Operating Systems Administrator

United States Courts; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Texas Western Federal Public Defender's Office in San Antonio seeks an Operating Systems Administrator to build, implement, and support the Windows-based infrastructure for the Western District of Texas. You will manage AD/GP, perform server maintenance, and lead infrastructure projects with strong customer service across technical and nontechnical audiences.

The role requires AD/GP proficiency, PowerShell scripting, virtualization experience (Hyper-V) and SAN management, with a focus on

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 3+ years general experience; education may substitute part.
• 4+ years specialized experience; education may substitute part.
• Background check required (FBI name & fingerprints).
• Experience with Windows Server maintenance for security, health, availability.
• Able to go beyond documented procedures to identify root causes.
• Strong networking fundamentals.
• Advanced AD and Group Policy administration.
• PowerShell to administer, troubleshoot, and automate Windows infra.
• Data center technologies and enterprise storage (SAN).
• Experience leading projects and providing architectural input.
• Experience diagnosing virtualization, performance, and availability issues (desirable).
• 3+ years with Windows Server deployments in virtualized environments (Failover Clustering).
• 3+ years with Windows Server OS, Hyper-V, and enterprise storage (SAN).

Responsibilities

• Install, deploy, maintain, and support Windows client/server OS.
• Administer and troubleshoot Active Directory and Group Policy.
• Manage third-party applications with vendor support.
• Serve as Tier-3 escalation for complex Windows infra issues.
• Communicate technical issues to nontechnical and technical audiences.
• Drive infrastructure projects independently or with a team.
• Evaluate technologies and provide enterprise system recommendations.
• Utilize enterprise tools to manage and secure large data center environments.
• Prepare and present reports on usage and system health.
• Mentor team members and serve as escalation resource.
• Develop and maintain project documentation (diagrams, install docs, upgrade assessments).
• Implement and troubleshoot security controls (hardening, patching, privileged access, endpoint security).

Skills

Windows Server administration

Active Directory

Group Policy

PowerShell

Networking fundamentals

Virtualization

Failover Clustering

SAN/storage

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Hyper-V

Failover Clustering

PowerShell

Job description

Court Name/Organization Texas Western Federal Public Defender

Overview of the Position The Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas is accepting applications for the position Operating Systems Administrator, to be stationed in the San Antonio office.

The Operating Systems Administrator role involves developing, executing, and supporting the national Federal Defender Microsoft Windows infrastructure. Specialized duties include:

• Windows client and server operating system installation, deployment, maintenance, and support
• Administration and troubleshooting Active Directory and Group Policy
• Manage and maintain third-party applications in conjunction with vendor support
• Serve as a Tier-3 escalation resource for complex Windows infrastructure issues with the ability to troubleshoot across infrastructure boundaries
• Communicate technical issues, to both a nontechnical and technical audience, with excellent customer service skills
• Drive infrastructure related projects independently or through collaboration with team members
• Evaluate technologies and technical solutions and provide recommendations concerning enterprise systems, platforms, and services
• Utilize enterprise tools to manage, monitor, and secure large enterprise data center environments
• Prepare and present reports on usage and system health
• Serve as a Microsoft Windows escalation resource and mentor team members
• Demonstrate attention to detail and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during course of work
• Occasional travel and lifting equipment up to 50 pounds
• Monitor enterprise infrastructure including storage area networks (SAN) and Windowsserver environments
• Develop and maintain project documentation such as: Infrastructure diagrams, installation documentation, upgrade assessments, knowledge base articles
• Implementing and troubleshooting security controls within Microsoft Windows environments, including hardening, patch management,privileged access, and endpoint security

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 3 years of general experience (relevant accredited coursework may substitute for part)
• 4 years of specialized experience (education may substitute for part)
• Employment contingent on a satisfactory background check (FBI name & fingerprints)
• Experience performing Microsoft Windows Server maintenance to ensure the system is secure, healthy, and highly available
• Comfortable working beyond documented procedures to identify root cause and implement sustainable solutions
• Practical and in-depth understanding of networking principles
• Advanced Active Directory and Group Policy administration and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated proficiency using PowerShell to administer, troubleshoot, and automate Windows infrastructure
• Knowledge of data center technologies, functions, and infrastructure
• Experience in leading projects and providing architectural input for system design
• Experience diagnosing complex virtualization, performance, resource, and availability issues is highly desirable
• 3+ years experience supporting Microsoft Windows Server deployments in virtualized environments including Failover Clustering
• 3+ years experience administering and supporting enterprise Microsoft Windows server operating systems (2019, 2022, 2025, Hyper‑V), server class hardware, and enterprise storage (SAN) technologies

Employee Benefits

• Retirement benefits under the Federal Employees Retirement System
• Optional participation in Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
• Optional participation in Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
• Optional participation in Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
• Position is excepted service, without competitive civil service tenure

Application Info

• Cover letter and resume
• Three professional references with their contact information
• Form AO-78 – All sections of the AO-78 must be completed in full, with dates in the following format: mm/dd/yyyy

To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, contact personnel administrator Michelle Higgins at 210-981-2081.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.