
Assala Energy is a dynamic Oil and Gas Exploration and Production company committed to the sustainable development of its assets in Gabon. We value a collaborative approach, promote diversity, and prioritize safety and integrity in all our operations.
We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Senior Infrastructure Engineer to join our global IT team. The successful candidate will play a key role in designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting our entire IT infrastructure, which supports our business operations across multiple international locations.
This is a practical role requiring a combination of deep technical expertise in Microsoft, VMware, and Cloud technologies, strategic thinking, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, international setting. The ideal candidate will be a proactive problem-solver, a mentor to junior team members, and a driving force in the ongoing improvement of our IT services.
Key Responsibilities
Infrastructure Management & Support:
- Design, build, and maintain the company's global IT infrastructure, including on-premises HPE/Dell server and storage hardware, co-located data centres, and cloud-based systems.
- Manage and administer our hybrid cloud environment, with a strong focus on Microsoft Azure, Entra ID, and Azure MDM for modern device management.
- Ensure the security of our infrastructure and data by managing on-premises and cloud security controls, and working closely with the Security Operations Centre (SoC) to action vulnerability management and system patching.
- Manage and maintain our Windows and Linux (CentOS, Red Hat, Ubuntu) server estate, as well as core Microsoft services (AD, GPO, DNS, NPS/Radius, CA, SMTP Relay), and our extensive VMware vSphere/vCenter virtualisation platform.
- Administer and optimise our System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM) hierarchy, including Primary/Secondary sites, Distribution Points, Cloud Management Gateway (CMG), and Azure integration for global software deployment and updates.
- Manage and maintain our VDI environment (VMware Horizon / Citrix / OLVM), ensuring a reliable experience for our global user base.
- Take ownership of the company’s backup and disaster recovery solutions, primarily using Veeam, and manage our tape library infrastructure.
- Provide 3rd line support for complex technical issues, acting as an escalation point for the service desk and junior engineers.
- Plan and execute infrastructure projects, including upgrades, migrations, and new implementations.
Global Operations & Strategy:
- Collaborate with international teams to ensure the seamless delivery of IT services to all global employees.
- Address the challenges of a distributed workforce, utilising technologies like SCCM CMG, and VDI for remote access and device provisioning.
- Navigate the complexities of regional IT regulations and data sovereignty requirements (e.g., GDPR).
- Contribute to the development of the global IT roadmap and strategy, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement.
- Manage relationships with third-party vendors and service providers across different regions.
Leadership & Mentoring:
- Act as a technical lead and mentor for junior infrastructure engineers, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and professional development.
- Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for infrastructure, systems, and procedures within our knowledge base to ensure accurate and up-to-date information.
- Lead by example in promoting best practices for IT security, service management (ITIL), and project management.
Requirements
Extensive experience (typically 7+ years) in a senior infrastructure engineering role, preferably within a global or multi-site SME.
Expertise in the Microsoft Stack:
- In-depth knowledge of Active Directory, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), DNS, NPS (Radius), Certificate Authorities (CA), and SMTP relays. o Strong scripting and automation skills using PowerShell.
Cloud Technologies:
- Proven hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure (IaaS & PaaS, E5).
- Strong understanding of Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for identity and access management.
- Experience with cloud-based device management, including Azure MDM and Windows Autopilot.
System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM):
- Proficient in managing a complex SCCM environment, including Distribution Points (DPs), and Primary and Secondary sites over slow WAN links.
- Demonstrable experience with Cloud Management Gateway (CMG) configuration and Azure integration.
- Skilled in application packaging and deploying software, updates, and operating systems.
- Ability to troubleshoot and ensure replication between all sites is working as expected.
Virtualisation & VDI:
- Deep technical knowledge of VMware environments, including vSphere, vCenter, and ESXi host management. o Commercial experience with at least one central VDI platform: VMware Horizon, Citrix, or OLVM.
Hardware Experience:
- Hands-on experience with enterprise server and storage hardware from HPE and Dell.
- Experience managing and maintaining physical tape libraries.
- Familiarity with managing a diverse estate of endpoint devices (Laptops/Desktops) from Dell, HPE, and Lenovo. ·
Networking & Monitoring:
- A solid understanding of networking principles (TCP/IP, VLANs) and exposure to routing protocols such as OSPF.
- Experience using monitoring tools, specifically Zabbix.
Security & Asset Management:
- Direct experience with vulnerability management and patch management processes, working with security teams to ensure compliance.
- Proficiency in using asset discovery and management tools such as Lansweeper.
Server Operating Systems & Backups:
- Strong knowledge of various Linux distributions (CentOS, Red Hat, Ubuntu).
- Expertise in managing enterprise backup solutions, specifically Veeam Backup & Replication.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience in ServiceNow administration and/or development would be a significant advantage.
- Relevant industry certifications, such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate,
- VMware Certified Professional (VCP), or other Microsoft 365/Security certifications.
- Familiarity with ITIL & NIST frameworks for service management.
- Experience working in an agile environment
