Infrastructure Engineer - IS Systems Specialist III (Open & Promotional)

County of San Mateo; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of San Mateo’s Technology Services Department seeks an Infrastructure Engineer to lead and implement complex server and storage infrastructures, including AD design, IdP integration, and virtualization within hybrid cloud environments. You will guide technical direction, ensure system reliability, and mentor staff.

You will collaborate with vendors and County users to design, implement, and maintain secure, scalable infrastructure, overseeing projects, backups, and monitoring while

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience administering enterprise server infrastructure
• Advanced knowledge of AD domain and forest administration and design
• Experience supporting IdP in hybrid cloud environments (Okta, OAuth, MFA, Azure AD)
• Deep experience with virtualization platforms (VMware) and Nutanix hyperconverged infra
• Experience managing servers in hybrid cloud environments (on-prem and cloud)
• Strong Windows Server administration, including hardening and automation
• Linux server administration knowledge in enterprise environments
• Experience with infrastructure automation tools and scripting
• Strong interpersonal, documentation, and communication skills

Responsibilities

• Analyze, install, configure, maintain, and monitor hardware and software upgrades for server performance
• Configure real-time monitoring to identify outages and resource shortages
• Troubleshoot design, security, and integration deficiencies
• Develop standards, policies, procedures, and technical documentation
• Provide specialized technical support and act as primary contact for related issues
• Serve as technical lead for projects, including budgeting and coordinating with vendors and staff
• Lead major server incidents and communicate status to stakeholders
• Coordinate activities with technology services staff and other stakeholders
• Suggest long- and short-term infrastructure plans and improvements
• Review contracts with vendors and evaluate technical integrity

Skills

Enterprise server administration

Active Directory architecture

Identity Providers (IdP) support

Virtualization technologies

Hybrid cloud & on-prem

Infrastructure monitoring

Scripting & automation

Vendor management

Communication & training

Project leadership

Education

Four-year college degree in MIS/CS or related field

Tools

VMware vCenter/ESXi

Nutanix

Microsoft SCCM/ConfigMgr

Ansible

PowerShell

Job description

The County of San Mateo's Technology Services Department seeks a qualified Infrastructure Engineer. Under general supervision, this individual performs the most complex and varied technical tasks related to the configuration, troubleshooting, maintenance, and monitoring of the County's infrastructure; serves as a technical leader and subject matter expert in specific area(s); designs, analyzes, manages, and maintains multiple physical and virtual server infrastructures and storage systems ensuring proper integration of these components with existing system architecture; configures, manages, and monitors backup infrastructure; provides recommendations, support, and training to other technology services support staff and County users in areas of responsibility; and performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from assigned IS Systems Supervisor. May exercise technical and functional direction over and provides training to lower-level staff on a project basis.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey class in the IS Systems Specialist series. Incumbents serve as subject matter experts in specific area(s), perform complex and varied technical support, provide analytical support for County-wide infrastructure, and frequently solve problems requiring analysis of unique issues or problems without precedent and/or structure. Incumbents serve as technical lead for assigned projects. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area(s) of responsibility, working with a high degree of independent judgment, tact, and initiative. This classification is distinguished from the IS Systems Specialist II by the complexity and size of the applications supported and the amount of discretion exercised when solving problems and developing resolutions. This classification is further distinguished from the IS Senior Systems Specialist in that the latter is responsible for the daily technical and functional direction of assigned staff, work is performed within a broad framework of general policy requiring creativity and resourcefulness to accomplish goals and objectives, applies concepts, plans, and strategies which may deviate from established methods and practices, and regularly leads projects of critical importance and substantial consequence of success or failure to the County.

A highly qualified candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• 5+ years of professional experience administering enterprise server infrastructure, with strong expertise in Windows Server environments.
• Advanced knowledge of Active Directory domain and forest administration, including group policy, DNS, replication, domain controllers, trusts, security delegation, and enterprise-scale AD design.
• Experience supporting Identity Providers (IdP) in a hybrid cloud environment, including Okta, OAuth, MFA, Microsoft Entra ID, Azure AD Connect, or equivalent.
• Deep technical experience with virtualization platforms, including VMware vCenter/ESXi and experience with Nutanix-based hyperconverged infrastructure; Hyper-V experience is a plus.
• Experience managing servers and core infrastructure services in hybrid cloud environments, including on-premises data centers, cloud-hosted workloads, monitoring, patching, backup, and disaster recovery practices.
• Strong Windows Server administration skills, including installation, configuration, hardening, troubleshooting, performance tuning, lifecycle management, and automation at scale.
• Working knowledge of Linux server administration, including provisioning, basic configuration, patching, access control, and troubleshooting in an enterprise environment.
• Experience with infrastructure automation and endpoint/server management tools, such as Microsoft Configuration Manager/SCCM, Ansible, PowerShell, scripting, or similar platforms.
• Strong interpersonal, documentation, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical teams, vendors, management, and business stakeholders.

Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the functions of the job.

• Analyzes, installs, configures, maintains, and monitors hardware and software upgrades to ensure effective server performance.
• Configures and implements real-time monitoring to identify and resolve service outages and critical resource shortages in a timely and efficient manner.
• Monitors system performance to identify and troubleshoot deficiencies in design, security, installation, and/or integration with other technologies.
• Researches, recommends, and implements system enhancements to improve the performance and reliability of the system; researches, recommends, tests, and implements upgrades and fixes as needed.
• Develops and recommends comprehensive standards, policies, procedures, and technical documentation pertaining to system maintenance and infrastructure.
• Provides specialized and complex technical support and assistance to staff concerning assigned systems; serves as the primary contact for and resolves related issues, conflicts, and concerns; responds to inquiries and provides information concerning system operations, projects, malfunctions, equipment, upgrades, practices, procedures, and related software applications.
• Serves as technical lead for assigned projects, including developing project budget and allocating resources, gathering user and systems requirements, working with vendors, contractors, project managers, and other project staff, installing, configuring, testing, and providing general technical support, and developing technical and user documentation.
• Provides direction during major server incidents to ensure an expedient response and resolution; maintains communication with all stakeholders on server infrastructure status; identifies underlying problems causing incidents and designs, proposes, and implements resolutions.
• Functions as a liaison between project managers, analysts, data specialists, communications specialists, and client systems specialists to ensure standards and protocols are maintained; assists in coordinating activities with other technology services staff.
• Provides recommendations to managers and supervisors on the development of long- and short-term system infrastructure plans.
• Participates in the review and recommendation of contracts with outside vendors and consultants; administers, monitors, and evaluates contract scope of work; reviews design documents to ensure technical integrity.
• Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in technology related to County operations; researches, recommends, and evaluates vendor solutions and technologies; implements improvements; works with staff to maintain, revise, or improve operations and systems.
• Writes and maintains user and technical operating instructions and documentation; provides training to users and other technical staff and advises on best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Advanced infrastructure design, architecture, configuration, installation, and maintenance methods and techniques.
• Advanced techniques and methods of server infrastructure evaluation, implementation, and documentation.
• Advanced troubleshooting, configuration, and installation techniques.
• Principles and practices of project management.
• Principles of computer operating systems, enterprise infrastructure, and peripheral components.
• Advanced principles and practices of designing, installing, managing, and maintaining virtualization technologies.
• Principles and practices of configuring and using of system monitoring tools.
• Principles and practices of configuring and implementing system backup solutions.
• Procedures for creating and modifying systems security.
• The organization, operation, and functions of the department as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities and to determine appropriate point of escalation.
• Applicable regulatory requirements relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with vendors and County staff.

Skill/Ability to:

• Perform advanced technical support functions in the design, architecture, installation, configuration, maintenance, and repair of assigned systems; take appropriate action to resolve problems or elevate to appropriate staff as needed.
• Perform complex functions in the design, installation, management, implementation, testing, and maintenance of a variety of support servers, storage systems, and other components.
• Monitor system and server utilization and recommend appropriate revisions to processes, procedures, and operations.
• Perform analyses of informational requirements and needs; identify, evaluate, and solve systems problems; design and implement new or revised systems and procedures; provide technical advice and consultation, and ensure efficient computer system utilization.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret procedures and data; develop sound conclusions, recommendations, and solutions.
• Deal tactfully with the customers and staff in providing information, answering questions, and providing customer service.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in management information systems, computer science, or a related field and four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience in supporting and implementing information technology infrastructure and/or server administration and specific to the specialty area assigned which includes data center management, IT facilities management, storage and backup, server management and server operating systems, and/or configuration management and event management. Additional related experience may substitute for education requirement on a year-for-year basis, up to four (4) years.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Some positions may require possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License.
• Some positions may require possession of, or ability to obtain, industry-recognized information technology certifications.

Physical Demands

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Standing in and walking between work areas is frequently required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification frequently bend, stoop, kneel, and reach to perform assigned duties, as well as push and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift and carry materials and objects up to 50 pounds with the use of proper equipment and push and pull materials and objects up to 100 pounds with the use of proper equipment.

Environmental Elements

Employees work in an office environment with moderate levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff when providing infrastructure support services.

Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply.

Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra help/limited term position prior to the final filing date w will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualifications. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

Final Filing Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST

Screening: Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Combined Panel Interviews: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.

Analyst: Arlene Cahill (IS Systems Specialist III - V278)