Senior Systems Engineer - New York City
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
We are seeking a seasoned Sr. Systems Engineer - Onsite to serve as the primary technical presence at a high-profile financial services client. This is not a traditional support role - you will be the trusted technical lead and day-to-day partner to the client's leadership, owning the reliability, security, and continuous improvement of their entire technology environment. You will bring deep cloud and infrastructure expertise, a strong automation mindset, and the client-facing maturity to translate technical complexity into business outcomes. You will serve as the escalation anchor for all Level 1 and Level 2 issues, partner with our engineering teams on complex initiatives, and ensure the client's environment evolves alongside their business., Client Partnership & Onsite Leadership
- Serve as the senior onsite technical lead and trusted advisor to the client's CTO and senior stakeholders
- Build and maintain a strong client relationship grounded in technical credibility, proactive communication, and follow-through
- Translate business requirements into technical solutions, providing guidance on infrastructure decisions, vendor evaluations, and technology roadmap considerations
- Represent Portfolio BI's standards and quality of service in every client interaction
- Coordinate with internal engineering and delivery teams to align onsite operations with broader platform initiatives
Infrastructure Operations & System Health
- Own the day-to-day health, performance, and availability of the client's cloud and hybrid infrastructure
- Provide hands-on support across end-user systems, server infrastructure, networking, storage, identity, and security layers
- Proactively monitor systems using cloud-native and third-party tools, identifying and resolving risks before they affect operations
- Execute and oversee operational activities including patching cycles, backup validation, disaster recovery readiness, and scheduled maintenance
- Support and administer the full Microsoft 365 ecosystem including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, and Teams Calling
Incident & Problem Management
- Serve as the primary escalation point for critical incidents, ensuring timely resolution within defined SLA commitments
- Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and implement durable corrective actions to prevent recurrence
- Coordinate with Level 3 engineers and product teams on high-impact or systemic issues
- Drive continuous improvement of incident response processes, runbooks, and escalation paths
- Maintain clear and timely communication with clients during active incidents, providing status updates and post-incident summaries
Automation, IaC & Cloud Engineering
- Design and maintain infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, ARM templates, Bicep) to ensure consistent, repeatable deployments
- Develop and enhance automation scripts (PowerShell, Python, Bash) to reduce manual operational overhead and improve reliability
- Support cloud deployments, configuration changes, and infrastructure updates under strict change control procedures
- Identify automation opportunities across operational workflows and lead implementation through to production
Security & Compliance
- Enforce security best practices, compliance standards, and patch management policies across all managed environments
- Administer identity and access management (IAM) including Entra ID policy design, conditional access, and privileged access controls
- Ensure proper implementation of logging, monitoring, and audit frameworks using tools such as Microsoft Sentinel, Defender, and Datadog
- Collaborate on security incident response, threat hunting, and remediation efforts in line with client risk posture
Documentation & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain high-quality documentation including system architecture diagrams, operational runbooks, and change records
- Contribute to standardization of processes and best practices across the broader Stratus delivery team
- Participate in regular business reviews and provide technical input on client roadmap discussions
Requirements
- 4 to 8 years of experience in systems engineering, cloud operations, or a closely related role
- Proven track record as a senior technical resource in a dedicated or client-facing environment, ideally within an MSP or financial services firm
- Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure (IaaS, PaaS, hybrid architectures) - Azure Administrator Associate certification preferred
- Deep expertise across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem: Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, Teams Calling
- Solid command of cloud networking: VNets, VPNs, load balancing, DNS, NSGs, ExpressRoute, and hybrid connectivity
- Windows Server administration including Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and DFS
- Scripting and automation proficiency in PowerShell, Python, and Bash - you write code to solve operational problems, not just for documentation
- Hands-on experience with infrastructure-as-code tools: Terraform, ARM templates, or Bicep
- Working knowledge of CI/CD practices and version control (Git, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
- Proficiency with monitoring and observability platforms (Azure Monitor, Datadog, Microsoft Sentinel, or equivalent)
- Solid networking fundamentals: LAN/WAN/DMZ architecture, routing, switching, firewalls, DHCP, and DNS
- Experience supporting market data platforms and vendor integrations common in financial services environments (Bloomberg, Refinitiv/LSEG, CapIQ, Advent, or similar)
- Excellent client-facing communication skills - able to engage confidently with both technical teams and business leadership, * Prior experience in the alternative investment industry (hedge funds, private equity, asset management)
- Microsoft certifications such as Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) or Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
- Experience with cybersecurity tools: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike, or Darktrace
- Familiarity with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (XenApp) or similar application delivery platforms
- Exposure to containerization and orchestration: Docker and Kubernetes
- Experience supporting hybrid cloud and on-premises integrations including VMware or Hyper-V environments
- Working knowledge of Linux server administration
- Familiarity with ITIL practices and ITSM tools such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management
Benefits & conditions
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Training & Development, including support for cloud and security certifications