IT Systems Administrator II

The Systems Administrator II - Technical Lead (Individual Contributor) will serve as a senior technical contributor and operation leader within our small, hands-on IT team. This role operates as a co-primary technical resource alongside the IT Director, providing ownership of critical systems and acting as a backup/escalation point for engineering and security operations.

This position is ideal for a highly capable administrator who is comfortable being a technical leader and playing a key role in security, compliance (CMMC), infrastructure modernization and managing multiple important systems.

You'll help shape the company's cybersecurity posture, drive operational stability, and support cloud migration efforts in a dynamic and growing industry-sector environment.

Why This Role Matters

• Direct partnership with IT leadership in shaping infrastructure and security.
• Key contributor to CMMC compliance and organizational readiness.
• Opportunity to lead technically in a growing, modernization-focused environment.
• Work on a range of initiatives from legacy modernization to cloud implementation.
• High impact role with visibility across the business, * Security & Compliance (CMMC / NIST 800-171 focus). Play a lead technical role in CMMC level 2 readiness efforts. Support documentation, policy authoring and implementation, evidence collection and audit readiness. Partner with the IT director on security architecture and control enforcement.
• Cloud & Migration Support. Support administration of Microsoft 365, Azure and GCC Enclave. Support migration from on-premises email to Exchange Online, contribute to GCC High enclave deployment and alignment with CMMC-related requirements.
• Backup, Storage & Continuity. Support storage and backup systems, contribute to business continuity and disaster recovery planning, assist with implementation and service-level planning of a managed backup solution.
• Patching & Vulnerability management. Own the vulnerability management lifecycle across Windows, Linux, and Mac environments. This includes coordinating vulnerability scans, prioritizing and remediating vulnerabilities, and submitting reports to the Director of IT.
• Infrastructure Monitoring & Operations. Configure and maintain monitoring and alerting across Windows, Linux, VMWare, and Azure systems. Act as an escalation point for operational and infrastructure issues. Support troubleshooting across systems, networks and services.
• Project Execution & Technical Leadership. Drive execution of IT infrastructure and security projects, particularly in support of M365 migration and CMMC readiness. Take ownership of assigned initiatives from planning through execution, ensuring steady progress and milestone accomplishments. Contribute to project planning, task breakdown and realistic timeline estimation. Coordinate with the IT director, project manager and other stakeholders to align technical work with business priorities.
• Identity & Access Management. Administer and harden Active Directory in alignment with CIS benchmarks, drive and support hybrid Azure AD migration efforts.
• Networking & Systems Integration. Support core networking infrastructure, switches, routers, firewall administration, telephony, conferencing and VoIP systems.
• Documentation & Process Development. Play a lead role in technical documentation development and refinement. Help standardize operational procedures across IT and companywide., The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, speak and hear.
• The employee frequently is required to traverse the building, using stairs or elevator, use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee may be required to reach into small spaces, to include crouching, kneeling, squatting or bending to reach below, behind or between desks and/or equipment.
• Employee must be able to independently lift up to 50 pounds.

• Bachelor's degree in IT, Networking, Security or related field along with 5-7 years of experience, or equivalent related experience in lieu of a degree, in IT systems administration in mid-sized environments. A mid-sized environment in our case refers to over 100 active users and a heterogeneous mix of Windows and Mac workstations as well as Windows and Linux servers.
• Experience in security frameworks (NIST 800-171 required; CMMC strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a lead technical resource and drive project progress.
• Experience with:

o Active Directory and enterprise environments

o M365 and Azure (migration experience preferred)

o VMware or similar virtualization platforms

o Cisco networking and firewall fundamentals

o Linux systems in support of patching, and troubleshooting

o Storage systems (ZFS filesystem or TrueNAS preferred)

• Strong understanding of security fundamentals and practical application of NIST frameworks.
• Knowledge of industry regulations such as CMMC and experience with policy authoring.
• Solid communication skills and ability to write clear technical documentation., * Microsoft: AZ 104 (Azure Administrator Associate) or equivalent experience
• CompTIA: Security+ or Linux+, optionally Network+
• Cisco: CCNA or evidence of hands-on network support
• ISC2: SSCP, CISSP interest
• Any CMMC / NIST-related training, experience or certifications (strong plus)

$69.00 - $107.00 per hour

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