Storage Engineer

Nightwing
Full_time•Sterling, United States

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Storage Engineer
  • Company: Nightwing
  • Location: Sterling, VA, United States
  • Job Type: On-site, Full-time
  • Category: DevOps, Infrastructure
  • Date Posted: June 19, 2025
  • Experience Level: Mid-Senior level (5-10 years)
  • Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

  • Design, implement, and manage storage area networks (SANs) and CGS storage systems, ensuring high availability, performance, and scalability.
  • Demonstrate experience with Brocade, NetApp, Dell, and Hitachi storage solutions, along with storage protocols (NFS, SMB, FC, FCoE, S3, iSCSI for NAS/SAN).
  • Utilize PowerShell, Python, or Ansible to automate storage operations and management tasks.
  • Collaborate with the Sponsor and Mission Partner/Tenants to optimize storage performance, integration, and capacity planning as part of the P&O Team.
  • Provide Tier 2/3 support for storage-related issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement preventive measures.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in data storage technologies and experience with various storage platforms. Familiarity with cloud storage solutions and high-performance computing environments is a plus.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • SAN Management: Configure, monitor, and manage Brocade SAN switches, including zoning, firmware upgrades, and performance tuning.
  • Storage System Deployment & Maintenance: Deploy, configure, and maintain NetApp storage systems (ONTAP, AFF, FAS, etc.), including provisioning storage, snapshots, and replication.
  • Performance Optimization: Monitor and analyze storage performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements to optimize performance.
  • Data Protection Strategies: Develop and maintain data protection strategies for backup and recovery using SnapMirror, SnapVault, and other replication technologies.
  • Capacity Planning: Monitor storage utilization metrics and plan future growth projections to optimize cost-effective storage solutions.
  • Security & Compliance: Ensure storage systems meet multi-tenant, IaaS data protection, access and authorization, and security controls and compliance requirements.
  • Troubleshooting & Support: Provide Tier 2/3 support for storage-related issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement preventive measures.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves a mix of hands-on technical work and collaborative problem-solving. Strong communication and analytical skills are essential for success in this position.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Relevant certifications are a plus.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in data storage, with a strong background in storage technologies and platforms. Experience in high-performance computing environments is desirable.

Required Skills:

  • Expertise in data storage concepts and technologies (e.g., SAN, NAS, object storage).
  • Experience in administering and managing various storage platforms and software.
  • Proficiency in data backup and recovery strategies and software.
  • Strong understanding of storage security best practices and data encryption methods.
  • Experience with capacity planning and performance tuning of storage systems.
  • Familiarity with storage virtualization technologies.
  • Working knowledge of networking concepts and protocols relevant to storage systems.
  • Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) for automation.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience with cloud storage solutions (e.g., Azure Blob, Amazon S3).
  • Familiarity with specific storage vendor technologies (e.g., Hitachi, Dell EMC, NetApp).
  • Knowledge of specific file systems (e.g., Lustre, BeeGFS, GPFS).
  • Experience with hardware and software security practices.
  • Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
  • Experience with data migration projects.

Desired Certifications:

  • Vendor-specific storage certifications (e.g., Hitachi Data Systems Certified Professional - HDSCP, Veritas Certified Specialist - VCS).
  • Cloud-specific storage certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Storage - Specialty).
  • Security certifications (e.g., CompTIA Security+, CISSP).
  • Operating system certifications (e.g., Red Hat Certified System Administrator - RHCSA).
  • DoD 8570 IAT Level II/III certifications for roles requiring security clearances.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Case studies demonstrating successful storage system design, implementation, and management.
  • Examples of storage performance optimization and capacity planning projects.
  • Documentation showcasing data protection strategies and disaster recovery processes.
  • Evidence of scripting and automation skills using PowerShell, Python, or Ansible.

Technical Documentation:

  • Detailed documentation of storage system architecture, including protocols, zoning, and replication strategies.
  • Performance metrics and optimization techniques for storage systems.
  • Test methodologies and results for storage-related projects.
  • Security and compliance documentation for storage systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio for this role should focus on technical depth, problem-solving, and collaborative achievements. Highlighting successful storage projects and the positive impact on user experience and system performance is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,000 - $140,000 per year (based on 5-10 years of experience in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area)

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
  • Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays.
  • Employee assistance program (EAP).
  • Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities.
  • Employee referral bonus program.

Working Hours: Full-time, on-site position with standard business hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM). Occasional overtime may be required to support maintenance windows and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on market research for similar roles in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The benefits package is competitive and designed to support the well-being and professional growth of Nightwing employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Nightwing operates in the defense and intelligence sectors, providing mission-critical cyber, data operations, systems integration, and intelligence support services.

Company Size: Nightwing is a mid-sized company with a flat organizational structure, promoting agility and collaboration among teams.

Founded: Nightwing was founded in 2015 and has since grown to serve various customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets.

Team Structure:

  • Nightwing's storage team consists of experienced storage engineers, specialists, and architects working collaboratively to design, implement, and maintain storage solutions.
  • The team follows a matrix reporting structure, with members reporting to both the storage team lead and their respective project or program managers.
  • Cross-functional collaboration with other teams, such as networking, security, and software development, is essential for successful project delivery.

Development Methodology:

  • Nightwing follows Agile development methodologies, with storage projects managed using Scrum or Kanban frameworks.
  • The team emphasizes code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices to ensure high-quality storage solutions.
  • Deployment strategies include CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment tools to streamline storage management and improve system reliability.

Company Website: Nightwing

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's culture values collaboration, innovation, and customer focus. The company encourages continuous learning and professional development, providing opportunities for employees to grow and advance their careers.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Storage Engineer Career Level: This role is at the mid-senior level, with a focus on designing, implementing, and managing storage systems. The engineer in this role is expected to have a deep understanding of storage technologies, protocols, and best practices.

Reporting Structure: The Storage Engineer reports to the Storage Team Lead and works closely with other storage team members, as well as project managers and stakeholders from other teams within Nightwing.

Technical Impact: The Storage Engineer plays a crucial role in ensuring the availability, performance, and scalability of Nightwing's storage systems. Their work directly impacts the user experience and the overall success of the company's projects and missions.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Senior Storage Engineer: With experience and proven performance, the Storage Engineer can advance to a senior role, taking on more complex projects and mentoring junior team members.
  • Storage Architect: As a senior Storage Engineer, the professional can transition into an architectural role, focusing on designing storage solutions and making critical decisions about storage technologies and strategies.
  • Team Lead/Manager: With strong leadership and management skills, the Storage Engineer can progress to a team lead or manager role, overseeing the work of other storage engineers and driving the success of the storage team.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing offers clear career progression paths for storage professionals, with opportunities for growth in both technical and leadership roles. The company values internal promotions and encourages employees to develop their skills and advance their careers within the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Nightwing's office is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to facilitate teamwork and communication among employees.

Office Location(s): Nightwing's primary office is located in Sterling, VA, with additional offices in various locations across the United States.

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Workspace: The office features open-plan workspaces, conference rooms, and collaboration areas to support teamwork and knowledge sharing.
  • Specialized Equipment: Nightwing provides employees with the tools and equipment necessary to perform their jobs effectively, including multiple monitors, testing devices, and specialized software.
  • Cross-Functional Interaction: Nightwing encourages collaboration between different teams, such as software development, networking, and security, to ensure the successful delivery of projects and missions.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site position with standard business hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM). Occasional overtime may be required to support maintenance windows and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's work environment fosters collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. The company provides employees with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their roles and supports their professional growth and development.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Phone/Screen: A brief phone or video call to discuss the candidate's background, experience, and fit for the role. This may include technical questions related to storage technologies and concepts.
  2. On-site Technical Assessment: A hands-on, on-site assessment of the candidate's technical skills, involving tasks such as configuring storage systems, optimizing performance, and troubleshooting storage-related issues.
  3. Behavioral Interview: A structured interview focused on the candidate's problem-solving skills, communication, and collaboration abilities. This may include case studies and scenario-based questions.
  4. Final Interview: A meeting with the hiring manager or a panel of stakeholders to discuss the candidate's fit for the role, answer any remaining questions, and make a final decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Highlight successful storage projects and the positive impact on user experience and system performance.
  • Include case studies demonstrating the candidate's ability to design, implement, and manage storage systems.
  • Showcase the candidate's scripting and automation skills using PowerShell, Python, or Ansible.
  • Emphasize the candidate's understanding of storage security best practices and data encryption methods.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush up on storage technologies, protocols, and best practices relevant to the role.
  • Familiarize oneself with Nightwing's storage environment and the specific storage solutions used by the company.
  • Practice problem-solving and troubleshooting exercises related to storage systems and performance optimization.
  • Prepare for behavioral interview questions focused on collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills.

ATS Keywords: [Storage Engineer, Data Storage, SAN, NAS, NetApp, Brocade, Dell, Hitachi, Storage Protocols, NFS, SMB, FC, FCoE, S3, iSCSI, Capacity Planning, Performance Tuning, Storage Security, Backup, Recovery, Scripting, Automation, PowerShell, Python, Ansible]

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. The company values candidates who are passionate about storage technologies, collaborative, and committed to delivering high-quality results.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Storage Technologies:

  • SAN: Brocade, NetApp, Dell, Hitachi
  • NAS: NetApp, Dell, Hitachi
  • Object Storage: Amazon S3, Azure Blob
  • Storage Protocols: NFS, SMB, FC, FCoE, iSCSI, S3

Storage Platforms & Software:

  • NetApp: ONTAP, AFF, FAS
  • Dell: EqualLogic, PowerVault, Compellent
  • Hitachi: HUS, USP, AMS
  • Brocade: DCX, FCX, VDX

Scripting & Automation Tools:

  • PowerShell
  • Python
  • Ansible

Monitoring & Management Tools:

  • SolarWinds
  • Nagios
  • Zabbix
  • Datadog
  • Prometheus

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's storage environment is diverse and complex, requiring a deep understanding of various storage technologies, platforms, and software. Familiarity with these technologies and the ability to manage and optimize storage systems are essential for success in this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Storage Team Values:

  • Collaboration: Nightwing's storage team values collaboration and works closely with other teams, such as networking, security, and software development, to ensure the successful delivery of projects and missions.
  • Innovation: The storage team encourages continuous learning and the exploration of new storage technologies and best practices to improve performance, scalability, and security.
  • Customer Focus: Nightwing's storage team is committed to understanding and meeting the storage needs of its customers, ensuring high availability, performance, and scalability for mission-critical applications.
  • Quality: The storage team is dedicated to delivering high-quality storage solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations and industry best practices.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Integration: Nightwing's storage team works closely with other teams, such as software development, networking, and security, to ensure the successful delivery of projects and missions.
  • Code Review Culture: The storage team emphasizes code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices to ensure high-quality storage solutions.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Nightwing's storage team encourages knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning to help employees develop their skills and advance their careers.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's storage team values collaboration, innovation, and customer focus. The team is committed to delivering high-quality storage solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations and industry best practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • Performance Optimization: Design and implement storage solutions that meet or exceed customer performance requirements, while optimizing cost and scalability.
  • Scalability & Growth: Develop storage strategies that accommodate the growth and changing needs of Nightwing's customers, ensuring high availability, performance, and scalability.
  • Security & Compliance: Ensure storage systems meet multi-tenant, IaaS data protection, access and authorization, and security controls and compliance requirements.
  • Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with emerging storage technologies and best practices, and integrate them into Nightwing's storage environment as appropriate.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Technical Skill Development: Nightwing offers opportunities for employees to develop their technical skills through training, certifications, and hands-on experience with emerging storage technologies.
  • Conference Attendance: Nightwing encourages employees to attend industry conferences and events to stay current with storage technologies, best practices, and trends.
  • Mentorship & Leadership Development: Nightwing provides mentorship and leadership development opportunities to help employees advance their careers and take on more significant roles within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's storage environment presents unique technical challenges and opportunities for growth. The company values employees who are passionate about storage technologies, collaborative, and committed to delivering high-quality results.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  • Storage Technologies: Demonstrate a deep understanding of storage technologies, protocols, and best practices relevant to the role.
  • Performance Optimization: Explain your approach to optimizing storage performance, including monitoring, analysis, and improvement strategies.
  • Capacity Planning: Describe your experience with capacity planning and your approach to ensuring storage systems meet the growing needs of Nightwing's customers.
  • Security & Compliance: Discuss your understanding of storage security best practices and your experience with ensuring storage systems meet relevant compliance requirements.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • Nightwing's Mission: Explain how your work as a Storage Engineer contributes to Nightwing's mission and the success of its customers.
  • Collaboration & Communication: Describe your experience working collaboratively with other teams, such as software development, networking, and security, to deliver successful projects and missions.
  • Adaptability: Explain how you approach learning new storage technologies, tools, and best practices, and how you stay current in a rapidly evolving field.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Case Studies: Highlight successful storage projects and the positive impact on user experience and system performance.
  • Technical Deep Dive: Provide a detailed technical deep dive into a specific storage project, demonstrating your understanding of storage technologies, protocols, and best practices.
  • Scripting & Automation: Showcase your scripting and automation skills using PowerShell, Python, or Ansible, and explain how you use them to optimize storage management and improve system reliability.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nightwing's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. The company values candidates who are passionate about storage technologies, collaborative, and committed to delivering high-quality results.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Storage Engineer position at Nightwing:

  1. Customize Your Resume: Highlight your relevant storage experience, technical skills, and achievements, tailoring your resume to the specific requirements of this role.
  2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Showcase your successful storage projects, case studies, and technical documentation, demonstrating your ability to design, implement, and manage storage systems.
  3. Research Nightwing: Familiarize yourself with Nightwing's mission, values, and storage team culture, and prepare thoughtful questions to ask during the interview process.
  4. Practice Technical Exercises: Brush up on your storage technologies, protocols, and best practices, and practice problem-solving and troubleshooting exercises related to storage systems and performance optimization.
  5. Prepare for Behavioral Interview Questions: Reflect on your past experiences and prepare concise, structured responses to behavioral interview questions focused on collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

The role requires expertise in data storage technologies and experience with various storage platforms. Proficiency in backup and recovery strategies, scripting for automation, and strong problem-solving skills are essential.