Senior Email Engineer

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Transform the Way the World Connects At the University of Washington (UW), our work goes beyond the borders of our campuses—it shapes communities, drives innovation, and changes lives across the globe. As a UW employee, you’ll be part of a deeply mission-driven institution committed to building stronger minds and a healthier world. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming, equitable, and inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. ________________________________________ About UW Information Technology (UW-IT) UW-IT is the central hub for information technology at the University of Washington, powering innovation in teaching, learning, research, and service. From cutting-edge global research to life-saving healthcare to administrative systems that support 80,000+ students and staff—we’re the team that makes it all possible. ________________________________________ The Role: Senior Email Engineer Are you passionate about scaling enterprise email systems that keep a global academic institution connected and secure? Do you thrive in high-availability environments, and have a knack for engineering elegant solutions to complex communication and cybersecurity challenges? We are looking for an experienced Senior Email Engineer to lead the architecture, sustainment, and security of UW’s enterprise-scale email infrastructure—supporting over 5 million messages a day and 80+ email domains. You’ll join a dynamic, collaborative team responsible for ensuring the seamless operation of core email services, enhancing deliverability, and safeguarding the UW community from emerging threats. ________________________________________ Your Impact As the Senior Email Engineer, you will: Be a technical leader for one of the most mission-critical communication systems at UW. Manage and enhance email infrastructure serving over 700,000 identities, supporting academics, administration, and patient care. Ensure security at scale through advanced use of Proofpoint, Sendmail, Postfix, and open-source technologies. Play a key role in UW’s cybersecurity posture, helping to defend against spam, phishing, and data loss. Architect and automate robust, future-ready email workflows using Python, shell scripting, and modern DevOps practices. ________________________________________

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field, or equivalent experience.
4+ years of hands-on experience managing Proofpoint, Sendmail (including m4 macros), and complex email systems in a Linux environment.
Deep understanding of internet mail standards (SMTP, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and email threat mitigation.
Experience diagnosing deliverability issues and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA, GLBA).
Strong scripting and automation skills (e.g., Bash, Python, Perl).
Excellent communication, documentation, and troubleshooting skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Microsoft Exchange and Postfix.
Familiarity with secure cloud or hybrid environments, including Microsoft GCC High.
Exposure to DLP strategies and ITIL practices.
Prior experience in higher education or a large-scale research institution.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain secure, reliable enterprise email systems using Sendmail, Postfix, and Proofpoint.
Provide Tier 3 engineering support and lead resolution of escalated technical issues.
Develop tools and scripts to monitor, automate, and optimize email delivery and threat protection.
Collaborate with stakeholders to tailor infrastructure solutions for evolving organizational needs.
Ensure email system uptime and performance through proactive monitoring and SLA adherence.
Lead incident response and recovery for outages and security events.
Continuously improve operational documentation, runbooks, and resilience strategies.
Serve as a trusted advisor to internal teams, ensuring email solutions align with security and compliance requirements.
Represent UW-IT in cross-functional forums and industry discussions on best practices and trends.
Mentor peers, contribute to team strategy, and shape the roadmap for email infrastructure services.
Stay current with emerging technologies and participate in professional communities and conferences.

Benefits

Great work life balance starting with 11 paid Holidays and 15 vacation days your first year.
Benefit from a highly competitive benefits package, professional development opportunities, and a culture of lifelong learning.

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