Senior Systems Administrator

The USC's Institute for Creative Technologies in Playa Vista, is seeking a highly skilled Senior System Administrator to join its IT department. This role requires advanced expertise in Windows systems administration, networking, cloud computing, virtualization, and enterprise storage solutions. Join us in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where innovation and collaboration drive cutting-edge projects.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Administration & Networking

• Maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot the Institute's back-end systems and networks.
• Oversee, administer, and optimize Windows-based computer networks, including hardware, software, and configurations.
• Monitor system performance and security; adjust as needed and ensure systems operate efficiently.

Technical Project Leadership

• Lead IT projects from inception to completion with minimal supervision.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to advance IT services and capabilities.

Security & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with security frameworks (NIST 800-171, CMMC, ISO-27001).
• Manage data backups, disaster recovery operations, and security access protocols.
• Oversee the integrity of security systems, including account management and access control.

User Support & Documentation

• Provide mentorship to junior system administrators and handle escalated helpdesk tasks as needed.
• Develop and maintain system documentation and user training materials.
• Conduct specialized end-user training sessions for individuals and groups.

Preferred Qualifications

Education & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Active Directory system administration.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in complex, heterogeneous environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts to non-technical users.

Technical Expertise

• Five or more years of advanced Windows and Active Directory administration experience.
• Experience with enterprise storage management (NetApp, EMC, Tegile).
• VMware ESX administration and experience managing cloud services (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Familiarity with supporting MS Office 365, MS Entra, and enterprise software like Jira, Confluence, and JAMF.
• Technical writing experience for creating engineering guides and how-to documentation.

Security & Compliance

• Knowledge of PCI, PII, HIPAA, DFARS compliance standards.
• Familiarity with security assessment tools (SentinelOne, NMAP, Nessus, Rapid7).

The annual base salary range for this position is $125,000 to $140,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Why Join Us?

This position offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative and innovative environment at the forefront of research and technology. You will contribute to advancing IT services, ensuring the success of the Institute's cutting-edge projects.

Security Clearance

This position may require a security clearance, and applicants must be eligible to obtain one if necessary.

If you're passionate about solving complex IT challenges and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply!

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
Minimum Experience: 5 years
Minimum Field of Expertise: Expert understanding and strong technical knowledge of and experience with systems administration, backups, operating systems programming languages and associated hardware platforms. Possesses the required knowledge to build, configure, load and restore a system from the ground up. Previous systems administration experience required.