IT System Administrator

University of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Downtown Columbia location

Competitive compensation

Paid Tuition

Paid Parental Leave

13 Paid Holidays

Job summary

The University of South Carolina's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing seeks an IT System Administrator to support teaching, research, administration, and outreach. You will manage a diverse computing environment, work with faculty, staff, students, and researchers, and help develop secure, scalable technology solutions across Windows, Linux/UNIX, macOS, and networking.

This role emphasizes hands-on support, system administration, training student IT staff, and collaboration across

Qualifications

• Experience administering Windows, Linux/UNIX, and macOS environments.
• Strong troubleshooting and communication skills.
• Ability to supervise student staff and coordinate with faculty.
• Knowledge of enterprise endpoint management and security.
• Ability to translate needs into scalable IT solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design, install, configure, maintain hardware and system software for department missions.
• Partner with faculty, staff, and students to troubleshoot issues and develop solutions.
• Use the enterprise IT ticket system to manage workload and update tickets.
• Train and supervise student employees and maintain documentation.

Skills

Windows environments

Linux/UNIX

macOS

Scripting/Automation

Job description

IT System Administrator

Join the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing at the University of South Carolina as an IT System Administrator supporting the technology that enables teaching, research, administration, and outreach across the College. In this role, you will manage and support a diverse computing environment, work directly with faculty, staff, students, and researchers, and help develop secure, reliable, and scalable technology solutions. This position offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of technologies—including Windows, Linux/UNIX, macOS, enterprise endpoint management, scripting, networking, and secure research computing—while collaborating across the College and University to solve challenging technical problems and support the College’s mission.

The IT System Administrator manages and supports technology for academic departments within the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. You will provide hands‑on technical support and systems administration for faculty, staff, students, and researchers; manage computer hardware, software, and network resources; support secure research computing environments; and help translate diverse technology needs into reliable, standardized, and scalable solutions. The role also includes supervising and training student IT employees and collaborating with IT professionals across the College and University.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and support departmental IT systems, including computers, hardware, software, network resources, and technology lifecycles supporting teaching, research, and administration.
• Partner with faculty, staff, students, and researchers to troubleshoot issues, provide technical guidance, and develop solutions that meet current and future technology needs.
• Support secure research computing environments while meeting applicable security, regulatory, University, and College requirements.
• Coordinate IT operations and supervise student technicians, including workload management, documentation, inventories, procedures, training, and customer communication.

What You’ll Bring

• Broad technical expertise supporting Windows, Linux/UNIX, and macOS environments, with experience in endpoint management, security, networking, and scripting or automation.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills with the ability to develop practical solutions for diverse teaching, research, and administrative technology needs.
• Excellent communication and customer‑service skills with the ability to build trusted relationships with faculty, staff, students, researchers, and IT colleagues.
• An organized, self‑directed professional who can manage multiple priorities, maintain strong documentation, learn evolving technologies, and translate organizational needs into standardized and scalable solutions.

Why Join Us?

• Make a direct impact on teaching and research by supporting the technology used by faculty, students, and researchers across the College.
• Work with diverse and challenging technology, from enterprise endpoint management and automation to research computing and secure environments.
• Collaborate across MCEC and USC with IT professionals, faculty, researchers, and other University partners to solve meaningful technology problems.
• Continue developing professionally through training, certifications, self‑directed learning, and participation in IT communities of practice.

Perks of the University of South Carolina

• Downtown COLA Location: Enjoy working in the heart of Columbia, SC, with easy access to vibrant city life, dining, and cultural events.
• Energetic Leadership: Thrive under the guidance of an energetic and innovative leadership team dedicated to transforming IT at USC, making your role impactful and exciting.
• Competitive Compensation: Some of the BEST benefits you can find!
• Work-Life-Balance: Full-time pay with a 37.5 work week
• Paid Tuition
• Paid Parental Leave
• Dependent Scholarships
• State Benefits
• State Retirement

Generous paid time off! (15 Paid Vacation Days, 15 Paid Sick Days, 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday))

Location

Campus: Columbia

Work County: Richland

College/Division: Division of Information Technology

Department: IT Network Services

Contract & Hours

Part/Full Time: Full Time

Basis: 12 months

Hours per week: 37.5

Salary

USC Market Range: MRH - $64,827 $81,034 $97,241

Anticipated Hiring Range: $70,000 - $75,000

Benefits

• Health and Life Insurance
• Retirement Programs
• Paid Tuition
• Dependent Scholarships
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional Development Opportunities

• Health and life insurance, generous paid leave and retirement programs.

Job Duties

• Design, install, configure, maintain, monitor, troubleshoot, and upgrade hardware and system software configurations in support of CEC departmental administrative, academic, and research missions. Manage hardware and software lifecycles; negotiate pricing and purchasing. Manage, troubleshoot, and verify user workstation backups and network services to user workstations. Comply with all pertinent information security requirements and standards as mandated by federal and state laws and regulations, as well as University and College policies and procedures. Comply with all pertinent information security requirements and standards as mandated by federal and state laws and regulations, as well as University and College policies and procedures. Failure in compliance will result in failing this job duty.
• Proactively partner with faculty, staff, and students to further university goals by providing technical assistance, troubleshooting, training, and consulting related to information technology services and resources. Assist users with issues and seek solutions to solve users’ technology needs. Build and manage positive relationships with faculty, staff, and students to best understand their diverse technology needs and implement information technology best practices that fit the current and future anticipated needs. Develop trust by being knowledgeable, dependable, and responsive. Observe and analyze business processes and advise where additions or changes to technology may provide increased efficiency, accuracy, or otherwise provide value or improve the existing process. Comply with all pertinent information security requirements and standards as mandated by federal and state laws and regulations, as well as University and College policies and procedures. Failure in compliance will result in failing this job duty.
• Use the enterprise IT ticket system to manage workload. Coordinate with other staff as needed to complete goals. Train and supervise student employees. Clearly communicate task steps and goals. Monitor task progress. Regularly provide updates on progress to supported users. Note and update tickets in enterprise IT ticket system to keep all staff informed of work in progress. Maintain physical space, tools, and equipment in IT offices to a reasonable standard of neatness and efficiency. Create and maintain related documentation, inventories, standard operating procedures, and training documents.
• Manage computers and computing resources in secure research environments. Understand the required regulatory frameworks for secure computing. Complete required trainings for secure computing. Assist faculty, staff, students, and researchers, manage, deploy and troubleshoot computer and computing resources issues in compliance with secure research needs and regulations.
• Obtain and maintain job training and certifications as required by job responsibilities. Self-train and maintain pace with rapidly changing technology as required. Participate in communities of practice.
• Perform additional duties as required.

Position Attributes

Employees in Safety‑Sensitive or Security‑Sensitive positions will be subject to pre‑employment and post‑employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing.

Posting Details

• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Desired Start Date: 10/15/2026
• Job Open Date: 10/07/2026
• Job Close Date: 10/14/2026
• Open Until Filled: No

EEO Statement

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.