Active Directory Engineer

Insight Global; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 76,000 - 103,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global in Houston, TX is seeking a hands-on Active Directory Engineer to join their Cloud Infrastructure / Identity team. This long-term contract role is on-site in the Energy Corridor three days a week, and you’ll manage a large, hybrid AD environment that combines on-prem with Entra ID.

You will stabilize, modernize, and clean up the environment, drive migrations, automate with PowerShell, and implement least-privilege controls while collaborating with IAM stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on Active Directory engineering experience in enterprise environments.
• Strong experience in multi-domain/multi-forest AD environments, including domain controllers, trusts, schema, GPOs, FSMO, replication, and troubleshooting.
• Proven AD migration experience using tools and PowerShell-based migration and support scripting.
• Experience supporting hybrid identity environments, with AD integrated with Entra ID/Azure AD, Entra ID Connect and directory synchronization concepts.
• Strong PowerShell automation skills for operational improvements.
• Proven experience leveraging AD migration tools.
• Solid understanding of AD security, least-privilege access, auditing and hardening practices.
• A hands-on mindset with comfort working in imperfect, not perfectly documented environments.

Responsibilities

• Clean up, stabilize, and improve an existing enterprise Active Directory environment.
• Support and execute Active Directory migration and optimization efforts across workstations, servers, and applications with minimal disruption.
• Troubleshoot and remediate complex AD issues, including replication, DNS, schema, trusts, domain controllers, GPOs, and legacy performance problems.
• Assess AD health and drive improvements across multi-domain and multi-forest environments.
• Support hybrid identity operations, including on-prem AD integration with Entra ID and directory synchronization tooling.
• Build and maintain PowerShell automation to improve AD health, compliance, and operational consistency.
• Implement and reinforce tiered security / tiered administration practices, least-privilege access, and auditing standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to assess dependencies, mitigate risk, and execute changes in a controlled manner.
• Partner with IAM stakeholders to support governance workflows and understand how SailPoint integrates with AD for access lifecycle management.

Skills

AD engineering

Multi-domain AD

AD migration

Entra ID/Azure AD

PowerShell automation

AD security

Troubleshooting

Migration tooling

Tools

Quest Migrator Pro

Binary Tree

SailPoint

Azure AD Connect

Job description

3 Days a week ONSITE in Houston, Texas - Energy Corridor

Long-term contract, $55-$75/hr on W2

Required Skills & Experience

• 7+ years of hands‑on Active Directory engineering experience in enterprise environments.
• Strong experience working in multi‑domain and multi‑forest Active Directory environments, including domain controllers, trusts, schema, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), FSMO roles, replication, and advanced troubleshooting.
• Proven Active Directory migration experience using tools and PowerShell‑based migration and support scripting.
• Experience supporting hybrid identity environments, with Active Directory integrated with Entra ID, including exposure to Entra ID (Azure AD), Azure AD Connect and directory synchronization concepts, and identity federation tools as applicable.
• Strong PowerShell automation skills focused on operational improvements and repeatable engineering outcomes.
• Proven experience leveraging Active Directory migration tools
• Solid understanding of Active Directory security and controls, including least‑privilege access, auditing, and security hardening practices.
• A hands‑on, “roll up your sleeves” mindset with comfort working in environments that are mid‑improvement and not perfectly documented.

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

• Experience with identity governance tools (strong preference for SailPoint) and understanding of how governance integrates with AD.
• Hands‑on experience with Quest Migrator Pro for Active Directory (MPAD) or Binary Tree migration tools.
• Familiarity with tiered security model concepts (Tier 0/1/2 administration patterns).
• Experience supporting environments impacted by M&A, legacy consolidation, or recovery from migration issues.
• Exposure to: Windows Server 2016+, Azure infrastructure and/or Intune, Monitoring / AD tooling (e.g., SolarWinds, ManageEngine), ITSM tools (ServiceNow) and Agile tooling (Jira)
• Relevant certifications: Microsoft identity-focused certifications or equivalent experience.

Job Description

A client of Insight Global is seeking a highly skilled Active Directory Engineer to join their Cloud Infrastructure / Identity team. This is an engineer-level, hands‑on role (not an architect-only position). You’ll step into a large, complex on‑prem Active Directory environment that has grown over many years and includes legacy domains from past acquisitions/mergers. The environment is hybrid (on‑prem AD integrated with Entra ID) and needs stabilization, modernization, and cleanup. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys “getting into the weeds,” improving imperfect systems, and helping shape how the environment should operate going forward. The team is looking for an engineer who is comfortable with ambiguity, enjoys problem-solving, and is excited to help re‑engineer and optimize identity infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

• Clean up, stabilize, and improve an existing enterprise Active Directory environment.
• Support and execute Active Directory migration and optimization efforts across workstations, servers, and applications with minimal disruption.
• Troubleshoot and remediate complex AD issues, including replication, DNS, schema, trusts, domain controllers, GPOs, and legacy performance problems.
• Assess AD health and drive improvements across multi‑domain and multi‑forest environments.
• Support hybrid identity operations, including on‑prem AD integration with Entra ID and directory synchronization tooling.
• Build and maintain PowerShell automation to improve AD health, compliance, and operational consistency.
• Implement and reinforce tiered security / tiered administration practices, least‑privilege access, and auditing standards.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to assess dependencies, mitigate risk, and execute changes in a controlled manner.
• Partner with IAM stakeholders to support governance workflows and understand how SailPoint integrates with AD for access lifecycle management (joiner/mover/leaver, provisioning, deprovisioning).