POSITION PURPOSE
The Senior Systems Engineer plays a critical role in designing, implementing, and maintaining IT infrastructure to support the organization’s operations. Responsible for managing and optimizing virtualization, server, and cloud environments, ensuring the highest levels of system availability, performance, and security. The Sr Systems Engineer’s expertise with VMware, Microsoft server technologies, O365, Entra ID, and AWS is essential in driving innovation and continuous improvement in IT systems, as well as providing technical leadership and guidance to junior team members. Provides direction, information, and recommendations regarding server configurations and installations. Advises the organization and implements the proposed technical portions of the on-premises and cloud environment.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND BASIC DUTIES
1. Maintain a thorough understanding of the basics behind the Internet and its workings (DNS, Security, IP Routing, Digital Certificates, HTTP, VPN, Email Routing, SPAM, etc.).
2. Manage and optimize Microsoft server technologies, including Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, and other related services, ensuring optimal performance, security, and reliability.
3. Maintain VMware-based virtualization environments, including vSphere, vCenter, and associated components.
4. Administer, monitor, and maintain systems related to backup and recovery of servers, VM’s, and other IT infrastructure. Experience with Veeam, Barracuda, Avamar preferred.
5. Administer and optimize O365 services, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, and other related services.
6. Design, implement, and manage Entra ID, including user and group management, conditional access, and authentication mechanisms, to ensure secure and efficient access to cloud-based resources.
7. Deploy, configure, and manage AWS server instances, virtual networks, databases, storage, and other related services, ensuring scalability, availability, and security of cloud-based applications.
8. Deals with the day-to-day operation and troubleshooting of hardware and software.
9. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement automation, scripting, and infrastructure-as-code solutions to streamline IT operations and improve system efficiency.
10. Monitor, troubleshoot, and resolve complex technical issues related to virtualization, server, and cloud environments, ensuring prompt resolution and minimizing downtime.
11. Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices related to VMware, Microsoft server technologies, O365, Entra ID, and AWS, and provide recommendations for system enhancements and upgrades.
12. Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior team members, conduct knowledge transfer sessions, and contribute to the overall skill development of the team.
13. Participate in IT projects, including planning, implementation, and documentation, ensuring successful project delivery and adherence to established timelines and budgets.
14. Act as level three support for companywide help request system.
15. Facilitate failover testing with DR site.
16. Other related duties as assigned by management.
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: B.S. degree in information systems or related program or technology certification preferred. Associate level or higher Microsoft certification focused on server technologies or O365/AzureAD preferred. Cloud certification in AWS preferred.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE: Documentable knowledge of virtualization technologies at the server level (VMWare and AWS preferred). Technical knowledge of cloud infrastructure including networking, application, and operating systems. Strong analytical skills and effective interpersonal and communication skills to interact with a wide range of users having different levels of computer expertise. Ability to design workable solutions to problems in a timely manner.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Seven years of experience in IT infrastructure engineering, with a focus on VMware, Microsoft server technologies, O365, Entra ID, and AWS.
DevOps experience with ‘git’ based revision control software. GitLab preferred. Scripting experience with python, TypeScript or a similar language. Experience with automated deployment tools such as Ansible, CloudFormation, CDK, Terraform, etc. Familiarity with zero-trust security products. ZScaler preferred. SD-WAN experience Meraki preferred.
SKILLS/ABILITIES:
Collaboration Skills.
Communication Proficiency
Technical Capacity
Customer/Client Focus
Advanced Troubleshooting and Problem Solving
Flexibility
Teamwork Orientation
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Some evening hours. Weekend on-call rotation. Work is generally carried out in a typical office setting. While performing the duties of this job, the working conditions are those of a typical office environment, with temperatures occasionally too warm or too cold, moderate noise levels and underlighting conditions of a typical office. Possibility for some remote work as needed.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit at a desk and in meetings for long periods of time on a continuous basis; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation with fingers; reach with hands and arms; use a telephone or other electronic communication devices; stand for long periods of time at counter, printers; communicate orally and through written means; use standard office equipment such as computers, printers; write or use a keyboard to perform assigned duties; bend, squat, climb, kneel and twist while checking equipment; occasionally stand and/or walk over both even and uneven ground; occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; hearing and vision within normal ranges with or without correction.