Systems Analyst III

Information Technology Services (ITS) at Iowa State University is excited to accept applications for a Systems Analyst III position. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Systems Analyst III to lead the design, implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of the computing infrastructure that supports research, instruction, and administrative operations. This position serves as a senior technical resource responsible for Linux systems engineering, virtualization platforms, storage and networking infrastructure, cybersecurity-focused instructional environments, and technology solution design.

The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, researchers, students, departmental leadership, and campus technology partners to develop innovative, scalable, and secure computing solutions that advance the department’s academic and research mission. This position requires a strong combination of technical expertise, project leadership, business analysis, and customer-focused service.

An ideal candidate should have excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work with a variety of clients while managing multiple projects simultaneously. A person must be willing to take the initiative and possess strong organizational and self-management skills.

Responsibilities for this role include :

• Manage and maintain the servers for the file sharing, licensing, web, and storage needs of the department
• Manage operating systems, patching, configuration standards, security controls, authentication services, and performance optimization.
• Administer departmental server room infrastructure.
• Design and manage high-performance storage solutions and backup/recovery systems.
• Design, implement, and support enterprise virtualization platforms including VMware vSphere and Proxmox VE.
• Support instructional and research computing environments requiring complex virtualization architectures.
• Design and manage the virtual environment for the Department and College VDI pools.
• Design, implement, and support web applications and the development, test, and production environments.
• Recommend technology solutions that improve efficiency, reliability, security, and user experience.
• Assist researchers in areas like A.I. and machine learning by recommending, configuring, and maintaining GPU servers/hardware. Collaborate with faculty and research groups to design computing environments that support research projects, simulations, cybersecurity exercises, and specialized instructional needs. *

Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of related experience, * Experience with Linux (RHEL, Alma, Ubuntu) systems administration including server management, scripting, and computer management systems such as Ansible.

• Experience with the management of server room physical infrastructure including storage, networking equipment, power, and environmental systems.
• Experience with Windows systems administration, Active Directory, networking, GPU-based computing, access management, and knowledge of cloud platforms.
• Experience in higher education, research computing, and academic technology environments.
• Experience with the management and administration of virtual environments such as VMware vSphere, ESXi, Proxmox VE, and Omnissa VDI.
• Experience with the development and support of controlled environments for cybersecurity engineering instruction including cyber testbeds, virtual lab environments, isolated networks, and simulations.
• Experience with the management of enterprise storage platforms, file systems such as ZFS, TrueNAS, NFS and SMB, and backup and disaster recovery solutions. Experience in DevOps and WebOps including development and maintenance of web applications that support the operational needs of the department, including the design and maintenance of the development, test, and production environments. *, Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program Wellbeing program *