Windows SME / Lead

IPolarity; California; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

IPolarity is seeking an experienced Windows and Linux infrastructure engineer to manage on-prem servers and AD, across San Jose, Fremont, and Irvine. You will oversee Hyper-V virtualization, SCVMM, and VM lifecycle, while maintaining patching and security hardening.

You will drive automation via PowerShell, Bash, and Python, contributing to SRE initiatives and ITIL-based processes. Onsite collaboration across IT operations is essential.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with Windows Server administration and enterprise infrastructure.
• Experience with Hyper-V, virtualization, failover clustering, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency in patch management, security hardening, monitoring and automation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Windows Server administration, AD and related enterprise services with ongoing maintenance.
• Administer Hyper-V hosts, SCVMM, and VM lifecycle including patching and migrations.
• Automate infrastructure tasks using Bash, Python, and Ansible where applicable.
• Support security hardening, vulnerability remediation, and endpoint defenses.
• Follow ITIL processes for incident, problem, and change management.

Skills

Windows Server Administration

Active Directory

PowerShell scripting

OS Patching

Monitoring

Troubleshooting

Infrastructure Architecture

Security Hardening

Technical Leadership

ITIL

Tools

Hyper-V

SCVMM

SCCM

WSUS

Azure Arc

CrowdStrike

Microsoft Defender

ServiceNow

Job description

Location: Onsite – San Jose / Fremont / Irvine, California

Top Required Skills

• Windows Server Administration
• Active Directory (AD)
• Hyper-V, Linux, and VMware
• SCCM, WSUS, and Azure Arc
• CrowdStrike and Microsoft Defender
• ServiceNow and ITIL
• PowerShell scripting
• OS Patching, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting
• Infrastructure Architecture, Security Hardening, and Technical Leadership

Job Description and Responsibilities

• 1. Windows Server Administration
  Lead the administration, maintenance, and support of Windows Server environments, including Windows Server 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022.
  Administer Windows infrastructure, including Active Directory and related enterprise services.
  Execute approved upgrades, configuration changes, and infrastructure maintenance activities.
  Maintain operational runbooks, technical documentation, and Configuration Management Database (CMDB) records.
• 2. Hyper-V and Virtualization
  Administer Hyper-V hosts and failover clusters.
  Manage System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM), including host-level storage and network integration.
  Provision and decommission virtual machines.
  Manage VM checkpoints, live migration, and host-level patching.
  Troubleshoot host and virtual machine availability and performance incidents.
  Participate in root cause analysis (RCA) and implement corrective actions.
  Administer RHEL, SUSE, Oracle Linux, and Ubuntu server environments.
  Build, configure, harden, and decommission Linux servers.
  Resolve Level 2 and Level 3 incidents and service requests within established Service Level Requirements (SLRs).
  Handle an approximate baseline of 138 Linux tickets per month.
  Manage Logical Volume Management (LVM), file systems, NFS, user and sudo access, cron jobs, and system services.
  Execute operating system patching and kernel upgrades within security SLAs.
  Monitor and report patch compliance.
• 4. Automation and Operational Excellence
  Automate routine infrastructure operations using Bash, Python, and Ansible.
  Contribute to Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) initiatives to reduce repetitive operational work.
  Participate in root cause analysis, change planning, and infrastructure capacity reviews.
  Maintain accurate operational documentation, runbooks, and CMDB records.
• 5. Security, Monitoring, and Compliance
  Support infrastructure security hardening and vulnerability remediation.
  Work with endpoint security solutions such as CrowdStrike and Microsoft Defender.
  Support patch management and compliance activities using tools such as SCCM, WSUS, and Azure Arc.
  Monitor infrastructure health and troubleshoot system performance and availability issues.
  Follow ITIL processes for incident, problem, and change management.

Key Requirements

• Strong hands-on experience in Windows Server administration and enterprise infrastructure support.
• Expertise in Hyper-V, virtualization, failover clustering, and infrastructure troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of Linux server administration and operational support.
• Experience with patch management, security hardening, monitoring, and automation.
• Ability to lead technical activities, perform root cause analysis, and maintain operational documentation.
• Strong troubleshooting, incident management, and technical leadership skills.