Systems Architect - Senior

University Of Michigan; Michigan; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan’s Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) Windows and VMware Services team is seeking a Systems Architect Senior. The role leads design, support, and governance of Windows OS and VMware environments, ensuring security, cost-efficiency, and alignment with organizational goals for clinical, research, and administrative functions.

Reporting to the Manager of Windows and VMware Services, this position collaborates with Architecture, Security, Networking, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a technical field.
• 5+ years engineering support of large, highly available Windows architectures.
• 5+ years in roles requiring customer service, organization, troubleshooting for enterprise design.
• Experience with PowerShell scripting.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level expertise on enterprise systems architecture focusing on public/hybrid cloud, Windows OS, VMware, and automation.
• Collaborate with analysts, engineers, and service teams to design integrated solutions.
• Develop and maintain technical architecture artifacts and standards.
• Support and mentor junior staff and participate in on-call rotations.
• Maintain high availability, security, and regulatory compliance (HIPAA, NIST).
• Perform operational duties: tickets, deployments, and infrastructure support.

Skills

Windows OS

VMware

Cloud architecture

Automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

PowerShell

XAML

Ansible

Job description

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A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Department Overview

Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) plays a role in the success of Michigan Medicine by providing clinicians, educators, researchers, students, and staff with technology-related information, products, and support. HITS also provides institutional expertise related to IT strategy, security, infrastructure, and resource management.

Job Summary

The HITS Windows and VMware Services Team at Michigan Medicine is seeking a candidate to fulfill the role of Systems Architect Senior.

The Windows and VMware Services team is responsible for leading the design, support and governance of Michigan Medicine's Windows and VMware environments. This role ensures that Windows Server Operating systems and VMware virtualization environments are secure, cost-efficient, and aligned with organizational goals, supporting clinical, research, and administrative functions.

Reporting to the Manager of Windows and VMware Services, the Systems Architect Senior provides technical knowledge for the implementation of operating system deployments, security architecture, hybrid cloud solutions, and on-premises virtualization. The Systems Architect Senior collaborates closely, and works in partnership with Architecture, Security, Networking, Application, UNIX, and Storage teams to ensure seamless on-premises and Cloud integration. This role is responsible for maintaining high availability, performance, and compliance with industry regulations such as HIPAA and NIST.

The Windows Hosting Services Team within HITS Enterprise Infrastructure (EI) is responsible for overseeing strategic direction, operational excellence, and continuous improvement of Windows and VMware Services at Michigan Medicine. This is a team of 13 IT professionals, including senior systems architects, application programmers, and technical support staff, in managing a complex environment of over 3,500 Windows servers across physical and virtual (VMware) platforms, Azure Cloud, as well as critical infrastructure services such as Microsoft Exchange and Cisco hardware management within MM Datacenters.

Responsibilities*

• Provides senior level expertise on decisions and priorities regarding the enterprise's overall systems architecture. Primary areas of focus are within Public Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, Continuity & Resiliency, Windows OS, VMware Virtualization, and Automation. Architects and implements solutions requiring integration of multiple platforms, operating systems and applications across the enterprise. Reviews, conducts research, evaluation, advises, and designs on enterprise software and hardware technologies. Evaluates system options, risks, costs versus benefits, service level requirements and impact on the enterprise business process and goals.
• Partners with business analysts, systems analysts, process managers and engineers in requirements gathering and reviews. Facilitates technical discussions with application, infrastructure, and truster service provider teams to produce an optimal, high level, conceptual design for projects. Defines and discerns key aspects of a problem and develops an integrated solution within a broad business context of significant impact. Researches and maintains knowledge in emerging technologies and solutions, or service life-cycle and process frameworks to solve business problems. Ability to act autonomously and make decisions that influence business operations.
• Facilitates the establishment and implementation of standards and guidelines that guide the design of technology solutions. With input from others, develops documents and maintains technical architecture artifacts for integration and implementation of changes to technical standards. Proposes changes in process, policy, and standards as they relate to the architecture or service and design principles. Responsible for work that is complex and varied in nature.
• Partner with the Automation team to support and maintain standardized Windows Server operating system builds for both on-premises and cloud-based workloads. Responsibilities include developing and enhancing automated server build processes using technologies such as PowerShell, XAML, and Ansible Automation Platform.
• Participates in, and may lead, Capacity Management discussions to determine the most appropriate scalable model taking business and service level requirements into consideration. Provides technical guidance to project team areas as appropriate. May take on role of Project Leader for special enterprise wide assignments. May coach or mentor junior technical staff.
• Performs other operational duties to support the Windows / Cloud / VMWare hosting environment, which includes trouble tickets, small / medium / large customer service requests, on-call rotation, etc.

Required Qualifications*

Senior Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5 or more years of experience in engineering support of large complex highly available Windows (2016,2016,2022, 2025) architectures
• 5 or more years of experience in a related role requiring customer service, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting to successfully design services and workflows in an enterprise architecture.
• Experience with PowerShell scripting.

Intermediate Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, a related field or equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in engineering support of large complex highly available Windows (2016, 2022, 2025) architectures.
• 3-5 years of experience in a related role requiring customer service, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting to successfully design services and workflows in an enterprise architecture.
• Experience with PowerShell scripting.

Desired Qualifications*

• 7+ years of experience in engineering support of large complex highly available Windows (2016,2016,2022,2025) architectures
• Strong Experience with cloud architecture / deployments
• Certification on cloud solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Expert level knowledge of VMware architecture
• Expert Level experience creating high level and low level documentation for project support and business continuity
• Possesses skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of modern infrastructure, platforms, tools, and concepts at scale with velocity.
• High understanding of organization's business and industry requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills with the ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels within the organization
• Expert level knowledge of IT security implementation
• Strong experience in automation of server deployment, common tasks, and procedures.
• Experience deploying, maintaining, and supporting high performance Windows systems.
• Experience with Server Build creation.
• Experience with networking technologies, particularly as they pertain to managing Windows or VMware systems and applications running on these systems ? Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience in Participating in on-call rotations

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

Work Locations

This position is being offered as a Hybrid position. There will be times that it will be appropriate for you to work from home. There will be other times that you will be required to work onsite for meetings.

May require working during non-business hours and on weekends.
On-Call rotation is required for this position.

Underfill Statement

This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

Additional Information

We offer a benefits package that includes comprehensive training and career development opportunities, generous retirement savings plans, ample paid time off, and a wealth of family care support: https://careers.umich.edu/benefits

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.The review and selection process maybegin as early as the eighth day after posting.Thisopening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.