System Administrator III

Southwest Generation Valmont Facility; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Onward Energy is seeking a System Administrator III to design, implement and manage enterprise IT infrastructure across IT and OT environments at ~60 locations. The role emphasizes Windows Server, AD, Azure IaaS, M365/Entra, and Hyper-V to ensure secure, compliant operations.

You will collaborate with Network and Cybersecurity teams, evolve SSO/identity federation, and lead critical upgrades and disaster recovery planning while maintaining thorough documentation and on-call coverage.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive system administration or infrastructure engineering experience.
• Strong expertise in Windows Server administration in enterprise environments.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP and identity services.
• Significant experience supporting Microsoft Azure IaaS components in production environments.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 / Office 365, including Entra ID, Intune and core collaboration services.
• Solid experience with virtualization platforms, particularly Hyper‑V.
• Experience implementing and supporting SAML-based SSO and identity federation.
• Knowledge of backup, disaster recovery, high availability and business continuity concepts.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, administer and support enterprise server, virtualization, identity and cloud platforms across IT and OT environments.
• Serve as a senior technical resource for complex systems issues, incidents and escalations.
• Administer and evolve Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP and identity-related services in a hybrid environment.
• Design, administer and support Microsoft Azure services including virtual machines, storage, networking, identity integration and security controls.
• Manage and enhance Microsoft 365 services including Entra, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams and Intune.
• Implement and maintain device management and security solutions using Intune across Windows and mobile devices.
• Support SAML-based SSO and identity federation with third-party applications and services.
• Partner with Network and Cybersecurity teams to ensure secure system configurations and compliance.

Skills

Windows Server

Active Directory

Azure IaaS

Microsoft 365 / Entra

Hyper-V

Intune

SAML SSO

Identity federation

PowerShell

Tools

Azure / M365 Admin Center

Active Directory tools

Job description

Position Title: System Administrator III

Reports To: Director – Technology Services

Direct Reports: No

Functional Unit: IT

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Type: Full-Time

The Company

Onward Energy is an independent power platform that owns and operates over 7 GW of utility-scale wind, solar and natural gas generation projects across the U.S. Our Vision is to reliably power a sustainable future. Our Mission is that as North America’s premier independent power generator, we will deliver renewable and reliable power to our customers, opportunities to our employees, sustainable returns to the families who invest in us, and a better world to the next generation. With corporate Offices in Denver, New York and Charlotte, we are where renewable meets reliable. See www.onwardenergy.com for more information.

The Challenge

We are seeking a motivated, experienced and detail-oriented System Administrator III to join our IT Infrastructure team. This role will be responsible for the design, implementation and ongoing management of enterprise IT infrastructure including internal, hosted and cloud systems. You will work closely with other IT staff to ensure reliable and secure IT operations for all IT and OT environments at approximately 60 locations. We are a growing organization with a high rate of change, and this role requires someone adaptable and able to adjust to new technologies, equipment and processes.

The Responsibilities

• Design, implement, administer and support enterprise server, virtualization, identity and cloud platforms across both IT and OT environments.
• Serve as a senior technical resource for complex systems issues, incidents and escalations, providing deep troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Administer and evolve Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP and identity-related services in a hybrid environment.
• Design, administer and support Microsoft Azure services including virtual machines, storage, networking, identity integration and security controls.
• Manage and enhance Microsoft 365 / Office 365 services including Entra, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams and Intune.
• Implement and maintain device management and security solutions using Intune, including configuration, security and application deployment policies for Windows and mobile devices.
• Support and integrate SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) and identity federation with third-party applications and services.
• Administer enterprise virtualization platforms (primarily Hyper‑V) and associated storage, backup and recovery systems.
• Partner closely with Network Administration and Cybersecurity teams to ensure secure system configurations, segmentation and compliance with security standards.
• Participate in and often lead systems-related infrastructure projects, upgrades, migrations and refresh initiatives.
• Support integration or separation of systems during mergers and acquisitions, including identity consolidation, domain strategy, tenant integration and infrastructure alignment.
• Ensure systems are hardened, patched, monitored and compliant with company security, operational and audit requirements.
• Support OT infrastructure in collaboration with SCADA, engineering and operations teams, with a strong focus on reliability, safety and compliance.
• Develop, maintain and improve technical documentation, standards, diagrams, runbooks and disaster recovery procedures.
• Provide on-call or after-hours support as needed for critical infrastructure issues and planned maintenance activities.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to system administrators and other IT staff.

The Profile to Succeed

7+ years of progressive experience in system administration or infrastructure engineering roles.

• Preferred experience and qualifications:
  • Strong expertise in Windows Server administration in enterprise environments
  • Extensive hands‑on experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP and identity services
  • Significant experience supporting Microsoft Azure IaaS components in production environments
  • Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 / Office 365, including Entra ID (Azure AD), Intune and core collaboration services
  • Solid experience with virtualization platforms, particularly Hyper‑V.
  • Experience implementing and supporting SAML‑based SSO and identity federation
  • Strong understanding of backup, disaster recovery, high availability and business continuity concepts
  • Comfortable operating in environments with frequent change, evolving priorities and emerging technologies
  • Excellent troubleshooting skills with the ability to work independently on complex technical challenges
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document and explain complex systems clearly
• Additional qualities that could make you stand out:
  • Power generation industry experience
  • Experience configuring enterprise network hardware
  • Experience with or exposure to OT / ICS / SCADA systems and networks
  • Experience integrating environments during M&A activities, including directory, tenant and infrastructure consolidation
  • Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks, audits and compliance requirements in regulated environments
  • Experience supporting distributed infrastructure across many geographically dispersed sites

The Team

The Onward Energy team is comprised of industry professionals who embrace collaboration, dedication, and hard work while also being down to earth.

The Work Environment

The position functions in a smoke and vape free professional office environment. The role routinely utilizes standard office equipment such as a laptop computer, phone, and scanner/photocopier.

Onward Energy total rewards philosophy is motivated by a key tenet of People First and offers associates a comprehensive total rewards package which includes market-competitive compensation, health and life insurance, and retirement savings benefits.

EEO Statement

Onward Energy is an Aff…

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.