Systems Engineer

AIT; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

AIT in Plano, TX is seeking a Systems Engineer to provide business and technical expertise to implement IT strategies, evaluate products, and deliver high-quality design and support. The role includes guiding the IT team, managing full system lifecycles, and coordinating infrastructure projects to ensure reliable operations.

This role requires DoD 8570 Level II or higher, a strong networking background, and a proven ability to collaborate across teams. On-call work and travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in information systems (Preferred) or related experience.
• DoD 8570 level II security certification (e.g., CCNA, CND, Cloud+, Security+ CE) or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Minimum of ten years of IT experience and minimum five years in similar role.
• Strong proficiency in networking protocols and infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior level technical guidance and escalation for IT team.
• Mentor junior staff and provide technical direction.
• Manage all phases of systems administration from design to testing of new service rollouts.
• Coordinate network hardware/software changes and deployments.
• Provide on-day operations support for network hardware and OS.
• Troubleshoot network and systems at both physical and logical levels.
• Define and manage infrastructure strategy, standards and roadmaps.
• Participate in enterprise architecture planning and technology evaluations.
• Establish relationships with stakeholders for architecture adoption.
• Oversee proof-of-concept projects to demonstrate value.
• Design and deploy best practices for monitoring, change control, SLAs, and policies.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Systems

DoD 8570 Level II security certification

Tools

VMware vSphere

SolarWinds

Cisco switches

Active Directory

Microsoft Exchange

Job description

Summary:

The Systems Engineer provides the business knowledge and technical skills to implement technical strategies, evaluate products and provide a superior level of technical design/support that benefit the company.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide senior level technical guidance and serve as an escalation point for the Information Technology (IT) Team.
• Provide senior level direction to the IT team, assist with mentoring and providing technical guidance to more junior staff members.
• Work on and manage all phases of systems administration including definition, design, implementation, and testing of new service rollouts.
• Coordinates and/or performs additions and changes to network hardware and operating systems and attached devices; includes investigation, analysis, recommendation, configuration, installation and testing of new network hardware and software.
• Provides direct support in the day-to-day operations on network hardware and operating systems; duties include evaluation of system utilization, monitoring response time and primary support for detection and correction of operational problems.
• Troubleshoots at the physical level of the network, working with network measurement hardware and software, as well as physical checking and testing of hardware devices, at the logical level working with communication protocols.
• Define, communicate, and manage the execution of infrastructure strategy, standards and roadmaps based on the current state and short- and long-term needs of the enterprise.
• Participate in the Global IT planning process and ensure architectural designs and principles are incorporated in enterprise implementations.
• Evaluate existing or emerging technologies to consider factors such as cost, security, compatibility, and usability.
• Establish strong relationships with key technology stakeholders and facilitate, communicate, collaborate, and persuade others in the definition, adoption, and implementation of a coherent architecture.
• Participate in the building of roadmaps for acquiring, integrating, and implementing high-value technology and processes. Oversee efforts (e.g. proof of concepts) to measure and prove new technology value.
• Design and deploy best practices regarding system monitoring, change control, service level agreements, and in the creation of the company’s infrastructure policies and standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems (Preferred) or related experience.
• DoD 8570 level II (or higher) security certification (examples: CCNA, CND, Cloud+, Security+ CE,); OR can obtain the certification within 6 months of start date.
• Minimum of ten years of experience within information technology
• Minimum of five years of experience in a similar role and/or a strong demonstrated portfolio of completed IT/networking related projects.

• Experience in the most current technologies and products used in the industry.

• Strong proficiency in networking protocols and infrastructure (Ethernet, TCP, IP, HTTP, DNS, ICMP, DNS, DHCP, IPv4, Routing, LAN/WAN)
• Strong proficiency with disaster recovery, backup technologies and recovery/restores.
• Strong proficiency with systems hardening and network security.
• Experience managing on-premise and cloud-based virtualization (VMware vSphere, Amazon Web Services)
• Experience with monitoring and alerting systems (SolarWinds, Orion)
• Experience with SSO solutions and implementation is a plus.
• Experience with ITIL best practices.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirements:

• This position requires a government security clearance. Will be a part of the onboarding process.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

List of needed knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully accomplish the duties and responsibilities of the job.

• Can multitask and manage multiple large to small projects in a cross functional environment.
• Performs day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Work in a high energy, high volume, rapidly changing environment.
• Displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner.
• Clear and effective communication skills in both written and spoken forms.
• Knowledge of computer applications including email, databases, word-processing program, and spreadsheets (such as Microsoft Office).
• Ensures that decisions are made based on policies, rules, and organizational directives to solve emerging problems.
• Maintains confidentiality while processing and handling confidential information with discretion.
• Knowledge and/or experience in writing, editing, and debugging new computer programs for assigned projects, including necessary records and desired output.
• Knowledge of Active Directory, GPO’s, users and computers, Application support experience with Microsoft Exchange, Office products
• Strong Knowledge of VMware environment.
• Working and support knowledge of switch administration Cisco switches.
• Must have the ability to solve technical and operation problems, showing a high level of customer service and project management skills.
• Strong Knowledge of Server Administration for current Windows Server versions.

Work Conditions:

Environment Type:

• Indoors. Production and Office Environment. Temperature Controlled.

Exposure Types:

• Small and/or enclosed spaces

Work Hours:

• On-call for emergent conditions.
• Standard work schedule, overtime may be necessary for meeting deadlines, required travel, and emergent conditions.

Travel Requirements:

• This position may involve travel up to 20% of the time.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Medium work that includes moving objects up to 50 pounds.
• Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Prolonged periods working on feet, using tools, and performing repetitive actions that entail frequent bending and stooping.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

AIT Safety - AIT enforces a safety culture whereby all employees have the responsibility for continuously developing and maintaining a safe work environment. As appropriate, each employee is responsible for completing all training requirements. All employees that work in or enter the production environment are required to wear personal protective equipment.

AIT Quality - It is our policy to provide quality products and services that meet customer expectations and delivery requirements. Accordingly, each employee must conform to the AIT Quality Policy and carry out job activities in compliance with applicable AIT Quality System documents and customer contracts. Each employee must read and understand his/her Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction responsibilities.

AIT Procedure Compliance - Each employee must read, understand, and implement the general and specific operational, safety, quality, and environmental requirements of all plans, procedures, and policies pertaining to his/her job.

Security Clearance Statement - This position may require a government security clearance; you must be a US Citizen for consideration.

ITAR Requirements - To conform to U.S. Government commercial space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), applicants for employment at AIT must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawfully admitted for permanent residence into the U.S. (i.e., current green card holder), or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1157-1158.

Equal Employment Opportunity - AIT is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. AIT hires and promotes people based on their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that nurtures trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation - Applicants wishing to view a copy of AIT’ s affirmative plan, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [e-mail].