Sr. Virtual Desktop Engineer

Summary

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is seeking a Senior Virtual Desktop Engineer to join the Enterprise Platforms Group within the Information Technology department. Willkie is an elite international law firm with approximately 1,300 lawyers across 16 offices in six countries.

The ideal candidate has at least seven years of experience designing, managing, and supporting enterprise virtual desktop environments, with deep hands-on expertise in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This role contributes to the architecture, engineering, and day-to-day operation of Willkie’s virtual desktop platform. Experience migrating on-premises VDI environments to cloud-hosted Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) platforms is desired.

The successful candidate is an enthusiastic problem solver who is comfortable in a fast-paced environment and can quickly become productive within a complex enterprise infrastructure. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, and a collaborative approach toward team members and internal customers are essential.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior engineer on the virtual desktop team, helping ensure the performance, reliability, security, and continuous improvement of the environment.
• Contribute to the architecture, design, implementation, and optimization of the Azure Virtual Desktop environment, including host pools, image management, scaling, identity, networking, and profile integration.
• Administer and support the platform day to day, resolving incidents, service requests, problems, and escalations related to AVD, Citrix, Windows, user profiles, and application delivery within established service-level expectations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues involving virtual desktops, user profiles, application delivery, authentication, networking, and performance.
• Evaluate and implement end-user computing technologies, including FSLogix, Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, and related profile, personalization, and application-control solutions.
• Develop and maintain PowerShell scripts and other automation to improve operational efficiency, consistency, monitoring, and reporting.
• Work closely with Infrastructure, Network, Security, Application, Service Delivery, and other IT teams to design and deliver integrated enterprise solutions.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, architectural diagrams, operational procedures, and implementation standards.
• Participate in system upgrades, platform migrations, disaster recovery testing, and maintenance outside normal business hours when required.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other engineers and support teams.
• Communicate progress, risks, and dependencies clearly and regularly to management and project stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of seven years of experience designing, managing, and supporting large-scale enterprise virtual desktop environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with Azure Virtual Desktop, including host pools, session hosts, application groups, workspaces, image management, scaling, identity, networking, and profile integration.
• Strong knowledge of profile management and user-personalization technologies, particularly FSLogix.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Azure and Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) as they relate to AVD, including hybrid join and Entra Kerberos.
• Extensive experience with Windows desktop and server operating systems, Active Directory, Group Policy, Intune policies, PowerShell, and enterprise automation.
• Experience with application-control technologies such as Windows Defender Application Control or Ivanti Application Control.
• Demonstrated experience balancing operational support with engineering projects, including independently troubleshooting, documenting, and resolving incidents, service requests, and escalations.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and become productive quickly in a complex enterprise environment.
• Strong analytical, documentation, and stakeholder-communication skills.
• Experience migrating on-premises VDI environments to cloud-hosted DaaS platforms.
• Experience with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, including Delivery Controllers, StoreFront, Citrix ADC/Gateway, Machine Creation Services, Provisioning Services, and Citrix User Profile Management.
• Familiarity with Nerdio Manager for Enterprise or similar AVD management and automation platforms.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Hyper-V or other virtualization platforms such as VMware.
• Microsoft Azure certifications (AZ-104 or AZ-140) and Citrix certifications (CCP-V or CCE-V) are highly regarded.

ADA Requirements

• Ability to sit at a desk most of the day and walk short distances.• Manual dexterity, speed, and accuracy in handling office equipment.• Ability to work efficiently amidst frequent interruptions.• Ability to work in close proximity to others.• Ability to carry light to moderate objects short distances; lift up to 25 lbs.

Employment Status

Full-time

Hybrid

Pay Range

USD $165,000.00 - USD $180,000.00 /Yr.

Pay Range Statement

The salary range for this role represents the Firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent upon a number of factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications and location. Willkie offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees. A summary of available benefits can be found here in the Career section of the Firm’s website.

EEO Statement

Willkie Farr & Gallagher is an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon actual or perceived: race (including hair texture, protective hairstyles and other traits associated with race), color, age, religious creed, citizenship, citizenship status and alienage, nationality, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity or creed, disability, genetic information or medical condition, reproductive health decision making, pregnancy or maternity, paternity, marital or civil partnership status, caregiver status, gender (including gender identity, expression, nonconformity, gender reassignment or status as a transgender individual), sex, sexual orientation or preference, veteran or military status, height, weight, any other characteristic protected by law or any combination thereof.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let the hiring manager know.

California Applicants

Pursuant to the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicant with arrest and conviction records.

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