Senior IT Systems Administrator — Windows Server & Cloud Ops Lead

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays + PTO

401(k) plan and contributions

Disability insurance (Long-term/Short/

Parental Leave

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Senior IT Systems Administrator in Long Beach, CA to oversee server, cloud, network, and end-user computing infrastructure. You will lead upgrades, security, and automation efforts while ensuring uptime and performance.

The role requires 7+ years in systems administration, expertise in Windows Server, AD/GP, M365, and ITSM tooling like ServiceNow. Collaboration with cross-functional teams and strong incident escalation are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent in IT/CS/Engineering.
• 7+ years of experience in Systems Administration or Infrastructure Support roles.
• Relevant certifications preferred: Microsoft 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

ITIL Processes

Advanced Troubleshooting Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Tools

VMware

Hyper-V

ServiceNow

Job description

Cognizant is seeking a Senior IT Systems Administrator in Long Beach, CA to oversee server, cloud, network, and end-user computing infrastructure. You will lead upgrades, security, and automation efforts while ensuring uptime and performance.

The role requires 7+ years in systems administration, expertise in Windows Server, AD/GP, M365, and ITSM tooling like ServiceNow. Collaboration with cross-functional teams and strong incident escalation are essential.