Senior IT Systems Administrator

Newton Research•Needham, MA

3d•$100,000 - $115,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Newton Research is seeking a Senior IT Systems Administrator to own daily IT operations and help employees work securely and effectively across its Boston headquarters, New York City hub, and remote locations. The role is the first point of contact for employee technology needs, including preparing Macs for new hires, troubleshooting issues, and improving access and application management. The administrator works independently on daily operations and partners with the Director, DevOps and IT, and DevSecOps on security, compliance, and technology planning. The current environment uses Google Workspace and Apple Business Essentials for device management. Early projects include establishing single sign-on across business applications and implementing a ticketing system for IT requests. The role is based in Boston, with 2–3 days per week in the office and remote support for colleagues in other locations. Travel to the New York City hub is expected to be infrequent, if needed.

Requirements

Four or more years of relevant experience in IT operations, systems administration, or employee technology support, or equivalent demonstrated capability.
Strong hands-on experience supporting macOS and administering a managed Mac fleet.
Experience administering Google Workspace, including users, groups, permissions, and security settings.
Experience implementing and troubleshooting SSO integrations and understanding of SAML/OIDC, multifactor authentication, and account lifecycle management.
Ability to evaluate and introduce new tools with thoughtful testing, clear communication, and minimal disruption to employees.
Comfort managing SaaS applications, software licenses, technology vendors, and equipment.
Understanding of endpoint security, least-privilege access, and basic connectivity troubleshooting.
Ability to support colleagues with different levels of technical knowledge and communicate with patience and clarity.
Ownership, careful handling of confidential information, and ability to balance daily support with longer-term improvements.
Ability to determine when to resolve an issue independently and when to involve others.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Jamf or comparable Apple management tools, scripting, and workflow automation.
Experience administering Jira, Freshdesk, or similar ticketing systems.
Experience managing 1Password or other corporate password managers.
Experience managing Bitdefender or other antimalware solutions.
Understanding of data loss prevention (DLP).

Responsibilities

Provide responsive support for hardware, software, account access, and connectivity issues; track and prioritize requests, communicate progress, and follow through to resolution.
Own employee onboarding, offboarding, and role changes, including equipment coordination, account provisioning, permissions, orientation, access removal, and equipment recovery.
Stage, deploy, and maintain Macs, including device configurations, software updates, encryption, and endpoint protection through the device management platform.
Evaluate device management options, recommend an approach, and lead approved migrations, including testing, rollout, and documentation.
Establish and manage SSO across supported business applications; evaluate identity solutions, configure integrations and multifactor authentication, and automate account provisioning and deprovisioning where practical.
Administer Google Workspace and business tools, including accounts, groups, permissions, sharing settings, licenses, and integrations; partner with department owners on application requirements and configuration.
Manage technology vendors, purchasing, and renewals; evaluate providers, recommend selections, track spending and license utilization, and coordinate contracts and approvals with leadership and Finance.
Maintain equipment inventory and manage device logistics, including purchasing, assignments, shipping, repairs, replacements, returns, and secure retirement.
Support meeting equipment, peripherals, and collaboration tools; troubleshoot employee connectivity and coordinate building-provided network issues with coworking providers.
Partner with DevSecOps on device policies, access reviews, audit evidence, and remediation of IT findings; promptly escalate suspected security incidents and assist with response.
Build and maintain documentation and repeatable processes, including employee guides, onboarding checklists, administrative procedures, and recovery instructions; automate repetitive work and address recurring problems.
Maintain a prioritized list of IT improvements and communicate upcoming renewals, operational needs, and recommendations as Newton grows.