Senior Storage Administrator

Wright State University; Kentucky; Hybrid; USD 103,500 - 126,500; Full time

Job summary

Wright State University is looking for a Senior Storage Administrator to manage critical enterprise storage systems. This role involves designing, implementing, and ensuring high availability of storage solutions for university data.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience with Dell EMC platforms and SAN technologies, along with a strong understanding of data protection measures. The position allows for remote work but prioritizes local applicants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• At least 8 years of relevant enterprise storage experience.
• Proficiency in scripting languages like Python or PowerShell.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage centralized storage for all university servers.
• Maintain and modify storage fabrics to support redundancy.
• Provide high-level technical support and resolve complex issues.

Skills

Expert-level administration of enterprise block and NAS storage systems

SAN Fabric Management

Deep expertise in enterprise data protection

Advanced understanding of storage integration with server virtualization

Proficiency in scripting for storage management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Dell EMC platforms (Unity, PowerStore, Isilon)

Cisco MDS SAN switches

Veritas NetBackup appliances

Job description

Wright State University is an equal opportunity employer.

Faculty Rank or Job Title: Senior Storage Administrator

Job Category: IT

Department: Computing & Telecommunications

EEO number: 26P312

Position FTE: 100%

Minimum Annual Salary: $115,000

Salary Band: UC S08

Job Summary

The Senior Storage Administrator is responsible for the architectural design, implementation, and management of the university’s centralized mission‑critical enterprise storage systems. This role ensures high availability, data integrity, and robust recovery capabilities for all university data through the management of SAN / NAS infrastructure and complex backup and disaster recovery (DR) solutions. The position provides the last line of technical support and offers strategic leadership in infrastructure evolution, including virtualization and cloud integration.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, plus at least 8 years of relevant enterprise storage experience (or commensurate hands‑on experience in lieu of a degree).
• Storage Platforms: Expert‑level, hands‑on administration experience with enterprise block and NAS storage systems, specifically Dell EMC platforms (Unity, PowerStore, and Isilon).
• SAN Fabric Management: Proficiency in configuring, maintaining, and upgrading SAN fabrics, including strong experience with Cisco MDS SAN switches and dual‑fabric redundant configurations.
• Backup & Recovery: Deep expertise in enterprise data protection, specifically using Veritas NetBackup appliances.
• Ransomware Protection: Demonstrated experience managing immutable/WORM storage (e.g., NetBackup Flex) to secure data against ransomware.
• Systems & Networking Integration: Advanced understanding of how storage integrates with server virtualization (e.g., VMware) and core networking concepts.
• Problem Solving: Proven ability to act as an escalation point for complex, cross‑domain technical issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications: Relevant industry certifications, such as Dell Technologies Proven Professional (Storage), Cisco Certified Specialist (Data Center SAN), or SNIA credentials.
• Cloud Integration: Practical experience managing off‑site replication, hybrid cloud storage workloads, and archival tiering using Amazon S3.
• Automation & Scripting: Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Bash) or automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Terraform) to streamline storage provisioning, reporting, and lifecycle management.
• SaaS Data Protection: Experience managing enterprise‑scale backups for Microsoft 365 environments.
• Advanced Monitoring: Familiarity utilizing Dell CloudIQ and InsightIQ for predictive analytics, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
• Vendor & Procurement Experience: Previous experience consulting with stakeholders, evaluating vendor bids, and contributing to the technical aspects of RFPs/ITNs for infrastructure procurement.
• Frameworks: Working knowledge of IT service management frameworks (like ITIL) for structured incident, problem, and change management.

Essential Functions and Percent of Time

1. Design & Build (…%): Plan, organize, and manage centralized storage for all university servers, ensuring capacity, reliability, and protection.
2. Provisioning: Provision block and file storage for new servers and applications; add new servers to storage platforms using vendor interfaces.
3. SAN Fabric: Maintain and modify storage fabrics (Cisco MDS SAN switches), performing maintenance, upgrades, and configuration changes to support redundancy and performance.
4. Lifecycle Management: Coordinate storage migration projects and platform transitions to ensure hardware remains current and performant.
5. Backup, Recovery & Disaster Recovery (25%):
   • Policy Design: Establish and maintain backup and retention policies and design disaster recovery solutions for mission‑critical data.
   • Immutable Security: Manage immutable/WORM storage (NetBackup Flex) to protect against ransomware and data loss.
   • Restoration: Perform complex file‑level and system‑level restores for faculty, staff, and students, ensuring recovery processes are tested and repeatable.
   • Cloud Integration: Manage archival workloads and off‑site replication using Amazon S3 and off‑site Isilon DR clusters.
6. Advanced Technical Support & Problem Resolution (20%):
   • Last‑Line Support: Provide the highest level of technical support to other technical staff, resolving high‑complexity issues that require cross‑domain knowledge (storage, servers, networking).
   • Coordination: Lead storage‑related problem resolution activities between CaTS staff, vendors, and the university community.
   • Monitoring: Utilize tools including Dell CloudIQ and InsightIQ for regular monitoring of storage logs, alerts, and performance trends.
7. Technical Leadership & Infrastructure Strategy (10%):
   • Evolution: Provide storage‑related leadership in the design of infrastructure changes, including server virtualization, cloud services, and data center modifications.
   • Process Standards: Establish quota management rules and monitor overall space capacity to ensure minimum free‑space thresholds.
   • Mentorship: Lead and coordinate other storage staff in day‑to‑day management activities.
8. Strategic Advisory & Vendor Relations (10%):
   • Consultation: Advise management, department heads, and faculty researchers on storage needs, growth trends, and technology advances.
   • Procurement: Lead storage‑related equipment acquisition, including researching technology changes, writing RFPs/ITNs, and evaluating vendor bids.
9. Professional Development & Documentation (5%):
   • Continuous Learning: Attend training and conferences to stay informed of industry directions and emerging storage solutions.
   • Documentation: Maintain detailed records of configurations and processes on restricted NAS platforms to ensure operational continuity.

Working Conditions

Reporting Structure and On‑call: The position may require occasional evening or weekend work for system maintenance and upgrades. The role may involve collaboration with remote teams and support for users in different time zones. It is a mid‑level position requiring some oversight and oriented direction by others but with autonomy to perform process analysis and provide recommendations. The position requires 24×7 on‑call support.

Remote Work: This position allows for remote work but may require an onsite presence for certain efforts. Applicants with proximity to the university’s main campus will be given priority.