Confidential

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and skilled Senior System Administrator to join our dynamic IT team. As a Senior System Administrator, you will play a crucial role in maintaining and optimizing our organization's IT infrastructure. This role requires a deep understanding of various systems, servers, and security protocols, along with the ability to troubleshoot complex issues and implement effective solutions. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, excellent communication abilities, and a proven track record of successfully managing and enhancing enterprise-level systems.

Responsibilities:

System Maintenance and Optimization

• Oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the organization's IT systems.
• Implement and enforce system policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Perform regular system upgrades, patches, and optimizations to ensure optimal performance.
• Maintain and optimize VMware virtualization environments, ensuring high availability, performance tuning, and resource allocation.
• Administer and maintain Azure resources, including virtual machines, storage accounts, virtual networks, and identity services.

Server Management

• Manage and configure servers, including but not limited to, file servers, web servers, and database servers.
• Implement and maintain security protocols to safeguard against unauthorized access and data breaches.
• Manage VMware ESXi hosts, vCenter Server, virtual networking, and clustered environments.
• Ensure proper lifecycle management of Azure virtual machines, images, scaling, and resource groups.

Infrastructure Planning and Implementation

• Collaborate with other IT professionals to design and implement new infrastructure solutions.
• Evaluate and recommend hardware and software upgrades to meet the organization's evolving needs.
• Plan and execute projects related to system enhancements and expansions.
• Design, deploy, and maintain Kubernetes clusters (on-prem or cloud) to support containerized applications.
• Drive cloud modernization initiatives leveraging Azure services, governance policies, and automation capabilities.

Troubleshooting and Support

• Provide advanced technical support for escalated issues from lower-level administrators.
• Investigate and resolve complex system problems in a timely manner.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for troubleshooting and issue resolution.
• Diagnose and resolve issues within VMware, Kubernetes, and Azure environments.

Security Management

• Implement and manage security measures to protect the organization's IT assets.
• Conduct regular security audits and ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Respond to security incidents and collaborate with the security team to implement corrective actions.
• Maintain secure configurations for Azure resources, including Azure AD, role-based access control (RBAC), and security baselines.

Backup and Disaster Recovery

• Develop and maintain backup and disaster recovery plans.
• Test and validate backup and recovery processes regularly to ensure data integrity and availability.
• Integrate VMware workloads, Kubernetes clusters, and Azure resources into comprehensive backup and DR strategies.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior system administrators.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address IT-related challenges and support organizational goals.
• Advise teams on best practices for virtualization, cloud infrastructure, container orchestration, and automation.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a System Administrator, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead role.
• In-depth knowledge of Windows and Linux operating systems.
• Experience with virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V).
• Hands-on experience managing Azure environments, including governance, security, compute, and networking.
• Experience managing Kubernetes clusters and containerized workloads.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., PowerShell, Bash) for automation.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., MCSE, RHCE, VMware VCP, Azure Administrator/Azure Solutions Architect, CKA/CKAD) are a plus.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Network administration: 3 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Houston, TX 77073 (Required)

Work Location: In person