Systems and Network Administrator

asmexternalcareersite; Germantown (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ASM Research seeks a versatile Systems and Network Administrator to design, secure, and maintain a hybrid enterprise infrastructure in Germantown, MD. You will own on‑prem Cisco/Juniper networking and Palo Alto security, alongside Windows Server and Azure cloud management, bridging local hardware with cloud services.

The role requires hands‑on experience across AD/Entra ID, DNS/DHCP, backups, DR, and IAM, with strong networking and security fundamentals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in IT/CS or related field; Master's preferred.
• 8–15 years of Systems Engineering/Analysis experience.
• Advanced computing certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Juniper and Cisco devices (switches/routers/wireless).
• Administer Palo Alto firewalls, policies, NAT, VPNs, threat prevention.
• Manage on-premises and Azure cloud resources including VMs and VNets.
• Implement patching, backups, and DR procedures for servers.
• Maintain hybrid identity with Entra ID and AD; manage DNS/DHCP/PKI.

Skills

Windows Server

Active Directory

Azure

Cisco

Juniper

Palo Alto

Education

Bachelor's Degree in IT/CS

Master's Degree preferred

Advanced computing certification preferred

Tools

SolarWinds

Wireshark

Azure Monitor

Event Viewer

Azure CLI

Job description

Seeking a versatile and highly skilled Systems and Network Administrator to design, secure, and maintain our hybrid enterprise infrastructure. In this role, you will serve as the technical backbone of our operations, taking ownership of everything from on-premises Cisco/Juniper networking and Palo Alto security systems to Windows Server administration and Microsoft Azure cloud environments. The ideal candidate is a proactive, well-rounded engineer who thrives on bridging the gap between local hardware and cloud services, ensuring a seamless, secure, and highly reliable environment across the entire system lifecycle.

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Juniper and Cisco switches, routers, and wireless infrastructure.
• Administer and support Palo Alto firewalls, including security policies, NAT rules, VPNs, and threat prevention features.
• Manage site‑to‑site and remote access VPNs, ensuring secure and reliable connectivity.
• Monitor network performance, availability, and capacity using approved tools.
• Perform routine maintenance, firmware upgrades, and hardware lifecycle tasks for network devices.
• Install, configure, and maintain Windows Server operating systems (2016/2019/2022) across physical and virtual environments.
• Manage Active Directory (AD) and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), including organizational units, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), user/group permissions, and hybrid identity synchronization.
• Administer core infrastructure services including DNS, DHCP, and PKI/cert management.
• Implement and monitor patching schedules, system backups, and disaster recovery procedures for server infrastructure.
• Support virtualization technologies, including Hyper‑V and VMware ESXi, where applicable.
• Deploy, configure, and manage Azure cloud resources, including Virtual Machines (VMs), Virtual Networks (VNets), Network Security Groups (NSGs), Storage Accounts, and Key Vaults.
• Monitor cloud resource utilization, performance, and costs, implementing optimization strategies where appropriate.
• Support Azure‑native backup, recovery, and logging tools (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Azure Backup).
• Maintain secure hybrid connectivity between on‑premises infrastructure and the Azure tenant.
• Implement and enforce system and network security policies, network segmentation, access controls, and Principle of Least Privilege.
• Manage Identity and Access Management (IAM) across local domains and cloud environments.
• Work alongside security teams to remediate vulnerabilities and maintain compliance with organizational standards.
• Maintain accurate documentation of firewall rules, server configurations, network diagrams, and cloud architectures.
• Provide Tier II/III support for network, server, and cloud‑related incidents, outages, and performance issues.
• Diagnose and resolve complex, cross‑functional issues involving routing, switching, OS performance, Active Directory replication, and cloud service disruptions.
• Maintain up‑to‑date configuration records in the CMDB.
• Follow established change management processes for all network, system, and cloud modifications.
• Assist in planning and executing infrastructure upgrades, migrations, and new deployments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, other relevant field, or equivalent relevant experience; Master's Degree preferred.
• Advanced computing certification preferred.
• 8-15 years of experience in Systems Engineering/Analysis.

Other Job Specific Skills

• Systems Experience: Strong experience administering Windows Server environments, including Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and server security benchmarking.
• Cloud Experience: Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Azure administration (virtual machines, virtual networks, Entra ID, storage, and IAM).
• Network Experience: Solid working knowledge of Cisco networking (Catalyst/Nexus switches, routers, wireless) and Juniper switches.
• Firewall Experience: Direct experience configuring and supporting Palo Alto Networks firewalls (PAN‑OS, Panorama preferred).
• Core Concepts: Solid understanding of TCP/IP, VLANs, routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), VPN technologies, and defense‑in‑depth security principles.
• Tools: Experience with network/system monitoring and troubleshooting tools (e.g., SolarWinds, Wireshark, Azure Monitor, Event Viewer).
• Documentation: Strong ability to read, update, and maintain detailed network/system diagrams and operational documentation.
• OS Support: Ability to support Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints connected to enterprise networks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Cloud Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ‑104) or equivalent.
• Network & Security Certifications:

• Palo Alto certifications (PCNSA, PCNSE).
• Cisco certifications (CCNA, CCNP).
• Juniper Networks certifications (JNCIA, JNCIS, or JNCIP).

• Scripting & Automation: Familiarity with PowerShell, Azure CLI, or infrastructure‑as‑code tools (Terraform/ARM templates) for automation.
• Modern Security: Experience with Zero Trust concepts, Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign‑On (SSO), and modern security architectures.
• Soft Skills: Strong troubleshooting skills, excellent documentation/communication skills, and the ability to work independently on complex, multi‑site infrastructure tasks.

Compensation Ranges

Compensation ranges for ASM Research positions vary depending on multiple factors; including but not limited to, location, skill set, level of education, certifications, client requirements, contract‑specific affordability, government clearance and investigation level, and years of experience. The compensation displayed for this role is a general guideline based on these factors and is unique to each role. Monetary compensation is one component of ASM's overall compensation and benefits package for employees.

EEO Requirements

It is the policy of ASM that an individual's race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation or national origin are not and will not be considered in any personnel or management decisions. We affirm our commitment to these fundamental policies.

All recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications is done without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, or age. All decisions on employment are made to abide by the principle of equal employment.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described in "Knowledge, Skills and Abilities" above are representative of those which must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. (For example, "light office duties' or "lifting up to 50 pounds" or "some travel" required.) Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualifying disabilities, who are otherwise qualified, to perform the primary functions.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.