Systems Administrator Specialist - Windows

University of Georgia

Athens (GA)

On-site

USD 61,000 - 75,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Job summary

The University of Georgia is seeking a System Administrator Specialist - Windows to lead complex Windows system administration and platform engineering. You will design, implement, and maintain systems, ensuring security, availability, performance, and lifecycle requirements.

Responsibilities include upgrades, migrations, troubleshooting, automation development, and on-call support, with an emphasis on documentation and collaboration across teams in a large university environment.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.
2 years of professional experience.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain complex systems, services, or infrastructure appropriate to the assigned focus area.
Plan and execute complex upgrades, migrations, modernization efforts, and lifecycle management initiatives.
Perform advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis and implement long-term corrective actions.
Develop and maintain automation, configuration standards, and reusable administrative or operational frameworks.
Assess assigned platforms against security, compliance, availability, performance, and risk requirements and implement appropriate controls and remediations.
Participate in the on-call rotation and respond to after-hours incidents.
Share technical knowledge and best practices through documentation, collaboration, and peer consultation.
Collaborate with teammates to accomplish team and institutional goals.
Adhere to institutional policies, security standards, and change management processes.

Skills

Advanced Windows Architecture

Automation & Engineering

Security & Identity

Platform Integration

AI-Assisted Work Practices

Professional Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

2 years of professional experience

Job description

About the University of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state's flagship university. The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University's main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University's enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

Position Overview

The System Administrator Specialist is a senior technical contributor responsible for complex Windows system administration and platform engineering. This role designs, implements, and maintains complex systems; coordinates complex technical initiatives; and ensures assigned platforms meet security, availability, performance, and lifecycle requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain complex systems, services, or infrastructure appropriate to the assigned focus area.
Plan and execute complex upgrades, migrations, modernization efforts, and lifecycle management initiatives.
Perform advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis and implement long-term corrective actions.
Develop and maintain automation, configuration standards, and reusable administrative or operational frameworks.
Assess assigned platforms against security, compliance, availability, performance, and risk requirements and implement appropriate controls and remediations.
Participate in the on-call rotation and respond to after-hours incidents.
Share technical knowledge and best practices through documentation, collaboration, and peer consultation.
Collaborate with teammates to accomplish team and institutional goals.
Adhere to institutional policies, security standards, and change management processes.

Platform Operations & Service Reliability

Percentage of time: 25%

System administration and recurring operations: With limited direction and advanced judgment, perform and improve routine, advanced, and complex operations for Windows and identity services.
Platform configuration and optimization: Design, implement, maintain, and optimize complex Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, PKI, and file services to meet operational and architectural requirements.
Operational analysis and problem resolution: Resolve complex, recurring, and cross-service issues across Windows and identity services; implement approved reliability and supportability improvements.
Operational ownership and protection: Own complex operational work and ensure solutions are protected, tested, documented, sustainable, and integrated.

Monitoring, Incident Response & On-Call

Percentage of time: 20%

Monitoring and detection: With advanced judgment, analyzing Windows logs, service status, directory health, policy results, DNS data, and performance metrics to identify complex, recurring, and cross-platform concerns.
Incident response readiness: Follow incident procedures and participate in the on-call rotation during assigned coverage.
Diagnosis, evidence, and coordination: Analyze Windows logs, service status, directory health, policy results, DNS data, and performance metrics, coordinate complex troubleshooting, and resolve high-impact, recurring, and cross-platform incidents.
Restoration and corrective action: Restore services and develop approved long-term corrective actions for complex or recurring problems.
Incident communication and documentation: Track incidents through resolution and document causes, contributing factors, impacts, corrective actions, and effectiveness.

Lifecycle, Security & Change Management

Percentage of time: 15%

Lifecycle and maintenance work: With advanced judgment, perform routine lifecycle work and execute complex upgrades, migrations, modernization, recovery, and decommissioning.
Risk assessment: Assess complex security, compliance, availability, performance, supportability, lifecycle, capacity, and operational risks; recommend remediation.
Change planning and implementation: Plan and implement authorized routine and complex production changes within approved scope.
Security, recovery, and coordination: Perform privileged access, security baselines, vulnerabilities, recovery, and platform lifecycle activities and coordinate complex maintenance, recovery, migration, and implementation work.
Validation and lifecycle improvement: Verify results, conduct post-implementation reviews, and incorporate lessons into procedures, standards, designs, and plans.

Automation, Documentation & Continuous Improvement

Percentage of time: 20%

Operational documentation: Maintain complete Windows runbooks, diagrams, inventories, configuration records, and support documentation for routine and complex services and technical decisions.
Automation development and control: Using advanced judgment, implement reusable PowerShell and Windows management tools after evaluating security, dependencies, failure modes, validation, and rollback.
Improvement identification and approval: Develop approved improvements for complex work, consistency, reusable tooling, policy enforcement, risk, and manual effort.
Evaluation of improvements: Measure approved improvements and revise documentation, automation, or procedures based on results and requirements.

Technical Development, Design & Planning

Percentage of time: 15%

Technical knowledge and operational engagement: Maintain advanced knowledge of Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, PKI, file services, dependencies, and recovery while performing routine and complex work with limited direction.
Technical design and requirements evaluation: Design complex Windows and identity services solutions, defining requirements, risks, standards, integrations, acceptance criteria, and implementation plans.
Project and implementation planning: Plan and execute complex Windows upgrades, identity and policy changes, migrations, deployments, and modernization, addressing dependencies, resources, risks, and operational impacts.
Technical collaboration and evaluation: Contribute advanced technical and operational expertise to planning, reviews, testing, decisions, and projects.
Professional judgment and delivery: Using advanced judgment, deliver complex outcomes within approved scope, schedule, quality, security, documentation, and change requirements.

Other Responsibilities

Other responsibilities as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

Advanced Windows Architecture

Advanced knowledge of Windows Server systems.
Proficient administration of enterprise-scale Active Directory environments, including trust relationships, replication troubleshooting, Group Policy design and troubleshooting, and DNS administration.

Automation & Engineering

Knowledge of advanced PowerShell scripting and tooling.
Ability to design and implement reusable automation and administrative frameworks.

Security & Identity

Strong understanding of Windows authentication mechanisms, certificate and PKI concepts, secure identity and access management, and configuration hardening.
Ability to assess technical risk and implement mitigations.

Platform Integration

Knowledge of integrating Windows platforms with enterprise monitoring, backup, security, identity, and management systems.

AI-Assisted Work Practices

Ability to effectively use approved AI-assisted tools to support complex troubleshooting, automation, documentation, and system design while validating outputs, protecting sensitive information, assessing limitations and risk, and following institutional requirements.

Professional Skills

Ability to demonstrate strong attention to detail and effective documentation habits.
Ability to follow and reinforce EITS standards and best practices for the assigned focus area.
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues.
Customer-service mindset.

Physical Demands

Job takes place in normal environmental conditions. This position will spend long periods of time standing and/or sitting at a computer.

Is driving a responsibility of this position?

Is this a Position of Trust?

Yes

Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources?

Does this position require a P-Card?

Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position?

Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care?

Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications)

Yes

Credit and P-Card policy

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please provide name and contact information for three professional references
This is a full-time, onsite position
This position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship

Location of Vacancy

Athens Area

EEO Policy Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02. Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

Job Details