(Target CW) IT Operations Specialist

Ifm Us; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship

Comprehensive health benefits

401K Plan

Generous paid time off

Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program

Life insurance and disability

Job summary

Institute of Foundation Models is seeking an experienced IT Operations Specialist to bridge our U.S. and UAE offices. The role blends hands-on administration with high‑touch user support to ensure reliable, secure, and scalable technology across the organization.

You will lead end‑to‑end IT operations, manage endpoint devices and MDM, enforce security policies, and coordinate across time zones to sustain onboarding and daily IT services for a fast‑growing team.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years in IT Operations or related role.
• Experience managing endpoint devices and enterprise IT environments.
• Strong IT security, VPN, access management, and compliance knowledge.
• Experience with office infrastructure: networking, storage, printers, collaboration tools.
• Proven asset and vendor management experience.
• Excellent troubleshooting and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently in fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.
• Experience supporting distributed and global teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee health, uptime, and performance of the IT environment.
• Lead office IT initiatives and new office setup.
• Manage storage, networking, printers, and endpoints.
• Establish and enforce IT policies and standards.
• Maintain secure IT environment, data protection, and compliance.
• Manage VPN access, endpoint security, and identity processes.
• Administer MDM and endpoint deployments and lifecycle.
• Provide high-touch IT onboarding and ongoing employee support.
• Coordinate IT asset management and vendor relations.
• Collaborate across U.S. and UAE teams to sustain continuity.

Skills

IT Operations

Systems Administration

Endpoint Management

IT Security

VPN

Identity Management

Vendor Management

Customer Service

Global Collaboration

Office Infrastructure

Tools

MDM Platforms

VPN Technologies

Identity Management Systems

IT Asset Management Systems

Job description

About the Institute of Foundation Models

We are a dedicated research lab for building, understanding, using, and risk-managing foundation models. Our mandate is to advance research, nurture the next generation of AI builders, and drive transformative contributions to a knowledge-driven economy.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and highly service-oriented IT Operations Specialist to serve as the critical bridge between our U.S. and UAE offices. This is not a traditional help desk position; rather, it is a hands‑on operational role responsible for ensuring the reliability, security, and efficiency of our end‑user technology environment.

The ideal candidate will combine strong systems administration expertise with exceptional customer service, enabling seamless onboarding, day-to-day operations, and global collaboration across time zones. You will play a key role in building and maintaining our IT infrastructure, supporting employees directly, and driving operational continuity across the organization.

IT Operations & Infrastructure

• Manage the overall health, uptime, performance, and day-to-day operation of the organization's IT environment.
• Lead and support office IT initiatives, including new office setup and expansion projects.
• Implement and manage office technology infrastructure, including storage solutions, networking, printers, and endpoint devices.
• Establish and maintain IT policies, procedures, and operational standards.

Security & Compliance

• Maintain a secure IT environment with a strong focus on data protection, compliance, and intellectual property security.
• Manage VPN access, endpoint security controls, and identity management processes.
• Ensure adherence to organizational security policies and best practices.
• Support security audits, compliance requirements, and risk mitigation initiatives.

Endpoint & Device Management

• Administer Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms and endpoint management solutions.
• Configure, deploy, secure, and maintain laptops, mobile devices, and other user hardware.
• Manage device lifecycle processes, including provisioning, upgrades, replacements, and decommissioning.
• Standardize and automate endpoint deployment and configuration where possible.

Employee Support & Service Delivery

• Serve as the face of IT for employees, providing high-touch, white‑glove support across the organization.
• Deliver IT onboarding and orientation for new hires.
• Set up and configure laptops, software, accounts, printers, and collaboration tools.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, networking, and access issues with a strong customer‑service mindset.
• Ensure a seamless employee experience from onboarding through ongoing support.

Asset & Vendor Management

• Manage IT asset inventory, procurement, tracking, and lifecycle management.
• Coordinate purchasing and deployment of laptops, peripherals, and office technology equipment.
• Build and maintain relationships with technology vendors and service providers.
• Monitor contracts, warranties, renewals, and vendor performance.

Global Collaboration

• Act as a key liaison between U.S. and UAE operations, ensuring consistent IT standards and support.
• Coordinate across teams and time zones to maintain operational continuity and service excellence.
• Support business growth through scalable and efficient technology operations.

Requirements

• 5–7 years of experience in IT Operations, Systems Administration, Infrastructure Support, or a related role.
• Experience managing endpoint devices, MDM platforms, and enterprise IT environments.
• Strong understanding of IT security, VPN technologies, access management, and compliance best practices.
• Experience supporting office infrastructure, including networking, storage solutions, printers, and collaboration technologies.
• Proven experience with IT asset management and vendor management.
• Excellent troubleshooting, communication, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.
• Strong operational mindset focused on reliability, continuity, and service delivery.
• Comfortable balancing strategic IT initiatives with hands‑on support responsibilities.
• Highly organized, proactive, and detail‑oriented.
• Experience supporting geographically distributed teams and global operations.

Visa Sponsorship

This position is eligible for visa sponsorship.

Benefits Include

• *Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• *Bonus
• *401K Plan
• *Generous paid time off, sick leave and holidays
• *Paid Parental Leave
• *Employee Assistance Program
• *Life insurance and disability