IT Architect & Security Automation Lead

We’ve established a team that is defined by respect for the entrepreneur and the company-building process; we know what it’s like to be in the founder’s shoes. We’ve invested in companies like Anduril, Airbnb, Coinbase, Cursor, Databricks, Deel, Figma, GitHub, Roblox, SpaceX, and Stripe. Our team is at the forefront of new technology, helping founders and their companies impact and change the world. The Role As an IT Engineer, you will architect, build, and operate the systems, infrastructure, and platforms that power the firm. Based in our San Francisco or Menlo Park office, you will serve as an escalation point for complex technical issues, spending the majority of your time on engineering initiatives, infrastructure projects, and security programs that strengthen the firm’s technology foundation. The ideal candidate brings a builder’s mindset - passionate about designing reliable, automated, and secure systems. Low ego and agility are key. You bring the same rigor to supporting C-suite executives in high-stakes situations as you do to leading a complex SaaS integration project or building a new automation pipeline with collaborators spread across US timezones. You possess the technical depth to analyze and resolve complex, multi-layered issues, and the communication skills to convey findings clearly - in writing or in person. You will work independently on many tasks but understand the importance of constant communication and collaboration to ensure you’re in sync with the priorities of the larger team. You must have deep technical knowledge across various domains including MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Experience across a breadth of SaaS applications like Okta, Google Workspace, and Slack are required. You will have experience supporting fleets of endpoints, IT and networking infrastructure, and complex, multi-vendor IT environments. Experience managing integrated conference room A/V systems as well as supporting live event production are preferred. This role requires an in-office presence 4 days a week, with flexibility between our San Francisco, CA and Menlo Park, CA offices, with occasional travel to either location as needed. To join our team, you should be excited to:

Design, implement, maintain, and secure all IT systems and the entire SaaS software stack in our environment Lead IT projects, coordinating cross-functional and distributed teams and ensuring timely and successful delivery Uphold, enforce and improve the firm’s IT security posture through diligent and rigorous planning and execution of all IT activities Build and scale IT automations using workflow builder tools, scripting, and APIs - proactively eliminating manual toil and improving operational leverage across the firm Architect and evolve the firm’s endpoint management, identity, and access control platforms (e.g. Jamf/Kandji, Okta, Intune) Manage vendor relationships for support and staying abreast of latest developments Author and publish high quality documentation and knowledge base articles that serve IT peers and end users Serve as the technical escalation point for complex issues across the organization, including for Executive Suite stakeholders Provide expert technical guidance and elevated support when high-stakes or executive-level situations call for it Build and cultivate long-term relationships Manage competing priorities across long-horizon engineering projects and day-to-day technical needs, staying agile without losing sight of strategic goals Drink from the firehose: always learning new technologies, exploring emerging workflows, and continuously deepening your engineering capabilities

6+ years experience in systems, networking, or security engineering, or IT infrastructure and platform engineering roles with demonstrated track record of excellence and increasing responsibilities Growth mindset, tech-native, resourceful, optimistic and proactive attitude, self-directed with high ownership and a drive to improve systems and processes Strong general troubleshooting skills to diagnose, identify, and resolve technical issues Critical thinking mindset to analyze complex, multi-dimensional problems and navigate towards a proposed solution Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written Ability to work effectively within the most senior levels of the organization Aptness to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment Strong MacOS and Windows skills are required Strong iOS skills are required; Android skills are preferred Experience with administering a wide breadth of SaaS tools is required (e.g. Okta, JAMF, Google Workspace, etc.) Experience with client platform engineering is required (e.g. Jamf, Kandji, Intune, etc.) Experience with cloud infrastructure platforms is preferred (e.g. AWS, GCP, Azure) Experience with networking concepts and protocols is preferred (e.g. switching, routing, DHCP, DNS, RADIUS, etc) Experience working with Zoom, Zoom Rooms, and integrated Audio/Visual systems is preferred Low ego, high empathy, and the capacity to collaborate effectively with diverse teams

The anticipated salary range for this role is between $189,000 - $221,000, actual starting pay may vary based on a range of factors which can include experience, skills, and scope. This role is eligible to participate in the a16z carry program and various discretionary bonus programs as well as benefit and perquisite plans including health, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401K plan, vacation, and sick leave.

We do only first class business and only in a first class way We take a long view of relationships, because we are in the relationship business We believe in the future and bet the firm that way We are all different, we recognize that, and we win We celebrate the good times We do it for the team We play to win