IT Systems Engineer

Cowlitz County•Kelso, WA

About The Position

The Systems Engineer is responsible for managing and improving Cowlitz County’s IT infrastructure, including servers, storage, backups, operating systems, Microsoft 365 services, and server applications. The role requires in-depth knowledge of cloud computing, virtualization, networking, and security. The engineer anticipates impacts, addresses security threats, develops sustainable strategies, troubleshoots complex issues, and reviews advanced technical configurations to advance the county’s infrastructure and application delivery. The position works closely with end users to understand organizational needs, improve services, and strengthen the engineer’s skills. It administers Microsoft 365 and hosting environments; manages systems, virtual servers, capacity, monitoring, backups, security, accounts, certificates, and email filtering; and leads infrastructure projects and incident response. The engineer documents configurations and procedures, communicates changes to stakeholders, collaborates with colleagues and vendors, and stays current with technology and industry practices. Regular periodic on-call duties and work beyond standard hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, may be required for critical issues and upgrades. The position is open until filled. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume.

Requirements

Six or more years of professional information technology experience, such as troubleshooting, installing, and maintaining server software or hardware, virtual servers, or midrange storage infrastructure; an equivalent combination of education, experience, and technical certifications may qualify.
Education, experience, and/or training that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet or exceed the position’s duties and responsibilities.
Working knowledge of Windows Server operating systems, including Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and Group Policy.
Working knowledge of virtualization or cloud platforms, including VMware, Hyper-V, or Azure.
Working knowledge of the Microsoft 365 platform and Azure AD.
Working knowledge of storage and backup products.
Working knowledge of disaster recovery methods and products.
Ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing; prepare reports, support documentation, presentations, and user training materials.
Ability to demonstrate initiative, innovation, ownership, follow-through, and alignment with departmental operations and strategic goals.
Ability to manage time effectively and perform under tight deadlines.
Interpersonal and customer service skills to build and maintain effective relationships with county employees and other contacts.
Ability to collaborate with IT staff, system users, management, and vendors and to work independently.
Ability to manage job-related stress and interact positively with others.
Willingness to share expertise and information with the IT team and clients.
Ability to assess problems independently, develop corrective actions, and implement effective solutions.
Technical aptitude to learn and manage enterprise cybersecurity, infrastructure, software applications, and comprehensive support and maintenance.
Commitment to continuously upgrading skills through training and other resources.

Nice To Haves

One or more years of PowerShell experience.
Microsoft certifications such as Azure AZ-104, AZ-500, MCSE, or MCSA.
VMware certifications such as VCP-DCV.
ITIL Foundation certification.
CompTIA certifications such as A+, Network+, Security+, and/or Cloud Essentials.

Responsibilities

Administer and stay current with Microsoft 365 services, including Exchange Online and Teams, to provide effective communications and collaboration tools.
Plan and oversee installation, configuration, patching, and maintenance of hosting infrastructure, operating systems, physical and virtual servers, and server applications.
Manage virtual server environments, including adding, moving, and troubleshooting virtual machines and servers.
Maintain infrastructure and software asset inventories and ensure compliance with vendor agreements and usage policies.
Plan capacity and hardware sizing for cloud and virtualization platforms, servers, storage, and backup systems; forecast needs and upgrade to meet business demands.
Implement and maintain monitoring and logging tools, analyze system performance, and resolve issues affecting objectives.
Automate repetitive tasks and processes.
Develop and implement backup and disaster recovery strategies to minimize downtime, data loss, and recovery time.
Conduct security audits and vulnerability assessments and implement measures to protect systems from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other cyber threats.
Document system configurations, procedures, troubleshooting steps, diagrams, and policies.
Keep team members and stakeholders informed about system changes and technology updates.
Manage user accounts, permissions, and access controls for IT infrastructure.
Collaborate with colleagues, vendors, and third-party service providers to resolve issues, procure equipment or services, and implement solutions.
Lead infrastructure projects from planning and implementation through post-implementation support.
Respond to and resolve incidents and service requests in a timely manner; conduct incident and problem management and root cause analysis.
Manage Public Key Infrastructure, including certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation.
Manage and optimize email filtering systems, review logs, update filter rules, and resolve email delivery and spam management issues.
Use project and change management practices to manage work and priorities; participate in work planning and provide status reports.
Attend training and other learning activities and review industry publications to maintain and develop system administration and engineering skills.
Be available for periodic on-call duties and work beyond standard hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, for critical issues and system upgrades.
Complete other tasks and projects assigned by IT Department leadership.