Systems Administrator

Job description

**The Role** We're seeking a Systems Administrator to architect, deploy, secure, and maintain the core systems powering our organization — spanning both corporate IT and the operational technology (OT) behind our deployed microgrids. This dual role blends hands-on engineering with day-to-day administration, with heavy emphasis on access/permissions management, security hardening and compliance (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2), network administration, remote connectivity, and monitoring across IT and field OT assets. Strong networking fundamentals are required; hands-on OT/ICS experience in energy, utilities, or renewables is strongly preferred. This hybrid role will report to our Sr Manager, IT and be based in our HQ in Ridgewood, NJ. Key responsibilities will include: - **Systems Engineering:** Design, deploy, and maintain server, storage, and virtualized infrastructure (cloud and on-prem), including Windows Server, Linux, Active Directory/Azure AD, and automation/IaC practices. - **Administration:** Own identity and access management end-to-end (onboarding/offboarding, role-based permissions, MFA, privileged access, backups, audit logging); apply patches/updates and maintain system health and availability. - **Security & Compliance:** Serve as primary owner of access governance and least-privilege design; administer EDR, SIEM, MDM, and vulnerability management tools; extend controls into OT (segmentation, secure remote access); support SOC 2/ISO 27001 audit readiness and incident response. - **Troubleshooting & Support:** Provide Tier 1–3 support across Windows, macOS, Linux, virtualization, and cloud; engage vendors as needed. - **Cloud Administration:** Manage Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Azure (VMs, storage, identity, conditional access); implement cloud backup/DR. - **Network & Connectivity:** Design and maintain switching, routing, VLANs, firewalls, and VPNs; configure cellular modems/gateways for microgrid site connectivity (carrier/APN/SIM provisioning, NAT, failover); build secure IT/OT remote access paths. - **OT & Field Systems:** Support microgrid controllers, PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, inverters, and meters; troubleshoot protocol-level issues (Modbus, DNP3, MQTT, SNMP, BACnet); partner with Scale’s control team for on-site commissioning and OT patch/firmware management. - **Monitoring & Observability:** Build and tune monitoring/alerting across IT and OT (health, connectivity, data flow, backups, security events); create dashboards and reduce MTTD/MTTR. - **Documentation:** Maintain system/network diagrams, SOPs, configuration baselines, and runbooks; generate performance and capacity reports. **The Ideal Candidate** - Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience); 5+ years as a Systems Engineer/Administrator with direct network administration responsibility. - OT/ICS/SCADA experience in energy, utilities, renewables, or industrial/building systems strongly preferred. - Demonstrated experience with NIST, ISO 27001, and/or SOC 2 frameworks. - Certifications preferred: Network+/Security+, CCNA, Azure Administrator, MCSA/MCSE, RHCSA, GICSP, or similar. - Technical Proficiency: Windows Server, Linux (Ubuntu/CentOS), Active Directory, Azure AD, Group Policy, M365; VMware/Hyper-V. - Strong networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, subnetting, routing, VLANs, DNS/DHCP, NAT, firewalls, VPNs. - Hands-on experience with cellular modems/industrial gateways (Cradlepoint, Sierra Wireless, Digi, Teltonika, Peplink) and carrier/SIM management. - Monitoring/alerting tools (PRTG, SolarWinds, Datadog, Zabbix, Grafana); backup/DR platforms (Veeam, Datto). - Familiarity with industrial protocols and IT/OT segmentation; Zero Trust and NIST 800-82/IEC 62443 knowledge a plus. - Strong analytical and communication skills; highly organized and detail-oriented; collaborative, customer-focused mindset - Willingness to travel to office, project, and client sites, including field visits to operating microgrid sites. Approximate travel 25%. - Ability to participate in an on-call rotation and evening/nighttime system migration tasks when required.