IT Operations Engineer

We Insure•Austin, TX

1d•Remote

About The Position

The IT Operations Engineer is a hands-on, highly motivated technical leader who thrives at the intersection of technology, people, and continuous improvement. This is not a role for someone who waits to be told what to do. You actively seek out friction, inefficiency, and risk - then fix it. You bring creative problem-solving and a relentless drive to elevate the IT experience for both corporate teammates and franchise partners, the vast majority of whom are nontechnical and depend on IT to be a trusted, patient, and proactive guide. You see artificial intelligence not as a buzzword but as a hands-on toolkit. You identify repeatable processes, build automations, and leverage AI to surface insights and accelerate delivery - while simultaneously recognizing the very real security risks AI introduces and taking personal ownership of mitigating them. You operate comfortably in ambiguity, making thoughtful decisions with incomplete information and adjusting quickly as circumstances evolve. You are as comfortable sitting with a frustrated franchisee who cannot get their system to work as you are architecting a cloud identity solution. Your diplomacy is as sharp as your technical skills. You translate complex problems into clear, empathetic communication - and you leave every interaction making people feel supported, capable, and confident in IT.

Requirements

Hands-on, highly motivated technical leader.
Creative problem-solving skills.
Relentless drive to elevate the IT experience.
Comfortable with ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete information.
Ability to translate complex problems into clear, empathetic communication.
Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and hybrid identity environments.
Familiarity with service management platforms (ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Zendesk).
Experience supporting compliance audits (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or similar).
Experience deploying or administering AI productivity tools (Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise, or similar) in an enterprise context, including governance and security configuration.
Experience working in or supporting franchise business models, distributed retail, or field-based operations.
Relentless innovation mindset.
Bias toward action.
Comfort in ambiguity.
People-first technical thinking.
Customer diplomacy.
AI fluency with security maturity.
Ownership mentality.

Nice To Haves

Relevant certifications: Microsoft 365 / Azure Administrator, CompTIA Security+, ITIL Foundation, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Serve as Tier 3 escalation point for complex infrastructure issues across cloud and on-prem systems, providing thorough root cause analysis and permanent fixes.
Own and operate the organization's AWS environment, architecting secure, scalable infrastructure, enforcing cloud security guardrails, and embedding security controls directly into CI/CD pipelines, while managing access controls, cost governance, and partnering with development teams to integrate security scanning, policy-as-code, and automated compliance checks throughout the software delivery lifecycle.
Design, implement, and optimize system environments; own configuration standards and enforce change management discipline.
Lead OS, firmware, and security patching programs - define cadence, oversee execution, validate outcomes, and report status to management.
Architect and maintain backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity systems; regularly test recovery procedures and drive improvements based on results.
Manage Active Directory, Azure AD, and identity/authorization platforms at an advanced level - including group policy design, role-based access, and lifecycle automation.
Evaluate and recommend infrastructure improvements, new technologies, and vendor solutions aligned with business needs and security posture.
Communicate infrastructure risk and status clearly to IT leadership; prepare concise written summaries and impact assessments.
Actively identify repeatable, manual, or error-prone IT processes and build AI-assisted or scripted automations to eliminate them.
Evaluate and deploy AI tools that improve IT operations, user support, and infrastructure management; document outcomes and evangelize successful approaches across the team.
Stay current on AI capabilities and their practical applications in an IT operations context; bring concrete proposals to the team on a regular basis.
Proactively identify, document, and remediate security risks introduced by AI tools - including data exposure, shadow AI usage, and prompt injection vulnerabilities.
Partner with leadership to establish AI governance guardrails that protect the organization while enabling innovation; balance security rigor with practical usability.
Serve as an internal resource for the broader team on responsible AI usage - educating colleagues on both the opportunities and the risks of AI in the enterprise.
Handle Tier 2–3 escalations from corporate staff and franchise partners - always meeting users where they are, never talking down, and leaving every interaction with the user feeling genuinely supported.
Translate complex technical problems into plain language - both verbally and in writing - for franchisees and nontechnical business stakeholders.
Proactively identify recurring pain points and address root causes before they become widespread issues.
Design and deliver user-facing documentation, training materials, and knowledge base articles written specifically for nontechnical audiences.
Manage the full user account lifecycle - provisioning, access reviews, privilege management, and deprovisioning - with accuracy, speed, and clear communication to affected users.
Champion a culture of digital safety and IT best practices among franchisees and corporate users.
Partner with SaaS vendors and application providers to escalate and resolve issues impacting user productivity; advocate fiercely on behalf of users while maintaining professional, constructive vendor relationships.
Identify technology opportunities that improve IT delivery, reduce cost, or improve the user experience - then build the case, get alignment, and execute.
Lead and coordinate technology projects from requirements gathering through deployment; communicate status clearly and proactively to stakeholders at all levels.
Author and maintain comprehensive IT documentation: architecture diagrams, runbooks, project plans, and process guides.
Mentor junior IT Operations staff - provide technical guidance, constructive feedback, and professional development support.
Lead the Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning program; own DR test scheduling, facilitate exercises, and document outcomes with clear improvement actions.
Review and audit systems for compliance with security policies and industry frameworks; prepare findings and remediation plans for leadership.
Assist management with vendor evaluations, RFP processes, and technology roadmap planning.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Pet
Flexible Spending Account
Competitive Salaries
401K Match
Work-Life Balance: Personal Days, PTO Days, 12 Paid Holidays, Two Paid Days for Volunteer Service, Paid Parental Leave
Short and Long-Term Disability
Employee Support Programs, Including Mental Health
Tuition Reimbursement
Matching Charitable Gift Program
Lucrative Referral Program