Job Description

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.

We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.

We are hiring an Operational Technology Engineer to support the cloud-managed and software-defined operational systems that enable Foundry execution across regions.

This role is designed for an India-based team member who can partner closely with teams in Chicago, London, and the Netherlands, as well as across Foundry Operations, Product Engineers, and Corporate IT. The position is focused on scripting, cloud platform administration, secure remote access, and network and firewall support.

You will work across OT, software, and infrastructure domains to improve reliability, automate repeatable work, and support a secure, scalable operating model as the business grows.

Key Responisbilities

• Build, maintain, and improve automation used for provisioning, testing, validation, and operational workflows.
• Develop and support scripts and tooling for operational tasks, integrations, monitoring, and repeatable administration.
• Support Linux-based test and tooling environments, including Python-based scripting and automation.
• Maintain cross-site file synchronization and golden image governance.
• Administer cloud-hosted management platforms and services that support OT and adjacent operational workflows.
• Support operational networks, remote access services, VPN connectivity, and secure client connectivity for distributed users and teams.
• Support firewall policy operations, segmentation, access controls, and Palo Alto Panorama administration, including licensing and updates.
• Support GitLab operations, backup and disaster recovery processes, and disciplined change and configuration management.
• Monitor alerts across network, platform, backup, and telemetry services and troubleshoot multi-layer operational issues.
• Partner with Foundry Operations, Product, Software, vendors, and internal teams to improve automation, connectivity, supportability, and operational readiness.

Required Qualifications

• Strong networking fundamentals, including routing, switching, IPSec, VPNs, segmentation, and firewall concepts.
• Solid Linux administration experience.
• Hands-on scripting experience in Python, PowerShell, Bash, or similar languages.
• Experience supporting cloud administration, cloud operations, or SaaS-based infrastructure platforms.
• Experience supporting VPNs, remote access platforms, and secure connectivity services.
• Experience supporting automation, imaging, or validation platforms in production environments.
• Familiarity with configuration management or automation tools such as Ansible, Puppet, or CI/CD workflows. (Nice to have)
• Strong troubleshooting skills across software, network, and systems layers.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills in a distributed team environment.

Preferred Qualification

• Experience with Palo Alto firewalls and Panorama.
• Jira experience.
• GitLab administration experience.
• Exposure to ISO 9001 and/or ISO 13485 environments.
• Experience with cloud administration, SaaS operations, or distributed management platforms.
• Exposure to observability, telemetry, and alerting platforms.
• Familiarity with AI/HPC hardware or high-density rack environments.

Technology Environment

Networking and security (Cisco, Palo Alto, Panorama, BGP/OSPF), Linux, Nutanix, GitLab, Jira, Puppet/Ansible, automation tooling, and telemetry and alerting platforms.

Why AHEAD:

Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.

We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.

India Employment Benefits include:

Comprehensive health insurance coverage for employees, with options to extend coverage to dependents

Paid time off and company holidays, along with additional leave benefits as per policy

Flexible work arrangements, supporting work-life balance

Learning and development opportunities to support continuous growth and upskilling

Employee wellness initiatives and programs focused on physical and mental well-being

Retirement and statutory benefits in line with India regulations

Inclusive and people-first culture, with a strong focus on collaboration and ownership