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What is a lead infrastructure engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Infrastructure is a term for the basic foundation that an organization needs to function. When most people think of infrastructure, they think of roads and bridges, but this can also mean the basic code a tech company uses to develop an app or a network system that a company uses to do business. A lead infrastructure engineer helps build and maintain a company's internal infrastructure.

The daily duties of a lead infrastructure engineer vary slightly depending on where they work. For example, a lead infrastructure engineer at a tech company might help maintain the software product that clients use. Or, they could work at a bank and help develop their IT infrastructures, such as their networks and servers, so that the company can do business easily.

No matter where they work, lead infrastructure engineers need to know a lot about engineering and technology. Many have a bachelor's or even a master's degree in computer science. Often a lead infrastructure engineer supervises a whole team of engineers, so it helps if they can lead by example.

What general advice would you give to a lead infrastructure engineer?

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington

Look for a job that you would enjoy doing, even if it takes some time to find such a position. Internships are great to explore various options.
ScoreLead Infrastructure EngineerUS Average
Salary
8.1

Avg. Salary $120,774

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 13.87%

Black or African American 7.96%

Hispanic or Latino 11.68%

Unknown 5.01%

White 61.18%

Gender

female 5.94%

male 94.06%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a lead infrastructure engineer

  1. Explore lead infrastructure engineer education requirements

    Most common lead infrastructure engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.1 %

    Master's

    18.2 %

    Associate

    10.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific lead infrastructure engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Java14.33%
    Cloud9.41%
    Architecture6.26%
    Linux6.20%
    PowerShell3.73%
  3. Complete relevant lead infrastructure engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead infrastructure engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lead infrastructure engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead infrastructure engineer resumes.
  4. Research lead infrastructure engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage firm-wide storage operations including LUN provisioning, HBA installations, LUN migrations/expansions, monitoring, and storage relate incident resolution.
    • Learned and employ Java as well.
    • Clean up DNS naming of PBX devices.
    • Implement the strategic direction for SAN, NAS and backups.
  5. Prepare your lead infrastructure engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lead infrastructure engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lead infrastructure engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable lead infrastructure engineer resume templates

    Build a professional lead infrastructure engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your lead infrastructure engineer resume.
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
    Lead Infrastructure Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for lead infrastructure engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a lead infrastructure engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first lead infrastructure engineer job

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Average lead infrastructure engineer salary

The average lead infrastructure engineer salary in the United States is $120,774 per year or $58 per hour. Lead infrastructure engineer salaries range between $91,000 and $160,000 per year.

Average lead infrastructure engineer salary
$120,774 Yearly
$58.06 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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