Job Description
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Location: Remote/Gloucester
Job Summary
Our clients are looking for a UK SC Cleared Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Subject Matter Expert (SME) to lead and support the design, deployment, and day-to-day operation of AVD environments. The ideal candidate will bring extensive hands-on experience with AVD, user support, and virtual desktop architecture. You will join a small, focused team supporting a secure AVD environment with on-call responsibilities shared equally across three engineers.
Key Responsibilities
* Design, implement, and manage secure and scalable Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments.
* Serve as the SME for all AVD-related technical matters including architecture, best practices, troubleshooting, and user support.
* Administer and optimise AVD environments including Host Pools, Resource Groups, Virtual Machine Images, App Access, and User Access.
* Manage user profile solutions using FSLogix and cloud-based storage (e.g., NetApp or equivalent).
* Provide dedicated support to end-users as part of a Virtual Desktop Support Team.
* Perform regular monitoring, updates, and maintenance tasks to ensure high availability and performance.
* Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues across the AVD stack and user experience.
* Automate deployment processes using tools such as PowerShell, ARM templates, and optionally, Terraform.
* Collaborate with other cloud, network, and security engineers to support overall platform integrity.
* Share on-call support duties (on rotation with two other engineers) for critical incident handling.
Requirements
* UK SC Clearance (Security Cleared)
* Availability to start within the next two months
* Willingness to participate in an on-call support rota (shared evenly across 3 engineers)
* Experience working in a dedicated Virtual Desktop Support Team, providing hands-on support to end-users
* In-depth understanding of Azure Virtual Desktop architecture and best practices
* Proficiency in managing AVD environments, including Resource Groups, Host Pools, VM Images, App Access & User Access
* Experience in supporting multi-user AVD environments, user profile customisation via FSLogix and NetApp (or equivalent)
* Ability to work remotely, with occasional, ad-hoc travel to Gloucester
Nice to Have
* Solid knowledge of Cloud Computing fundamentals, especially Microsoft Azure
* Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform
* Microsoft certifications (e.g., AZ-140, AZ-104, AZ-305)
* Familiarity with hybrid environments and Active Directory integration
* Exposure to monitoring and analytics tools (e.g., Log Analytics, Azure Monitor)
* Familiarity with CI/CD or DevOps workflows in cloud environments