SaltStack Architect - PIpeline

This is a pipeline req.

The Saltstack Architect will define automation strategies using VMware SaltStack Config (SSC), enabling infrastructure-as-code, compliance, and repeatable deployments for customer environments. This role focuses on automation design, governance, and integration strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead workshops with customer teams to define automation and configuration management objectives.
• Architect SaltStack integration with VCF 9, vSphere, NSX, and VCF Automation.
• Design Salt state trees, configuration baselines, and orchestration workflows.
• Define policies for compliance, drift remediation, and security hardening.
• Collaborate with architects across VCF, VKS, and VCF core to align automation strategies.
• Provide roadmap and governance guidance for long-term automation adoption.
• Oversee consultants executing automation builds and validations.

Required Skills & Experience

• 8+ years of VMware or enterprise automation experience.
• Hands-on expertise with SaltStack Config (SSC) in enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2; exposure to or training in VCF 9.
• Strong scripting experience (Python, YAML, PowerShell).
• Proven experience in customer-facing professional services/consulting engagements.
• Background in at least one configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef).
• Hybrid cloud automation experience (VMware, AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Familiarity with DevOps toolchains (GitHub, Jenkins, CI/CD pipelines).

Certifications

• VMware Certified Professional – VMware Cloud Foundation Architect (2V0-13.25)

Skills Checklist

SaltStack Architecture & Design

• VMware SaltStack Config (SSC) architecture and sizing
• Integration design with VCF 9, vSphere, NSX
• Master/minion topology and scalability design
• High availability and disaster recovery design
• Multi-site and distributed deployment architecture

Configuration Management Strategy

• Define automation and configuration management objectives
• Design Salt state trees and pillar data structures
• Configuration baseline and standardization strategy
• Compliance and drift remediation frameworks
• Security hardening and patch management policies

Automation & Orchestration Design

• Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) patterns and standards
• Orchestration workflow design (Salt orchestrate, runners)
• Event-driven automation and reactor design
• Job scheduling and execution strategies
• Idempotent state configuration design

Integration & Governance

• Integrate SaltStack with VCF Automation (vRA)
• Connect to VCF Operations for monitoring
• API integration with external systems
• Role-based access control (RBAC) and security policies
• Version control and GitOps integration (GitHub, GitLab)

Customer Engagement & Workshops

• Lead automation discovery and requirements workshops
• Define configuration management and compliance goals
• Present architecture to executives and technical teams
• Translate business requirements into automation strategy
• Facilitate governance and operational maturity planning

Scripting & Development

• Python scripting for Salt modules and states
• YAML authoring for Salt state files
• PowerShell integration for Windows management
• Jinja templating for dynamic configurations
• Custom Salt execution modules and runners

Cross-Workstream Collaboration

• Align with VCF Automation team on integration points
• Coordinate with VCF Core Architect on infrastructure automation
• Work with VKS team on container configuration
• Ensure consistency across automation workstreams
• Oversee consultants executing build and validation

Architecture & Documentation

• Develop SaltStack architecture artifacts and diagrams
• Create integration specifications and workflow documentation
• Document design decisions and tradeoffs
• Build automation standards and best practices guides
• Capture functional and non-functional requirements

Compliance & Security

• Design compliance monitoring and reporting frameworks
• Security baseline enforcement and validation
• Vulnerability remediation automation
• Configuration drift detection and correction
• Audit logging and compliance reporting

Operational Excellence

• Day-2 operations strategy for configuration management
• Automation lifecycle management and versioning
• DevOps practices and continuous improvement
• Knowledge transfer and enablement delivery
• Operational maturity and adoption roadmap

Technical Foundations

• VCF 5.2+ hands-on experience with VCF 9 exposure
• Configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef)
• Hybrid cloud automation (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• DevOps toolchains and CI/CD pipelines
• Enterprise automation frameworks and patterns