Staff Engineer

The Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) organization embodies the hub of lifecycle engineering at TJX, delivering, maintaining, and optimizing our technology portfolio at rapid scale. We are a service-oriented team aimed at providing extraordinary experiences to thousands of TJX associates, business partners, and application delivery teams across the portfolio.

What you will need :

An experienced Staff Engineer with deep expertise in AIX OS 7.2, 7.3+ , VIOS 3.x , Linux OS (RHEL 7,8,9) and IBM Power Systems (P8, P9, and P10 hardware). As a key member of our IT Infrastructure team, you will be responsible for the installation, configuration, and maintenance of AIX & Linux systems and IBM Power hardware in a complex enterprise environment. The ideal candidate will have strong troubleshooting skills, automation experience, and a deep understanding of AIX & Linux -based technologies to ensure optimal system performance, reliability, and availability.

Key Responsibilities:

• AIX/Linux Systems Administration :
• Install, configure, and maintain AIX OS 7.2, 7.3+ on IBM Power Systems (P8, P9, and P10) & RHEL OS on Linux Servers
• Perform system upgrades, patches, and security enhancements on AIX/Linux servers and ensure optimal system health.
• Manage system-level diagnostics, issue resolution, and root cause analysis for AIX/Linux-related problems.
• Oversee AIX/Linux system performance and ensure high availability for business-critical applications.
• Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) Management :
• Administer and configure VIOS 3.x to support virtualized environments, including virtualizing storage, networking, and other resources.
• Optimize and manage VIOS configuration to ensure efficient resource allocation across multiple AIX and virtual machine workloads.
• IBM Power Systems Hardware Administration :
• Configure and maintain hardware platforms including IBM Power 8, 9, and 10 .
• Perform hardware diagnostics, firmware updates, and hardware health checks for IBM Power servers.
• Manage and configure Virtual LANs (VLANs), storage devices, and other hardware components in a Power environment.
• Performance Tuning & Capacity Planning :
• Perform performance tuning for AIX/Linux systems, including memory, CPU, disk, and network optimization.
• Conduct capacity planning and forecasting to ensure systems are scaled for business growth.
• Utilize performance monitoring tools to identify potential bottlenecks and optimize AIX/Linux resource utilization.
• Disaster Recovery & Backup :
• Design and implement disaster recovery strategies for AIX/Linux and IBM Power Systems using industry-standard tools.
• Configure and manage backup solutions, ensuring that data integrity and availability are maintained.
• Automation & Scripting :
• Develop automation scripts for routine system administration tasks using Shell, Python, or Perl.
• Implement automated workflows for provisioning, monitoring, and patch management to improve efficiency.
• Security & Compliance :
• Ensure adherence to security policies and compliance standards in AIX/Linux environments.
• Manage user access controls, security patches, and system updates to protect against vulnerabilities for both AIX & Linux
• Troubleshooting & Support :
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and problem-solving support for complex AIX & Linux and Power Systems issues.
• Act as a technical escalation point and provide tier-3 support for both AIX/Linux and VIOS-related incidents.
• Documentation :
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for system configurations, processes, and troubleshooting guides.
• Update and review standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices for AIX/Linux and VIOS environments.
• Collaboration & Mentorship :
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including network engineers, database administrators, and software developers.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior engineers and collaborate on complex technical initiatives.

Qualifications:

Education :

• Bachelor s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field (preferred).

Experience :

• Minimum of 8 years of hands-on experience in AIX/Linux OS administration with a focus on 7.2, AIX 7.3+ and VIOS 3.x, RHEL 7,8,9.
• Proven expertise in managing IBM Power Systems (P8, P9, P10) hardware and virtualized environments.
• Experience with IBM Power VM and Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) for virtualization management.
• Experience in Linux Virtualization Platforms such as VMware
• Experience with tools such as JIRA, Confluence, Service NOW

Technical Skills :

• Advanced knowledge of AIX OS 7.2, 7.3+ , including system installation, configuration, patching, and troubleshooting.
• Upgrading from AIX OS 7.2 to 7.3+ and RHEL from 7 to 8 & 9.
• Expertise in managing VIOS 3.x and virtualized AIX environments.
• Maintaining and upgrading HMC
• Hands-on experience with IBM Power Systems hardware (P8, P9, and P10), including configuration and maintenance.
• Familiarity with storage management , including LVM, SAN, and NAS integration in AIX environments.
• Proficiency in shell scripting (Bash, Korn Shell), automation tools, and performance tuning tools.
• Understanding of networking protocols and configuration in AIX/Linux (TCP/IP, NFS, DNS, etc.).
• Experience with IBM PowerVC and other virtual management solutions.
• Knowledge of backup solutions such as Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) or similar tools.
• Migrating the Shared Storage Pool to SAN Boot for AIX systems
• Familiarity with lpar2rrd and maintaining the software

Certifications (Preferred):

• IBM AIX Certification (Level 1 or 2)/ IBM Power Systems or related certifications.
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator
• ITIL Foundation or other relevant certifications.

Key Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking : Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex system issues efficiently.
• Attention to Detail : Ability to manage multiple AIX/RHEL Linux/VIOS systems with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Communication Skills : Excellent verbal and written communication skills for collaboration and documentation.
• Team Player : Ability to work well within a team, providing guidance and mentorship to junior engineers.
• Adaptability : Proactive in learning new technologies and keeping up with advancements in the AIX/RHEL Linux and Power Systems space.