Tier 3 IT Systems Engineer

NexTech; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentorship opportunities

Professional development programs

Job summary

A leading IT services provider is seeking a highly skilled Tier 3 IT Systems Engineer in Detroit. This role involves resolving complex technical issues, managing multiple support tickets daily, and providing mentorship to junior technicians. Expertise in Windows Server administration, advanced networking, and cybersecurity is essential. The ideal candidate should have 5+ years of experience in a fast-paced environment and show strong communication skills. This is an onsite position with opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in IT systems engineering or senior helpdesk.
• Ability to manage high ticket volumes with quality and accuracy.
• Proficiency in advanced networking, firewall, and VPN management.

Responsibilities

• Manage and resolve up to 30 technical support tickets per day.
• Provide technical escalation support to Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians.
• Administer Windows Server environments and troubleshoot complex issues.

Skills

Windows Server administration

Active Directory

Networking knowledge

Communication skills

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology

Associate's degree in Cybersecurity

Tools

Autodesk

Hyper-V

VMware vSphere

Microsoft 365

Job description

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Tier 3 IT Systems Engineer to join their onsite technical operations team in the Greater Detroit Metro Area. This is the highest-level individual engineering role within the organization, responsible for resolving the most complex, escalated, and time-sensitive tickets across their client base. The Tier 3 IT Systems Engineer serves as the final technical escalation point within the support structure and is expected to handle any ticket, any problem — from advanced network engineering and Windows infrastructure challenges to intricate application and security integration issues.

This role requires a self-driven professional who thrives in a high-volume, fast-paced environment. You will manage approximately 30 tickets per day across a five-day workweek, leveraging Autodesk to log, track, and document all work with precision. You will work closely with Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians, providing mentorship and escalation support, while also interfacing directly with clients to deliver professional, expert-level service. This is a fully onsite position.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and resolve approximately 30 support tickets per day, Monday through Friday, using Autodesk as the primary ticketing and documentation platform.
• Serve as the final escalation point for complex and unresolved issues from Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians — no ticket is beyond scope.
• Accurately log all work efforts, resolution steps, root-cause analysis, and follow-up actions in Autodesk in real time.
• Triage, prioritize, and resolve multi-client incidents simultaneously, balancing urgency, client impact, and SLA requirements.
• Identify recurring ticket patterns and elevate systemic issues for permanent resolution or proactive remediation.

Windows Infrastructure & Server Administration

• Deploy, configure, manage, and troubleshoot Windows Server environments (2016, 2019, 2022) across physical, virtual, and cloud platforms.
• Administer and maintain Active Directory, Group Policy (GPO), DNS, DHCP, and domain trust relationships for client environments.
• Manage Microsoft 365 tenants including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Intune, and Azure Active Directory (Entra ID).
• Perform advanced troubleshooting of Windows workstations and servers, including OS-level diagnostics, performance analysis, and crash dump review.
• Administer and support virtualization platforms including Hyper‑V, VMware vSphere/ESXi, and Azure Virtual Machines.
• Manage patch management workflows, system health monitoring, and endpoint compliance reporting.
• Support and troubleshoot Microsoft Azure services including Azure AD, Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, and cloud-hosted workloads.
• Design, configure, and troubleshoot complex LAN/WAN network environments for multi‑site clients.
• Administer and support enterprise-grade firewalls, managed switches, routers, and wireless access point systems from vendors including Cisco, Fortinet, SonicWall, Meraki, and Ubiquiti.
• Configure and troubleshoot routing protocols, VLANs, inter‑VLAN routing, QoS policies, and NAT/PAT rules.
• Deploy and manage VPN solutions including site‑to‑site and client VPN configurations using SSL, IPSec, and SASE frameworks.
• Perform advanced packet capture and network analysis using tools such as Wireshark to diagnose latency, packet loss, and connectivity issues.
• Troubleshoot WAN connectivity, ISP circuit issues, BGP/OSPF routing, and SD‑WAN configurations.
• Maintain up-to-date network diagrams, IP address management records, and network topology documentation in Autodesk and associated documentation tools.

Security & Compliance Support

• Support, configure, and respond to alerts from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Managed XDR (MXDR) platforms.
• Assist in the configuration and monitoring of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions.
• Perform malware investigation, isolation, and remediation on compromised endpoints and servers.
• Implement and enforce multi‑factor authentication (MFA), Conditional Access policies, and identity governance controls.
• Support client environments in alignment with CMMC, NIST 800-171, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliance frameworks as required.
• Participate in vulnerability assessments and remediation planning based on scan findings.

Client Communication & Documentation

• Communicate directly with clients in a professional, clear, and empathetic manner — keeping them informed of incident status, expected timelines, and resolution details.
• Produce and maintain comprehensive technical documentation including SOPs, runbooks, network diagrams, and knowledge base articles.
• Provide post-incident reports and root‑cause analysis write-ups for major incidents or recurring issues.
• Collaborate with Account Managers to communicate technical findings and translate them into client-facing language and actionable recommendations.
• Serve as a technical resource and mentor for Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians, providing real-time guidance on complex issues.
• Participate in team stand‑ups, technical reviews, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal processes, ticketing workflows, and escalation paths.
• Support the training and development of junior technicians and apprenticeship program participants as a subject‑matter expert.

Qualifications

Required Experience & Skills

• 5+ years of hands‑on IT systems engineering or senior helpdesk experience in a managed services or enterprise environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high ticket volumes (25–35+ per day) with consistent quality, accuracy, and documentation.
• Expert‑level proficiency with Windows Server administration, Active Directory, and Microsoft 365 environments.
• Advanced networking knowledge including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLAN segmentation, routing, firewalls, and VPNs.
• Hands‑on experience with enterprise firewall platforms (Fortinet FortiGate, SonicWall, Cisco ASA, or equivalent).
• Proficiency with virtualization platforms: Hyper‑V, VMware vSphere/ESXi, and/or Azure Virtual Machines.
• Experience using a professional ticketing and documentation platform; prior Autodesk or PSA tool experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals including endpoint security, identity management, MFA, and patch compliance.
• Proven ability to independently resolve complex, multi‑layered technical issues without supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; must be able to interact with clients professionally under pressure.
• Ability to prioritize, context‑switch, and work effectively in a high‑urgency, fast‑paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active industry certifications such as CompTIA Network+, Security+, CASP+, Microsoft Certified (MCSA/MCSE/Azure Administrator), or Cisco CCNA/CCNP.
• Experience working in a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) environment.
• Familiarity with SIEM platforms, EDR/MDR tools, and security monitoring workflows.
• Working knowledge of CMMC, NIST 800-171, SOC 2, or HIPAA compliance requirements.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure services including Entra ID, Azure Backup, Azure Monitor, and cloud migration projects.
• Familiarity with SASE frameworks, zero‑trust network access (ZTNA), and SD‑WAN solutions.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, healthcare, or defense contractor client environments.
• Prior experience in a Tier 3 or senior escalation engineering role.

Education

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education, certifications, and demonstrated work experience will be considered.