Systems Administrator (DevOps)

Emergent Software; Iowa City (IA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Emergent Staffing seeks a Systems Administrator (DevOps) to modernize Windows‑centric infrastructure, automate tasks, and improve reliability. You will drive automation, support CI/CD with TeamCity, and collaborate across infrastructure, admin, and support teams.

The role emphasizes PowerShell scripting, AD automation, and production-change discipline, with hybrid onsite requirements and US work authorization.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in systems engineering, infrastructure, or DevOps.
• Strong Windows Server experience required.
• AD automation and scripting experience.
• Git and CI/CD tooling experience.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.
• Ability to manage production changes with minimal risk.

Responsibilities

• Modernize and standardize Windows-centric infrastructure.
• Design, implement, and maintain automation for administration and access.
• Improve Active Directory management with automated groups and RBAC.
• Develop and maintain PowerShell and shell scripts.
• Support CI/CD and deployment automation with TeamCity.
• Enhance monitoring, alerting, and observability.
• Collaborate with teams to improve operational efficiency.
• Support Azure, Defender, CrowdStrike, and related tech.
• Administer virtualization: Hyper‑V, VMware, Proxmox.
• Assist Linux-based infra for container workloads.
• Establish best practices for version control, change management, docs, deployments.
• Participate in planning, RCAs, and post-mortems.
• Evaluate and implement solutions to improve reliability, security.

Skills

Windows Server expertise

Active Directory automation

PowerShell scripting

Automation of infrastructure

Git version control

Troubleshooting skills

Communication and collaboration

Tools

TeamCity

Azure

Microsoft Defender

CrowdStrike

Linux administration

Docker

Hyper-V/VMware/Proxmox

Job description

**This is a direct hire for one of our clients. This is a hybrid position with onsite requirements 2-3 days per week. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.**

Summary

Our client is seeking a Systems Administrator (DevOps) to help modernize infrastructure, automate critical administrative processes, and improve operational reliability across a primarily Windows-based environment. This is an opportunity to play a key role in transforming legacy systems, implementing automation, strengthening deployment practices, and driving infrastructure improvements that support business growth.

The ideal candidate combines deep Windows systems expertise with strong scripting and automation skills, a modern DevOps mindset, and a disciplined approach to production change management. This individual will work closely with infrastructure, systems administration, and support teams to identify opportunities for automation, reduce manual processes, and improve overall system consistency and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Modernize and standardize infrastructure across a Windows-centric environment.

• Design, implement, and maintain automation solutions for system administration and access management.

• Improve Active Directory management, including automated group assignments and role-based access controls.

• Develop and maintain PowerShell and shell scripts to streamline operational tasks and deployments.

• Support CI/CD initiatives and deployment automation using TeamCity and related tools.

• Enhance monitoring, alerting, and observability capabilities across infrastructure and applications.

• Collaborate with systems administrators, help desk personnel, and engineering teams to improve operational efficiency.

• Support Azure, Microsoft Defender, CrowdStrike, and other infrastructure technologies.

• Administer and support virtualization platforms including Hyper‑V, VMware, or Proxmox.

• Assist with Linux-based infrastructure supporting containerized workloads.

• Help establish best practices around version control, change management, documentation, and deployment processes.

• Participate in infrastructure planning, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and post‑mortem reviews.

• Evaluate and implement solutions that improve reliability, scalability, and security while minimizing operational risk.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Systems Engineering, Infrastructure Engineering, DevOps, or a related role.

• Strong experience supporting Windows Server environments.

• Hands‑on experience with Active Directory administration and automation.

• Advanced PowerShell scripting skills.

• Experience automating infrastructure and operational processes.

• Experience using Git or similar version control systems.

• Understanding of infrastructure monitoring, system health management, and production support.

• Demonstrated ability to manage production changes while minimizing business risk.

• Strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills.

• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with Microsoft Azure and Azure security tools.

• Experience with Microsoft Defender and CrowdStrike.

• Knowledge of Docker containers and Linux administration.

• Experience with TeamCity or other CI/CD platforms.

• Familiarity with Meraki networking equipment, including firewalls, switches, routers, and access points.

• Experience with virtualization technologies such as Hyper‑V, VMware, or Proxmox.

• Experience modernizing legacy infrastructure environments.

• Understanding of infrastructure‑as‑code and automation best practices.

Our Vetting Process

At Emergent Staffing, we work hard to find the software engineers who are the right fit for our clients. Here are the steps of our vetting process for this position:

1. Application (5 minutes)

2. Online Assessment (60 minutes)

3. Initial Video Interview (30-45 minutes)

4. Client On‑site Interview (60 minutes)

5. Job Offer!