ArcGIS Systems Administrator (Top Secret Clearance Required)

Ardent MC; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ardent is seeking an ArcGIS Systems Administrator to support the migration, installation, and ongoing administration of an Esri ArcGIS Enterprise environment in a Washington, DC, on-site role. The position requires a Top Secret clearance and involves security-focused duties across Windows and Linux servers.

The role emphasizes upgrades, federated server management, and collaboration with GIS analysts and IT staff to ensure high availability of mission-critical geospatial operations.

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance required; CI polygraph within 3 months.
• Minimum 5 years of experience administering Esri ArcGIS Enterprise in production.
• Bachelor’s degree in GIS / computer science / IT; veterans’ equivalent may be considered.
• Strong relational database knowledge (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL).
• Experience with Windows Server and/or Linux in enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and Esri tech stack.
• Knowledge of GIS security, including user/role management and hardening.
• Experience with platform migrations (ArcGIS version upgrades, infra or data migrations) preferred.
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and communication; able to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Perform and lead upgrades of Windows Server, Azure Application Gateway, ArcGIS Enterprise; patching and troubleshooting.
• Configure and maintain federated server sites and hosting servers; support DB integration (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL).
• Install, configure, and maintain ArcGIS components (Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Data Store, Web Adaptor) across environments.
• Administer enterprise and file geodatabases; manage schema, versioning, replication, and performance.
• Manage users, roles, groups, and permissions within ArcGIS Enterprise, Portal, and ArcGIS Online.
• Monitor system health, troubleshoot outages, apply patches and security updates.

Skills

ArcGIS Enterprise

Windows Server

Linux server administration

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in GIS / computer science / information technology

Tools

ArcGIS Server

Portal for ArcGIS

ArcGIS Data Store

Web Adaptor

SQL Server

Oracle

PostgreSQL

Windows Server

Job description

Ardent is seeking an ArcGIS Systems Administrator to join our team!

***Salary Range from $150k to $210k + Sign-on Bonus***

This is a full-time, on-site position in Washington, DC - candidates must currently hold an active TOP SECRET Clearance.

Position Description:

Ardent is seeking an experienced ArcGIS Systems Administrator to support the migration, installation, configuration, security, and day-to-day administration of an Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Microsoft Azure environment with the FBI. This role ensures the GIS platform remains stable, secure, and highly available for mission-critical geospatial operations, and serves as the primary point of contact for system-level GIS support.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Perform and lead Windows Server 2025 upgrade; Azure Application Gateway v2 upgrade; ArcGIS Enterprise upgrade, O&M troubleshoot and technical issue resolution; recurring OS and security patches.
• Configure and maintain federated server sites and hosting servers, and support integration with relational databases such as SQL Server, Oracle, or PostgreSQL.
• Install, configure, and maintain ArcGIS Enterprise components, including Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Data Store, and Web Adaptor, across development, test, and production environments.
• Administer enterprise and file geodatabases, including schema management, versioning, replication, and performance tuning.
• Manage user accounts, roles, groups, and security permissions within ArcGIS Enterprise, Portal, and ArcGIS Online.
• Monitor system health and performance, troubleshoot service outages and errors, and apply patches, upgrades, and security updates.
• Implement and maintain backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity procedures for the GIS environment.
• Administer software licensing and support deployment of ArcGIS Pro and related Esri applications to end users.
• Collaborate with cartographers, analysts, and IT staff to support geospatial data workflows and resolve system-level issues.
• Document system configurations, standard operating procedures, and change management activities.
• Support platform and version migrations, such as ArcGIS Server or Portal upgrades and infrastructure or data migrations, as needed.

Requirements:

• Active Top Secret clearance is required, along with a willingness to undergo a Counterintelligence (CI) polygraph within three (3) months of hire.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience administering Esri ArcGIS Enterprise systems (ArcGIS Server, Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Data Store) in a production environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in GIS, computer science, information technology, or a related field; Veteran’s equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Strong working knowledge of enterprise geodatabase administration (SDE) and relational database platforms such as SQL Server, Oracle, or PostgreSQL.
• Experience administering Windows Server and/or Linux server environments in support of enterprise applications.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and the broader Esri technology stack.
• Understanding of GIS security best practices, including user/role management, authentication, and system hardening.
• Experience with system or platform migrations (e.g., ArcGIS version upgrades, infrastructure, or data migrations) is preferred but not required.
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills, with the ability to work independently in a mission-driven environment.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo the government issued background investigation process. We highly encourage all Veterans and those with disabilities to apply.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis protected by state, local, or federal law.