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# Directory Services Engineer (Active Directory)

- **Company:** Elista Global, LLC
- **Location:** Irving, TX, United States
- **Experience:** Starter
- **Salary:** $249,600
- **Contract:** Contract
- **Skills:** Active Directory, Domain Controllers, Azure Active Directory, Network Server
- **Published:** November 12, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/8f6a0e1b-6672-4b76-bbdf-343f837b64bb

## About the Role

* Strong enterprise Active Directory administration experience
 * Experience supporting multi-forest, multi-domain environments
 * Strong troubleshooting experience with:

 * AD schema
 * Replication
 * Identity synchronization
 * AD Connect

Experience with GPO management and OU architecture

Ability to support critical incidents after hours (P1/P2)

Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills

Ability to quickly learn and navigate an existing environment

Must pass:

 * White Badge background check
 * White Badge drug screening

Ideal Candidate Profile

 * Senior-level resource who can:

 * Work independently
 * Quickly absorb environment knowledge
 * Delegate activities when needed
 * Communicate effectively with technical and operational teams

Strong depth of AD experience is more important than specific Netwrix expertise, Looking for a true senior AD engineer who can:

 * Work independently with minimal handholding
 * Quickly learn an existing environment
 * Handle complex AD troubleshooting
 * Communicate effectively with technical and operational teams
 * Support after-hours critical incidents when needed

## Description

Seeking a senior-level Directory Services Engineer to provide Platform Support and L2/L3 support for a large-scale enterprise Active Directory environment. This role supports a highly complex infrastructure spanning multiple forests, domains, and domain controllers, with a focus on reliability, security, compliance, and operational stability.
This is a long-term contract opportunity supporting a managed services team in a hybrid environment based in Irving, TX.

 * Manage and optimize Active Directory forests, domains, and domain controllers
 * Maintain trust relationships across all domains
 * Validate replication topology and security configurations
 * Promote/demote domain controllers as needed
 * Execute and maintain Active Directory schema changes
 * Ensure integrity and security of the AD schema

Policy, Security & Compliance

 * Manage and maintain Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
 * Support pre-production, staging, and production environments
 * Validate OU hierarchy security and integrity
 * Implement Active Directory hardening initiatives
 * Monitor domain root and domain controller OU changes
 * Support compliance monitoring and auditing activities

Directory Services Operations

 * Administer OU structures, permissions, and delegation
 * Create/manage AD objects including:

 * Users
 * Groups
 * Workstations
 * Servers
 * Printers

Manage AD trusts and replication topology

Maintain AD roles and permissions

Publish resource objects within AD where applicable

Support & Troubleshooting

 * Provide L2/L3 support for ticketed and operational issues
 * Support coverage during PTOs and holidays
 * Troubleshoot:

 * AD schema issues
 * AD synchronization failures
 * Identity-related issues
 * User group sync issues

Support AD Connect synchronization operations

Perform individual user recovery activities

Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

 * Monitor domain reliability and security posture
 * Produce monthly incident and trend analysis
 * Recommend:

 * Automation improvements
 * Policy updates
 * Operational optimizations
 * Incident reduction initiatives

Expected Deliverables

 * Ongoing AD platform administration and support
 * Timely incident resolution and request fulfillment
 * Monthly reporting on:

 * Directory health
 * Incident trends
 * Security/compliance findings
 * Operational improvements

Required Technical Skills
Core Technologies

 * Active Directory (Enterprise/Multi-Forest)
 * Client Entra ID (Azure AD)
 * AD Connect / Hybrid Identity
 * Group Policy Management
 * AD Trusts & Replication
 * OU Design & Delegation

Preferred Tools

 * Netwrix (monitoring/auditing/hardening), Bill is described as a weaker communicator, so the client is specifically seeking a senior engineer who can independently understand and adapt to the environment quickly.
Additional Notes

 * Candidate should ideally be local to the Dallas/Irving, TX area
 * Hybrid onsite requirement is firm (3 days/week)
 * Onboarding includes:

 * Artech background/drug screening
 * Additional Client screening requirements- 2 drug/background
 * This is White badge- working for Comanche Peak Nuclear- so random drug tests also might occur
*
Junior Role
Schedule: 8x5 with on-call support for P1/P2 incidents
Eligibility: due to nuclear facility access requirements.
Key Selling Points

 + Contract funded through 2030
 + Enterprise-scale AD environment
 + Senior-level, highly visible role
 + Hybrid schedule (3 days onsite)
 + Strong bill rate up to $120/hr
 + Opportunity to lead and drive AD operational improvements
Environment

 + 3 Forests
 + 3 Domains
 + 15 Domain Controllers
 + Hybrid Identity environment
 + Active Directory + Entra ID + AD Connect
Top Required Skills
Must-Have

 + Enterprise Active Directory Administration
 + Multi-forest / multi-domain environments
 + AD Replication troubleshooting
 + AD Schema management and troubleshooting
 + AD Connect / Hybrid Identity
 + Client Entra ID (Azure AD)
 + Group Policy (GPO) Management
 + OU Design, Delegation, and Permissions
 + AD Trusts
 + L2/L3 support experience
 + Critical incident response experience
Nice-to-Have

 + Netwrix exposure (not required)
Core Responsibilities

 + Manage AD forests, domains, domain controllers
 + Maintain trust relationships
 + Validate replication topology
 + Perform DC promotions/demotions
 + Execute AD schema changes
 + Manage GPOs and OU architecture
 + Support AD Connect synchronization
 + Troubleshoot:
 + Replication issues
 + Schema issues
 + Identity synchronization failures
 + Group sync problems
 * Support compliance, security, and auditing initiatives
 * Provide monthly health and trend reporting
 * Recommend automation and operational improvements