System Administrator II

Koam Engineering Systems, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Koam Engineering Systems, Inc. seeks an experienced System Administrator II to support MD ATE NOC test operations in San Diego.

You will administer Windows Server environments, AD, DNS, and Hyper‑V virtualization, ensuring end‑to‑end test architectures run smoothly and securely. You will troubleshoot cross‑boundary issues across networks, applications, and firewalls, using Wireshark and logs to pinpoint failures, implement fixes, and coordinate with cybersecurity and engineering teams for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with related disciplines.
• DoD/DoD-like security clearance and IAT Level II or higher, or ability to obtain.
• Experience with Windows Server environments, AD, DNS, GPO and patch management.

Responsibilities

• Learn end-to-end MD ATE test architectures and supporting infrastructure.
• Provide hands-on support for pre-, during, and post-test activities.
• Troubleshoot connectivity, firewall policies, OS and virtualization dependencies.
• Capture and analyze network traffic with Wireshark to validate communications.
• Configure and troubleshoot Windows Server, Domain Controllers, AD, DNS, and file services.
• Manage Hyper-V virtualized infrastructure and high-availability resources.
• Apply DISA STIGs, patch management, vulnerability remediation, and RMF/ATO readiness.
• Document configurations, procedures, and test-architecture information.
• Coordinate with network, cybersecurity and other teams to resolve cross-functional issues.

Skills

Windows Server

Active Directory

Virtualization (Hyper-V)

TCP/IP / TCP/UDP

Wireshark

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Security+ (DoD IAT Level II) or equivalent

Tools

ACAS

RMF

WSUS

Job description

Koam Engineering Systems, Inc. (KES Inc.) is an employee-owned small business specializing in technology innovation and systems integration by combining innovative products and reliable engineering services. Headquartered in San Diego, California and with offices in Gig Harbor, WA KES provides services globally in systems engineering & technical assistance, requirements analysis, software design & development, systems integration & testing, independent verification & validation, and operational & logistic support.

Position Summary

We are currently seeking a System Administrator II to support the configuration, integration, sustainment, and troubleshooting of systems and infrastructure within the Missile Defense Analysis, Testing, and Engineering (MD ATE) Network Operations Center (NOC). This position primarily supports test events by developing an end-to-end understanding of test architectures, system dependencies, data flows, and communications paths and using that knowledge to identify, isolate, and resolve technical issues before and during test execution.

This position is responsible for administering and troubleshooting Windows Server environments, domain services, virtual machines, file services, high‑availability resources, system security, and other infrastructure supporting test operations. The selected candidate will also troubleshoot issues across system and network boundaries, including application services, TCP/UDP communications, firewall policies, and physical connectivity. This requires the ability to follow communications through the test architecture, use tools such as Wireshark and system logs to isolate failures, modify firewall rules as required, identify Layer 1 connectivity issues, and coordinate with network, cybersecurity, and other technical personnel to resolve issues affecting test execution.

This role requires strong system administration and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to work across system and network boundaries during test operations. The selected candidate must be able to understand how systems communicate within an integrated test architecture, trace issues across the environment, determine where failures are occurring, and work with network, cybersecurity, and other engineering teams to restore required functionality.

Responsibilities

• Learn and maintain a working understanding of end-to-end architectures supporting MD ATE test events, including systems, interfaces, dependencies, data flows, communications paths, and supporting infrastructure
• Provide hands‑on technical support for pre-test, test, and post-test activities by identifying, isolating, troubleshooting, and resolving system and connectivity issues that could impact test execution
• Troubleshoot issues across physical connectivity, TCP/UDP transport, firewall policies, operating systems, virtualized infrastructure, server and application services, and other dependencies within the test architecture
• Capture and analyze network traffic using Wireshark and other diagnostic tools to validate communications, identify TCP/UDP connectivity issues, and determine where failures are occurring within end‑to‑end data paths
• Access, configure, and troubleshoot enterprise firewalls, including reviewing and modifying firewall rules and policies required to support approved test‑event communications
• Identify and resolve Layer 1 connectivity issues, including physical connections, cabling, patching, interfaces, and other infrastructure supporting test‑event connectivity
• Configure, administer, maintain, and troubleshoot Windows Server environments, Domain Controllers, Active Directory, DNS, Group Policy, file services, and supporting system infrastructure
• Configure, manage, and troubleshoot virtual machines and supporting infrastructure within Microsoft Hyper‑V environments
• Administer file servers and associated high‑availability resources to maintain availability and continuity of services supporting test and lab operations
• Apply DISA STIGs, perform system hardening, remediate ACAS vulnerability findings, maintain required system patches, and coordinate cybersecurity and compliance activities with the cyber team
• Maintain system configurations, technical documentation, test‑event architecture information, troubleshooting procedures, and configuration changes necessary to support repeatable test operations
• Coordinate with network engineers, cybersecurity personnel, government engineers, external sites, and other technical teams to troubleshoot cross‑functional issues and support test‑event integration and execution

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Education/Licensure/Credentials

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in related fields such as computer science, computer engineering, information systems, network engineering, systems engineering, software engineering or a closely related discipline

OR

• Equivalent specialized knowledge customarily acquired through a combination of military training, formal technical instruction, certifications, and substantial progressively responsible practical experience performing work of comparable scope, complexity, and independent judgment
• Security+ (DoD IAT Level II) or ability to meet requirements within three months of employment
• This position requires an existing U.S. Government DoD granted security clearance/eligibility at the final Secret level, and the ability to obtain a favorably adjudicated T5 background investigation. Individuals must maintain the necessary security clearance requirements for continued employment. U.S. Citizenship is required.

Preferred:

• CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-802), Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), CompTIA Linux+, or equivalent system administration, operating system, virtualization, or networking certification

Experience

Required:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in system administration, systems operations, or systems integration within a DoD, enterprise, NOC, lab, test, or other complex technical environment
• Hands‑on experience administering and troubleshooting Windows Server environments, including Active Directory, Domain Controllers, DNS, Group Policy, file services, system patching, and supporting enterprise services
• Hands‑on experience creating, configuring, administering, and troubleshooting virtual machines and virtualized infrastructure using Microsoft Hyper‑V or comparable enterprise virtualization technologies
• Demonstrated ability to learn complex system architectures and independently troubleshoot technical issues across multiple components and technologies rather than limiting troubleshooting to an individual server or application
• Working knowledge of TCP/IP and TCP/UDP communications with the ability to troubleshoot end‑to‑end connectivity across systems, applications, firewalls, and physical infrastructure
• Experience using packet analysis, system logs, monitoring, and diagnostic tools such as Wireshark to isolate connectivity and system issues and perform root cause analysis
• Experience implementing system hardening requirements, applying DISA STIGs, performing vulnerability remediation, and maintaining secure system configurations
• Experience supporting system configuration changes, integrations, troubleshooting, and sustainment while maintaining accurate configurations, procedures, and technical documentation

Preferred:

• Experience administering or troubleshooting enterprise firewalls, including reviewing traffic flows, analyzing firewall logs, and modifying firewall rules or policies to support approved system communications
• Experience with ACAS vulnerability scanning and remediation, DISA STIGs, Risk Management Framework (RMF), patch management, and Authorization to Operate (ATO) requirements within classified or highly regulated DoD environments
• Experience administering high‑availability file services, failover clustering, shared storage, or other highly available Windows Server resources
• Working knowledge of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), PowerShell, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Trellix, VMware/vSphere, or similar enterprise system administration technologies
• Working knowledge of enterprise networking concepts including VLANs, routing, switching, firewalls, network segmentation, physical cabling and patching, and Layer 1 through Layer 4 troubleshooting
• Experience supporting DoD, Navy, NIWC Pacific, Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), C4I/C5ISR, NOC, lab, test, integration, or operational evaluation environments

Since 1995, KES continues to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of a growing small business that focuses on the needs of its customers and employees and serves to provide a rewarding andchallenging career. KES offers a competitive salary and full range of benefits. KES, Inc. is an EEO/AA Employer committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce.