Systems Administrator IV

The California State University; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The California State University in San Diego is seeking an experienced Systems Administrator IV to provide senior technical leadership for the university’s enterprise infrastructure. You’ll design and support complex on-premises and cloud environments, lead infrastructure projects, and help ensure systems remain secure, reliable, and scalable.

You’ll also guide and mentor other systems administrators, collaborate with campus teams and vendors, and help establish standards and best practices

Qualifications

• Extensive Systems Administration experience in enterprise IT.
• Experience with on-premises and cloud infrastructure.
• Proven ability to lead complex infrastructure projects.
• Strong scripting and automation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and optimization of enterprise systems across on-prem and cloud.
• Adminsiter server platforms, directory services, virtualization, OS.
• Evaluate emerging technologies for scalable solutions.
• Provide senior technical oversight and mentorship.
• Automate deployments, updates, and management with scripting.
• Assist with backup, DR, and security controls.

Skills

Systems administration

Automation

Technical leadership

Mentoring

Problem solving

Tools

PowerShell

Bash

Python

AWS

Azure

VMware

Hyper-V

Job description

Job no: 561375
Work type: Staff
Location: San Diego
Categories: Unit 9 - CSUEU - Technical Support Services, Probationary, Full Time, Information Systems & Technology, Telecommute eligible (work onsite as scheduled and/or as requested and telecommute as scheduled)

Position Summary

San Diego State University is seeking an experienced Systems Administrator IV to provide senior technical leadership for the enterprise infrastructure that powers the university’s academic, research, and business operations. In this role, you’ll design and support complex on-premises and cloud environments, lead infrastructure projects, solve enterprise-level technical challenges, and help ensure critical systems remain secure, reliable, and scalable.

In this role, you’ll also guide and mentor other systems administrators while helping shape infrastructure solutions and improvements across SDSU.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, implementation, configuration, and optimization of complex enterprise systems across on-premises and cloud environments.
• Administer server platforms, directory services, virtualization, operating systems, and related infrastructure.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend scalable solutions that strengthen performance, security, and reliability.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor on complex infrastructure requirements, architecture, and system integrations.
• Systems Administration & Automation
  • Maintain enterprise servers and infrastructure, including system configuration, patching, upgrades, monitoring, backup, and recovery.
  • Automate administrative processes, deployments, updates, and system management using PowerShell, Bash, or Python.
  • Perform advanced troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for complex production and infrastructure issues.
  • Maintain configuration standards and technical documentation for enterprise systems.
• Security, Reliability & Disaster Recovery
  • Implement security controls, patches, access management, and monitoring to protect university systems and data.
  • Support backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity strategies for critical infrastructure.
  • Monitor system performance and capacity and proactively address availability, security, and reliability risks.
• Technical Leadership & Collaboration
  • Lead complex infrastructure projects from technical design through implementation and validation.
  • Provide lead work direction, training, and mentorship to systems administration staff.
  • Collaborate with technical teams, campus stakeholders, and vendors on infrastructure initiatives and system enhancements.
  • Help establish and improve technical processes, standards, and practices across enterprise infrastructure operations.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced systems professional who enjoys designing infrastructure, solving challenging technical problems, and helping other engineers grow.

Experience in the following areas is especially important:

• Enterprise server infrastructure and administration
• Enterprise directory services
• Cloud infrastructure and services
• Windows and/or Linux server environments
• Virtualization technologies
• PowerShell, Bash, or Python scripting
• Configuration management and systems automation
• Backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity
• Technical project leadership and mentoring

Certifications from Microsoft, AWS, CompTIA, Red Hat, Linux Professional Institute, or similar organizations are a plus, but not required.

Why Join Us?

• Engineer infrastructure at scale – Support the enterprise systems behind teaching, research, and university operations across SDSU.
• Lead technically – Take ownership of complex projects and architecture decisions while remaining hands‑on with the technology.
• Work across cloud and on-prem environments – Design and support a broad enterprise infrastructure ecosystem rather than a narrow technology stack.
• Grow the team – Share your expertise through technical leadership, mentorship, and the development of stronger infrastructure practices.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it’s like to work at the CSU—watch our video and imagine your future here: Working at the CSU .

Position Information

• Full-time, benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.