Senior IT Systems Administrator — Infrastructure & Automation Lead

Cognizant; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Holidays

Paid Time Off

401(k) Plan

Disability Insurance

Parental Leave

Job summary

Cognizant in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior IT Systems Administrator to lead the administration, maintenance, and optimization of the server, cloud, network, and end-user computing infrastructure. The role ensures stability, security, and availability of business-critical systems while providing advanced technical support and leadership for infrastructure operations.

Key responsibilities include managing Windows Server environments, Active Directory, DNS/DHCP, Microsoft 365, and endpoint

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in Systems Administration or Infrastructure Support roles.
• Relevant certifications preferred: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator; Microsoft 365 Administrator; ITIL Foundation; VMware VCP; CompTIA Server+ or Network+

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain Windows Server environments.
• Manage Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and identity management services.
• Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot enterprise infrastructure systems.
• Perform server provisioning, patching, upgrades, and decommissioning activities.
• Ensure system availability, reliability, and performance.
• Administer Microsoft 365 services, incl Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
• Support user provisioning, access management, and mailbox administration.
• Troubleshoot collaboration and messaging platform issues.
• Monitor infrastructure health using enterprise monitoring tools.
• Perform capacity planning and performance tuning.
• Support datacenter operations, hardware installations, and infrastructure maintenance.
• Coordinate with network, security, and server teams during planned and unplanned activities.
• Provide Level 3 support for desktops, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and workplace technologies.
• Administer endpoint management platforms such as Intune and SCCM.
• Support operating system deployments and patch management.
• Manage software packaging and distribution.
• Act as an escalation point for complex technical incidents.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Participate in change management reviews and CAB meetings.
• Ensure infrastructure changes follow governance and compliance standards.
• Implement security hardening and vulnerability remediation activities.
• Support audit and compliance requirements.
• Manage privileged access, security groups, and access controls.

Skills

Windows Server Administration

Active Directory

Group Policy

Microsoft 365 Administration

DNS

DHCP

TCP/IP

VMware / Hyper-V

Server Monitoring

ITIL Processes

ServiceNow

Advanced Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's Degree in IT/CS/Engineering

Tools

Intune

SCCM

Job description

Cognizant in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior IT Systems Administrator to lead the administration, maintenance, and optimization of the server, cloud, network, and end-user computing infrastructure. The role ensures stability, security, and availability of business-critical systems while providing advanced technical support and leadership for infrastructure operations.

Key responsibilities include managing Windows Server environments, Active Directory, DNS/DHCP, Microsoft 365, and endpoint