IT Platform Administrator (ARL)

Pennsylvania State University; Warminster Township (Bucks County); On-site; USD 75,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University's Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) is hiring an IT Platform Administrator for its Information Technology Services Division. The role provides systems administration, computing support, and specialized services that keep ARL's classified research and administrative systems secure, compliant, and reliable.

The salary range for this position is $75,468-$145,428, with full-time benefits. Employment requires security clearance eligibility, DoD/NIST compliance, and U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field with 1–3+ years of relevant experience.
• Eligibility for Top Secret-level access subject to background investigation.
• Experience administering Windows and Linux with AD/Group Policy.
• Experience with VMware virtualization platforms.
• Proficiency with Splunk forwarders and log monitoring.
• Familiarity with Jira Service Management and ITIL practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-user support across secure networks, troubleshooting medium/complex issues and maintaining Jira tickets, change requests, and asset records.
• Complete on-site hardware, provisioning, peripheral, networking, and cabling tasks for the Warminster facility.
• Administer Windows and Linux systems across physical and virtual environments, including AD account and group management.
• Operate and maintain VMware/Hyper-V virtualization platforms, creating VMs, templates, and snapshots.
• Apply DISA STIGs, remediate findings, and support audits to meet DoD/NIST compliance controls.
• Monitor system and network health, deploying Splunk forwarders and building alerts and dashboards.
• Develop and maintain SOPs for system administration, access management, backup/restore, patching, and incident response.
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing runbooks and automating routine tasks to reduce Mean Time to Resolution.

Skills

Security clearance

InfoSec certs

Windows admin

Linux admin

VMware admin

Network admin

Splunk admin

PowerShell

Bash

Jira admin

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

vRealize

vSphere

NSX

SRM

Job description

Penn State University's Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) is hiring an IT Platform Administrator for its Information Technology Services Division. The role provides systems administration, computing support, and specialized services that keep ARL's classified research and administrative systems secure, compliant, and reliable.

You will:

• Provide end-user support across secure networks, troubleshooting medium/complex issues and maintaining Jira tickets, change requests, and asset records
• Complete on-site hardware, provisioning, peripheral, networking, and cabling tasks for the Warminster facility
• Administer Windows and Linux systems across physical and virtual environments, including AD account and group management
• Operate and maintain VMware/Hyper-V virtualization platforms, creating VMs, templates, and snapshots
• Apply DISA STIGs, remediate findings, and support audits to meet DoD/NIST compliance controls
• Monitor system and network health, deploying Splunk forwarders and building alerts and dashboards
• Develop and maintain SOPs for system administration, access management, backup/restore, patching, and incident response
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing runbooks and automating routine tasks to reduce Mean Time to Resolution

Required skills and experience:

• Current eligibility for Top Secret-level access to classified information, subject to a government background investigation
• Ability to obtain and maintain an information security certification (Security+, CASP+, or CySA+)
• Windows/Linux administration, including AD/Group Policy, provisioning, patching, and baseline management
• VMware administration (vRealize, vSphere, NSX, SRM) and basic network administration (L2 switching, VLANs, port security)
• Splunk Universal Forwarders and log ingestion monitoring; scripting and automation with PowerShell/Bash
• Jira Service Management ticketing, change control, and ITIL incident/problem practices

Education and experience:

Bachelor's degree and 1-3+ years of relevant experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience), depending on level.

Compensation and benefits:

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $75,468-$145,428. Penn State offers a full benefits package for full-time employees, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, paid time off, and a 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.

Employment requires eligibility to obtain a government security clearance, participation in ARL's drug testing program, and U.S. citizenship.