System Administrator - Level 4

Sophia Space; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sophia Space is seeking a hands-on IT Infrastructure Lead in Pasadena to own internal systems across endpoints, identity, networking, and operations for a fast-growing engineering team.

The role emphasizes security, compliance, and reliability to empower developers while meeting governance and audit readiness, with in-person work in Pasadena and potential hybrid flexibility.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in systems administration, IT infrastructure, or operations.
• Experience supporting mixed macOS and Windows environments.
• Strong identity and access management experience (SSO, SAML, SCIM, MFA, RBAC, VPN).
• Experience with endpoint management and MDM platforms.
• Strong troubleshooting across endpoints, networking, SaaS, and infra systems.
• Familiarity with networking basics (VPNs, VLANs, Wi‑Fi, firewalls).
• Ability to work independently and drive improvements with minimal oversight.
• Strong documentation and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain internal IT infrastructure, endpoints, and services.
• Own onboarding/offboarding workflows, including identity provisioning and access lifecycle.
• Provision and maintain macOS, Windows, and Linux systems for engineering teams.
• Define and maintain standardized workstation configurations across teams.
• Manage hardware lifecycle including procurement, deployment, and inventory.
• Administer identity and access systems (SSO, SAML, SCIM, MFA, RBAC, VPN).
• Maintain MDM and device enrollment systems (e.g., Apple Business Manager).
• Support secure remote access infrastructure for distributed teams.
• Maintain and troubleshoot network services (Wi‑Fi, VPNs, VLANs, firewalls).
• Develop IT documentation, runbooks, onboarding procedures, and standards.
• Support security controls aligned with frameworks like NIST 800-171 and CMMC Level 2.
• Identify improvements to efficiency, security posture, and scalability.
• Automate repetitive workflows and improve infrastructure reliability.
• Partner with engineering leadership to minimize interruptions and boost productivity.

Skills

Systems administration

IT infrastructure

Identity & access management

MDM platforms

Networking fundamentals

Scripting & automation

Documentation

Security & compliance

Job description

Job Description

Own and scale Sophia Space’s internal IT infrastructure and operational systems to support a rapidly growing engineering organization. This role focuses on building reliable, secure, and scalable internal infrastructure across endpoints, identity systems, networking, and operational workflows.

The position is highly hands‑on and critical to enabling engineering productivity, reducing operational friction, and supporting the company’s progression toward security and compliance objectives.

Location & Eligibility

This position is primarily in‑person in Pasadena, California, with occasional hybrid flexibility based on business needs.

This position requires access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control laws. To comply with applicable ITAR and EAR regulations, applicants must qualify as a U.S. Person, as defined under those regulations. U.S. Persons generally include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and certain protected individuals as defined by applicable law.

Primary Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain internal IT infrastructure, endpoints, and corporate services across the organization.
• Own and improve onboarding/offboarding workflows, including identity provisioning and access lifecycle management.
• Provision and maintain macOS, Windows, and Linux systems for engineering teams.
• Define and maintain standardized workstation configurations across software, avionics, and hardware teams.
• Manage hardware lifecycle, including procurement, deployment, tracking, and inventory.
• Administer identity and access systems (SSO, SAML, SCIM, MFA, RBAC, VPN access).
• Maintain MDM and device enrollment systems (e.g., Apple Business Manager, endpoint compliance tools).
• Support secure remote access infrastructure and workflows for distributed teams.
• Maintain and troubleshoot office and lab networking systems (Wi‑Fi, VPNs, VLANs, firewalls, segmentation).
• Resolve operational issues across endpoints, SaaS platforms, networking, and infrastructure systems.
• Develop and maintain IT documentation, runbooks, onboarding procedures, and operational standards.
• Support implementation of security controls aligned with frameworks such as NIST 800-171 and CMMC Level 2.
• Maintain operational records and asset inventories supporting audit readiness and compliance.
• Identify and implement improvements to operational efficiency, security posture, and scalability.
• Automate repetitive workflows and improve infrastructure reliability and usability.
• Partner with engineering leadership to minimize interruptions and improve developer productivity.

Required Skills

• 5+ years of experience in systems administration, IT infrastructure, or operations roles
• Experience supporting mixed macOS and Windows environments
• Strong experience with identity and access systems (SSO, SAML, SCIM, MFA, RBAC)
• Experience with endpoint management and MDM platforms
• Strong troubleshooting skills across endpoints, networking, SaaS, and infrastructure systems
• Familiarity with networking fundamentals (VPNs, VLANs, Wi‑Fi, routing, firewalls)
• Experience supporting engineering or technical teams
• Ability to operate independently and drive improvements with minimal oversight
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Ability to balance security, usability, and scalability

Desired Skills

• Experience with Google Workspace administration
• Experience with Apple Business Manager and MDM workflows
• Experience with Microsoft Entra ID and Intune
• Familiarity with Linux-based development environments
• Experience with NIST 800-171, CMMC, or similar frameworks
• Scripting or automation experience (Python, Bash, PowerShell)
• Experience scaling IT systems in startup or high‑growth environments
• Experience supporting hardware labs or mixed office/lab environments
• Familiarity with aerospace, defense, or regulated environments