IT System Administrator (1099 Contract)

Red Cell Partners

22d

About The Position

DEFCON AI is seeking an experienced IT System Administrator to support and maintain the infrastructure that keeps our cloud environments, identity systems, and end-user services running reliably and securely. This is a 1099 independent contractor engagement supporting a fast-moving team operating across commercial and government cloud environments. As the IT System Administrator, you will own day-to-day administration across our multi-cloud footprint—spanning AWS and Microsoft Azure—as well as our Microsoft 365 collaboration and identity stack. You will be the hands-on technical resource responsible for provisioning, monitoring, hardening, and troubleshooting the systems our workforce depends on, while helping ensure our environment meets the security and compliance expectations of a company operating in Department of War (DoW) mission spaces. This role is well suited to a self-directed contractor who is comfortable working independently, documenting their work clearly, and balancing routine operational tasks with project-based infrastructure improvements. This role is a 1099 contract opportunity, with full time hours.

Requirements

• 7+ years of hands-on IT system administration experience
• Strong, demonstrable expertise administering AWS environments
• Practical cloud administration experience across both AWS and Microsoft Azure
• Microsoft 365 administration expertise (Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, licensing, and identity management)
• Basic scripting experience (PowerShell, Bash, or Python) for automation of administrative tasks
• Some experience supporting or operating within Department of War (DoW) environments
• US Citizenship required
• Ability to work independently as a 1099 contractor with strong documentation and communication habits

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience operating in a GCC-High (Microsoft 365 Government) environment
• Familiarity with DoW/DoD security and compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, or DISA STIGs)
• Relevant certifications such as AWS Certified SysOps Administrator/Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, or Microsoft 365 Certified
• Experience administering third-party managed IT and security SaaS platforms across categories such as endpoint/mobile device management (RMM/MDM), IT service management and ticketing, managed detection and monitoring, security awareness training, and compliance automation tooling
• Experience with infrastructure automation, monitoring, or configuration management tooling
• Active or eligible for a US security clearance

Responsibilities

• Administer, monitor, and maintain workloads across AWS and Microsoft Azure, including compute, storage, networking, and identity resources
• Manage resource provisioning, cost visibility, tagging, and baseline security configuration across both cloud platforms
• Support hybrid and cloud-native architectures, troubleshooting connectivity, performance, and availability issues
• Integrate with an interdisciplinary team of experts in optimization and simulation to design, build, and optimize models that deliver high-quality, real-world insights.
• Design and implement novel heuristics and optimization models to solve complex problems in various industries, ensuring efficiency and scalability.
• Stay up to date with the latest advancements in decision science and implement best practices for our customers.
• The communication of complex technical concepts and findings to non-technical stakeholders clearly and concisely.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and translate them into actionable solutions.
• Administer the Microsoft 365 tenant, including Entra ID (Azure AD), Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and related services
• Manage user lifecycle (provisioning/deprovisioning), licensing, group and role assignments, and conditional access policies
• Support mail flow, security baselines, and collaboration platform configuration
• Perform routine system administration, patching, monitoring, and maintenance across endpoints and cloud-hosted systems
• Respond to and resolve escalated infrastructure and end-user support issues
• Maintain accurate documentation, runbooks, and configuration records
• Administer and support the organization's portfolio of managed IT and security SaaS platforms, ensuring proper configuration, integration, and reliable day-to-day operation
• Maintain tooling that spans endpoint and mobile device management (RMM/MDM), patching, and IT service management/ticketing and user-facing support workflows
• Support security-focused managed services, including managed detection and monitoring, security awareness training, and compliance automation and evidence-collection tooling
• Manage user access, licensing, integrations, and vendor coordination across these platforms; serve as the internal administrator and escalation point for configuration and operational issues
• Develop and maintain basic scripts (e.g., PowerShell, Bash, or Python) to automate repetitive administrative tasks
• Support reporting, monitoring, and provisioning workflows through scripting and native cloud/M365 tooling
• Apply and maintain security configurations consistent with DoW and applicable compliance requirements
• Support hardening, logging, access reviews, and audit-readiness activities
• Partner with security and compliance stakeholders to ensure administrative practices align with organizational policy

Benefits

• Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement with strong performance as the firm grows
• 100% employer paid, comprehensive health care including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family.
• Paid maternity and paternity for 14 weeks at employees' normal pay.
• Unlimited PTO, with management approval.
• Opportunities for professional development and continued learning.
• Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives available.
• Mental health benefits are available through Tara Mind.
• Cost effective GLP-1 solutions available through Crux.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed