Staff Site Reliability Engineer - IT Disaster Recovery (ITDR) - job 18 of 20

As a Staff Site Reliability Engineer working within Visa's IT Disaster Recovery team, your key responsibilities include establishing disaster recovery standards, collaborating with various business and technology units to identify critical functions, developing robust DR programs, and leading annual testing activities to ensure system resilience. You'll also need to apply your knowledge in network configurations and cloud services to guide the technical implementation of DR solutions.

To be considered for the Staff Site Reliability Engineer position at Visa, candidates should possess a strong background in site reliability engineering or disaster recovery management, coupled with experience in cloud-hosted services, network configurations, and database management. Leadership skills, the ability to perform risk assessments, and knowledge of DR best practices are essential for success in this role.

The hybrid work model for the Staff Site Reliability Engineer role at Visa allows for flexibility, with employees expected to work 2-3 set days a week in the office, based on business needs. This structure fosters collaboration while also providing the convenience of remote work, making it easier to balance personal and professional commitments.

A Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Visa should be familiar with various technologies including cloud-hosted services, network configurations, databases such as MySQL and Oracle, and middleware platforms like Java Web Services and Apache Kafka. This knowledge is critical for developing effective disaster recovery plans and ensuring seamless integration across systems.

Key skills for success as a Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Visa include strong leadership capability, excellent collaboration skills, technical proficiency in disaster recovery practices, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. The ability to navigate complex systems and foster constructive discussions among team members is crucial in this role.

When answering this question, be specific about the disaster recovery programs you've managed. Discuss your responsibilities, such as assessing risks, developing recovery plans, or conducting DR tests, and highlight any successes or lessons learned that shaped your approach.

In your response, explain the process you follow to assess business requirements, involving key stakeholders to identify acceptable downtime and data loss. Discuss any frameworks or methodologies you've learned that help to define these objectives effectively.

When discussing strategies, emphasize communication tools you use, regular meetings, and establishing clear expectations. Share examples of how you've built relationships and continuity among teams while working remotely or in a hybrid setup.

Outline your step-by-step approach to testing a DR plan, including defining objectives, scheduling tests, documenting results, and making iterative improvements based on findings to ensure the plan remains effective.

Share a specific instance where you encountered a major challenge, such as a failed recovery test or a critical vulnerable system. Focus on the methods you implemented to address the issue and the results that followed.

Discuss specific tools or software that you've used, like monitoring dashboards or orchestration tools. Explain how these tools help you maintain visibility and control over disaster recovery procedures.

Mention the resources you utilize, such as attending conferences, participating in webinars, consulting industry publications, or being part of professional organizations. Emphasize your commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Reflect upon the importance of constructive debate, discussing the need for open communication and compromise. Illustrate this with examples of how helpful discussions have led to superior outcomes in planning.

Discuss your familiarity with specific cloud services and describe instances where you successfully implemented DR processes using cloud-based solutions, focusing on benefits like scalability and reliability.

Identify key documentation components such as impact analyses, risk assessments, and detailed recovery procedures. Discuss the importance of maintaining and regularly updating this documentation to ensure clarity and efficacy during actual recovery events.