Azure Administrator

Applied Research Solutions; Patuxent Highland (MD); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Research Solutions is seeking an Azure Administrator (Windows/Linux) to provide frontline IT support for cloud services, hosted apps and VDI in a government environment. You will handle Tier 1 and 2 support, maintain VM environments, and coordinate with specialized teams for complex issues.

The ideal candidate will have 3+ years of experience in IT support, AZ-104, and an active TS/SCI clearance, with strong customer service and incident management skills. Background checks apply.

Qualifications

• US Citizenship required.
• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT or related field.
• AZ-104 certification is required.
• At least 3 years in help desk, technical support, or IT operations.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• Experience administering Jira, Confluence and GitLab.
• VDI experience; Azure Virtual Desktop preferred.
• Familiar with Salt, Ansible, Chef or Puppet for config mgmt.
• Experience with Azure cloud services; Windows and Linux troubleshooting.
• Experience building and maintaining VM images/environments.
• Strong written communication for docs and KBs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as first point of contact for end-user technical support on cloud services and VDI, with responsive service and troubleshooting.
• Create, update, and maintain support tickets in Jira with accurate categorization and SLA tracking.
• Escalate complex issues to Tier 2/3 and coordinate with DevOps/Platform teams.
• Manage VDI technologies: troubleshoot UVMs, build/deploy base images, patch UVMs.
• Build, package, deploy Salt States; operate Salt Master for app deployment across VDI.
• Monitor performance, identify patterns of issues, communicate during outages.
• Update knowledge base articles; contribute to support procedures and guides.
• Work with cloud providers for Tier 1/2 issues; escalate Tier 3+ as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Troubleshooting

Technical support

Documentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

GitLab

Job description

ARS is seeking an Azure Administrator (Windows/Linux) to provide technical support for cloud services, hosted applications, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in a government environment. This role serves as the frontline technical support contact for end-users while managing VDI technologies, troubleshooting system issues, and coordinating with specialized teams for complex problems. The ideal candidate will handle Tier 1 and Tier 2 support activities, maintain virtual machine environments, and ensure positive user experiences through responsive customer service and efficient incident management. An active TS/SCI security clearance is required for this position. This role requires employee pass background screening for SAP.

Why Work with us?

Applied Research Solutions (ARS) is respected as a world-class provider of technically integrated solutions as we deliver premier talent and technology across our focused markets for unparalleled, continuous mission support. Awarded a Best Places to Work nominee since 2020, ARS recognizes that without our career- driven, loyal professionals, we would not be able to deliver state-of-the-art results for our mission partners. We firmly believe that prioritizing our employees is of the upmost importance. We provide a culture where our employees are challenged to meet their career goals and aspirations, while still obtaining a work/life balance. ARS employees are motivated through our industry competitive benefits package, our awards and recognition program, and personalized attention from ARS Senior Managers.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as first point of contact for end-user technical support requests related to cloud services, hosted applications, and VDI functionality, providing responsive customer service and executing deep troubleshooting
• Create, update, and maintain technical support tickets in Jira with accurate documentation, proper categorization, and tracking of resolution times to maintain SLA compliance
• Escalate complex issues to Tier 2/3 support teams, SREs, and Platform Engineers with comprehensive documentation, coordinating with Development, DevOps, and Architecture teams for resolution
• Manage VDI technologies including troubleshooting and repairing User Virtual Machines (UVMs), building and deploying base images for supported operating systems, and patching running UVMs
• Build, package, deploy, and manage Salt States to install applications in virtual machines, operating the Salt Master for application deployment across the VDI environment
• Monitor system performance, identify patterns indicating systemic issues, and support maintenance windows with user communication during planned outages
• Maintain and update knowledge base articles, contribute to support procedures and troubleshooting guides, and participate in continuous service improvement initiatives
• Work with cloud providers for Tier 1 and Tier 2 support issues, escalating Tier 3+ issues appropriately
• Other duties as assigned

Technical Experience & Qualifications

• Must be US Citizen
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical field
• AZ-104 certification
• Experience: Minimum 3 years of professional experience in help desk, technical support, operations, or IT customer service roles
• Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI clearance (Required)
• Administration, back up and recovery of Jira, Confluence and Gitlab experience
• VDI Experience: Hands-on experience with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) technologies; Azure Virtual Desktop experience preferred
• Configuration Management: Experience with configuration management tools such as Salt, Ansible, Chef, or Puppet
• Ticketing Systems: Proficiency with Jira or similar ticketing and incident management systems
• Cloud Platforms: Working knowledge of Azure cloud services; experience supporting cloud-based applications
• Operating Systems: Strong troubleshooting skills in Windows and Linux environments
• Virtual Machines: Experience building, deploying, and maintaining virtual machine images and environments
• Customer Service: Proven track record of providing excellent customer service and technical support
• Documentation: Strong written communication skills for creating clear technical documentation and knowledge base articles
• Problem-Solving: Excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills with ability to resolve issues efficiently
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills for interacting with end-users and technical teams

All positions at Applied Research Solutions are subject to background investigations. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history and identity check.

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans.