Client Requirement Name: Windows System Administrator
Location: Onsite – Malibu, California
Type of Contract: Contract-to-Hire (12 months with potential for extension and transition to full-time)
Clearance Required: Active Secret (TS/SCI preferred)
Job Description
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Windows System Administrator to support onsite operations in Malibu, California. This position requires an individual with strong expertise in systems administration, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate with both technical and non-technical teams. The candidate must hold an active Secret or TS/SCI clearance and possess extensive experience in maintaining and optimizing Windows and Linux-based systems in complex, secure environments.
Essential Duties
- Collaboration: Work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team under general supervision, contributing to the success of the IT infrastructure.
- User Support: Act as a professional point of contact for end users, providing technical support, resolving issues, and ensuring a smooth operational experience.
- Issue Troubleshooting: Independently troubleshoot complex technical issues related to systems and applications across multiple platforms, ensuring minimal downtime.
- System Administration: Perform routine and advanced system and application administration activities, including the installation, configuration, and maintenance of systems hardware, software, and related components.
- System Management: Administer and manage Windows and Linux systems in various environments, including operations, engineering, and test environments.
- Software and Device Management: Handle software installations, system backups, user administration, and device management to ensure system reliability and performance.
- Failure Resolution: Resolve software, hardware, and network failures quickly, ensuring minimal impact to users and operations.
- Account Maintenance: Maintain system and user accounts, including adding, modifying, and removing user access based on requirements and best practices.
- Security Configuration: Test and implement secure configurations for Windows servers to ensure compliance with organizational and security standards.
- System Optimization: Continuously monitor, evaluate, and optimize system performance to meet user and operational requirements.
- Security Patches: Apply and test security patches and hardening protocols to safeguard systems against vulnerabilities.
- Documentation: Document all maintenance activities, including software installations, system updates, ticket resolutions, and any changes made to the system infrastructure.
- Procedure Development: Develop, implement, and promote standard operating procedures for system administration tasks to ensure consistency and efficiency across operations.
- Compliance Audits: Conduct regular audits to ensure systems are in compliance with security policies, standards, and configuration guidelines.
- Incident Response: Assist with IT security incident response and documentation as needed, contributing to the effective resolution of security-related events.
Required Skills
- Windows Systems Administration: Proven experience in Windows systems administration with a strong understanding of Windows server environments.
- Multiplatform System Hardening: Solid understanding of multiplatform system hardening practices, such as DISA STIG and SCAP, and the ability to implement these measures across the organization.
- VMware vSphere Expertise: Strong experience with VMware vSphere, including management and troubleshooting of virtualized environments.
- Scripting Proficiency: Experience in scripting for system automation and management tasks, such as PowerShell, Batch, or BASH.
- Cybersecurity Knowledge: Proficient knowledge of cybersecurity tools and trends, including platforms such as Tenable, McAfee, and Splunk, to identify vulnerabilities and maintain secure systems.
- Networking Understanding: Solid understanding of networking concepts, including switching, routing, firewalls, and load balancing, as they relate to system administration and security.
- System Monitoring Tools: Experience using system monitoring tools, such as Nagios, to ensure systems are running optimally and proactively address potential issues.
- Accredited Systems Environments: Experience working within accredited systems environments, adhering to the necessary security requirements.
- Independent and Collaborative Work: Ability to work independently to solve problems while also working effectively within a collaborative team environment.
- Active Secret Clearance: Active U.S. Security Clearance at the Secret level required.
Preferred Skills
- Experience: 4-7 years of experience in a similar system administrator role, ideally in a government or secure environment.
- TS/SCI Clearance: TS/SCI clearance with an in-scope polygraph is preferred for this position.
- Windows and Linux Expertise: Extensive experience administering both Windows (Server 2016, 2019, 2022) and Linux (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9) systems.
- Group Policy Management: Deep knowledge of Group Policy management for enforcing security settings and configurations in Windows environments.
- SAN Management: Experience with SAN management, particularly in environments using technologies such as NetApp, Dell Unity, or HPE GreenLake.
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Familiarity with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments, specifically Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops, for deploying and managing virtualized desktops.
- Exchange Server Experience: Experience with Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, including configuration, administration, and troubleshooting.
- Automation Tools: Experience using automation tools such as Endpoint Configuration Manager, Satellite, Ansible, or Systems Center Orchestrator to streamline system administration tasks and improve efficiency.
- High Performance Computing (HPC): Familiarity with High-Performance Computing environments, including setting up and maintaining HPC clusters for demanding computational workloads.
This position provides an excellent opportunity to work in a dynamic and challenging environment, contributing directly to the success of secure systems operations in a mission-critical setting. If you have the required skills and qualifications, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
