IT Infrastructure Engineer

Perkins&Will; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a skilled IT Infrastructure Engineer to design and manage both on-premises and cloud-based systems. This role involves ensuring the security and reliability of critical IT infrastructure, utilizing advanced tools like Microsoft Defender and Sentinel. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in networking, server management, and security operations, with a passion for problem-solving and a commitment to continuous improvement. Join a diverse and inclusive team that values innovation and collaboration, where your expertise will directly impact the success of the organization.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of IT infrastructure engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience with Windows Server and networking.
• Strong understanding of security principles.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure.
• Configure and manage Microsoft Defender suite for security.
• Create documentation for infrastructure and security configurations.

Skills

Windows Server

Active Directory/Entra ID

Networking (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPNs)

Virtualization

Microsoft Defender Suite

Microsoft Sentinel

PowerShell

Troubleshooting

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Equivalent practical experience

Tools

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Identity

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Microsoft Sentinel

Azure

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Infrastructure Management:
  • Design, deploy, manage, and maintain on-premises and cloud-based (Azure preferred) infrastructure components, including servers (Windows Server), virtualization platforms, storage, and networking equipment.
  • Administer and maintain Active Directory / Microsoft Entra ID environments, including identity lifecycle and conditional access.
  • Ensure the reliability, availability, and performance of critical IT systems through monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
  • Implement solutions that incorporate backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity principals.

• Security Operations & Engineering:
  • Configure, manage, and optimize the Microsoft Defender suite (including Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps, Defender Vulnerability Management) to protect endpoints, identities, and cloud resources.
  • Operate and maintain Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM/SOAR) for security monitoring, threat detection, analysis, and incident response. Develop and tune detection rules, analytics, and response playbooks.
  • Respond to and implement changes/improvements based on security assessments, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing results.
  • Respond to security incidents, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.\

• General Duties:
  • Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for infrastructure design, security configurations, and operational procedures.
  • Provide technical expertise and support to other IT staff and end-users on infrastructure and security-related matters.
  • Active participation in Infrastructure projects, including project management of small to medium-sized projects.
    • Lead projects with other Infrastructure staff as support.
    • Act as support on Infrastructure projects led by other team members.
  • Introduce ideas and advocate for improvement of Infrastructure team’s processes
  • Participate in on-call support for critical infrastructure and security support, if applicable.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field, OR equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in IT infrastructure engineering/administration, including hands-on experience with Windows Server, Active Directory/Entra ID, networking (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPNs, Firewalls, routing, switching), and virtualization.
• Proven, hands-on experience implementing and managing security solutions within the Microsoft ecosystem, specifically:
• Microsoft Defender Suite: Demonstrable experience with configuration, policy management, and alert triage across various Defender components (Endpoint, Identity, etc.).
• Microsoft Sentinel: Experience with log ingestion, KQL query writing, analytics rule creation, incident investigation, and SOAR playbook development/management.
• Strong understanding of core information security principles (e.g., least privilege, defense-in-depth, privileged identity management, privileged access management, incident response lifecycle).
• Experience with scripting languages, particularly PowerShell, for automation and administration.
• Excellent troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, GDPR).
• Experience with Microsoft Azure IaaS and PaaS services.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Relevant industry certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200), Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300), Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500), Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate (MS-500), CompTIA Security+, CISSP).

Compensation:

We foster a culture that is diverse and inclusive and strive for pay practices that are fair, competitive and reflect our commitment to pay equity. Our compensation decisions include but are not limited to a candidate’s qualifications including skill sets, education, experience and training, licensure and certifications credentials if applicable, and business-related factors. This practice extends to all employees, including performance considerations for merit increases, job promotions, and transfer opportunities. We additionally review our pay practices, conduct pay equity audits, and ensure our managers are trained in our pay practices on an annual basis. At the time of posting this job advertisement, the annual pay salary range for this position is between $115,600 and $160,000, commensurate with qualifications and dependent on geographic location.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Perkins&Will has established and adopted an Equal Employment Opportunity Employment policy (“EEO”), which is part of the Company’s Human Resources Policy. The purpose of this EEO policy is to ensure that all employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis, and without regard to sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender reassignment, citizenship, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable national, federal, state, or local law. In some cases, local laws and regulations may provide greater protections than those outlined here and employees will be covered by the laws of their local jurisdiction.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.