Cloud Vdi Administrator

Thornton Tomasetti applies engineering and scientific principles to solve the world’s challenges. An independent organization of creative thinkers and innovative doers collaborating from offices worldwide, our mission is to bring our clients' ideas to life and, in the process, lay the groundwork for a better, more resilient future. We provide support and opportunities to our employees to achieve their full potential and cultivate a rewarding career.

The Role

Thornton Tomasetti is seeking a skilled Cloud VDI Administrator to assist in the maintenance and continual improvement of our Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platform using Citrix Desktop as a Service (DaaS) and Microsoft Azure Cloud technologies. You will be responsible for ensuring the VDI user experience is optimized while IT best practices are maintained. This role requires expertise in Citrix DaaS (or Virtual Apps and Desktops), Windows client operating systems, Windows policy configuration tools, Azure VM configurations as well as automation tools such as PowerShell and Azure Automation. You will need a strong commitment to driving continual improvement to enhance efficiency, scalability, and reliability of our VDI environment.

Responsibilities:
Strategy & Planning- Collaborate with IT leadership and end-users to continually improve the VDI user experience for a Citrix VDI platform running on Azure cloud infrastructure.- Identify opportunities for automation to streamline VDI and cloud operations, reduce manual effort, and improve system performance and reliability.

Acquisition & Deployment- Assist with the deployment of Citrix DaaS services, Azure services, and other supporting cloud services to meet organizational objectives using industry best practices.- Implement automation scripts and workflows (e.g., PowerShell, Azure Automation) to standardize and accelerate deployment processes. Operational Management-
- Configure and maintain Citrix Policy, Windows GPOs and Citrix Windows Environment Management to enforce optimal VDI OS configuration, security, compliance, and operational standards for Windows 11 operating systems supporting the VDI platform.- Manage Azure VM configurations, including image management, provisioning, scaling, and monitoring, using automation to optimize resource allocation and reduce operational overhead.- Ensure the integrity and security of enterprise data within the VDI platform and Azure cloud, adhering to privacy, security, and regulatory compliance standards.- Monitor and maintain automated processes for system backups, restores, and disaster recovery testing for VDI and cloud systems.- Provide 3rd level support to our helpdesk and staff for hardware, software, and connectivity issues related to Citrix DaaS, Azure VMs, and Citrix Workspace. The use of automation and/or development of documentation will be required to proactively mitigate recurring problems.- Monitor, analyze, and tune Citrix and Azure VM system performance to ensure optimal performance and VDI user experience.- Maintain detailed documentation of configurations, automation scripts, and processes for the VDI platform and Azure environment.- Use ServiceNow to document, prioritize, and track support requests and incidents, integrating automation where possible to enhance ticket management efficiency.- Provide guidance to help desk staff and collaborate with network and security teams to implement best-practice solutions.- Drive continual improvement by evaluating and refining operational efficiency and user experience.

Requirements:
- Associate degree in computer science or higher (or equivalent experience).- 5+ years of experience in IT system administration, with at least 3 years focused on VDI and cloud technologies.- Proven expertise in configuring and managing Citrix DaaS (or Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops) and Azure cloud infrastructure.- Strong working knowledge of Windows Server, Windows 10/11, and Active Directory.- Experience managing Windows desktop policy and user profile configurations via tools such as Windows Group Policy Objects (GPOs), Citrix Windows Environment Management (WEM), Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft FSLogix.- Hands-on experience with Azure VM provisioning, configuration, and optimization.- Proficiency in automation tools and scripting languages (e.g., PowerShell, Azure Automation) to streamline VDI and cloud operations.- Familiarity with networking concepts (e.g., Vnets, VPNs, firewalls, load balancers) and their integration with VDI and cloud platforms.- Experience with backup, recovery, and security practices in virtualized and cloud environments.- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, Planner).- Preferred certifications: Citrix Certified Associate - Virtualization (CCA-V), Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104), or Microsoft PowerShell-related certifications.- Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and documentation skills, with a mindset for continual improvement.- Abili