Senior Network and Computer Systems Administrator

Wood River Federal; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Wood River Federal seeks a Senior Network and Computer Systems Administrator to lead architectural design, implementation, and high-level maintenance of the enterprise server and network infrastructure. This role ensures security, availability, and performance of back-end systems and mentors junior staff.

The incumbent drives infrastructure projects, manages capacity planning, and aligns with DoD security mandates (RMF, STIGs) while serving as a final escalation point for complex issues and

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive systems and network administration experience.
• At least 3 years in a senior or lead admin role with architectural design.
• Experience managing enterprise virtualization environments.
• DoD 8140 IAT Level II/III certs required (Security+ CE for IAT II; CASP+ or CISSP for IAT III).

Responsibilities

• Design, lead, and implement major infrastructure projects (VMware upgrades, SAN migrations, backbone refreshes).
• Evaluate new technologies and advise leadership on architectural improvements.
• Develop and maintain documentation of network and system architecture.
• Perform capacity planning and performance tuning for growth.
• Serve as final Tier 3 escalation point for complex outages and performance issues.
• Lead security controls to meet DoD RMF/STIGs compliance.
• Mentor junior and journeyman administrators; develop SOPs.

Skills

Virtualization

VMware vSphere

SAN/NAS storage

Active Directory

Networking protocols

PowerShell scripting

Security RMF/STIGs

DoD compliance

Tools

VMware vSphere/vCenter

Windows Server

DNS/AD management

PowerShell

Job description

Labor Category Description

The Senior Network and Computer Systems Administrator is a highly experienced subject matter expert (SME) and the lead technical authority responsible for the architectural design, implementation, and high-level maintenance of the enterprise server and network infrastructure. This role ensures the security, availability, and performance of all critical back-end systems. The Senior Administrator leads infrastructure projects, serves as the final escalation point for the most complex technical issues, and provides mentorship and technical guidance to junior and journeyman administrators. They are responsible for long-range planning, capacity management, and the continuous improvement of the IT infrastructure in alignment with organizational goals and security mandates.

Typical Task List

Infrastructure Architecture And Engineering

• Design, lead, and implement major infrastructure projects, such as server virtualization upgrades, Storage Area Network (SAN) migrations, and network backbone refreshes.
• Evaluate new technologies and provide expert recommendations to leadership for future architectural improvements and technology refresh cycles.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of the network and system architecture, including high-level diagrams, configuration standards, and disaster recovery plans.
• Perform capacity planning and performance tuning to ensure the infrastructure can support future growth and performance requirements.

Advanced Systems And Network Administration

• Serve as the final Tier 3 escalation point for complex and persistent system and network outages and performance degradation issues.
• Manage and administer the enterprise virtualization environment (e.g., VMware vSphere/vCenter), including host configuration, high-availability, and performance monitoring.
• Develop and manage the overall patch management strategy, ensuring all systems are patched in a timely and secure manner while minimizing operational impact.
• Lead the implementation and management of enterprise backup and disaster recovery solutions, and oversee regular DR testing.

Security And Compliance Leadership

• Lead the technical implementation and validation of security controls to meet DoD and Air Force compliance requirements (e.g., RMF, STIGs).
• Interpret security mandates and develop actionable plans for system hardening and configuration management.
• Oversee the vulnerability management program for the infrastructure team, analyzing complex vulnerabilities and directing remediation efforts.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams during audits and security assessments, providing technical evidence and expertise.

Mentorship And Knowledge Management

• Provide technical leadership, on-the-job training, and mentorship to junior and journeyman administrators.
• Establish and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for system and network administration tasks.
• Act as a technical lead on cross-functional project teams, providing expert guidance on infrastructure-related matters.

Minimum Qualifications / Requirements

• Experience A minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressive, hands-on experience in systems and network administration.
• At least three (3) years of this experience must be in a senior or lead administrator role, with responsibility for architectural design and leading infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, enterprise-level virtualization environments is required.
• Certifications (Baseline) Must possess a current certification that meets DoD 8140 requirements for IAT Level II Or IAT Level III. Acceptable Certifications Include: Required: CompTIA Security+ CE (for IAT II); Desired: CASP+ CE or CISSP (for IAT III).
• Certifications (Computing Environment) Must possess at least one advanced, relevant CE certification. Examples include: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA); Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP); Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (if cloud-focused) or Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate.
• Security Clearance Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoW Security Clearance.
• Technical Skills Expert-level knowledge of virtualization platforms (VMware preferred). Advanced proficiency with enterprise storage systems (SAN/NAS). In-depth knowledge of network architecture and protocols, including routing (e.g., OSPF, BGP), switching, and firewalls. Expertise in managing Microsoft Windows Server environments, including Active Directory, DNS, and Group Policy at an enterprise scale. Strong scripting skills for automation (e.g., PowerShell).