Senior Systems Engineer - New York City

Portfolio BI•New York, NY

7h•Onsite

About The Position

Portfolio BI's flagship platforms - PBI Axiom, PBI Vector, and PBI Stratus - empower alternative asset managers to solve complex data challenges across analytics, workflow, governance, and security. Our Stratus practice delivers fully managed IT and cybersecurity services to hedge funds, private equity firms, and other financial services clients who demand enterprise-grade reliability from a team that understands their business. We are seeking a seasoned Sr. Systems Engineer - Onsite to serve as the primary technical presence at a high-profile financial services client. This is not a traditional support role - you will be the trusted technical lead and day-to-day partner to the client's leadership, owning the reliability, security, and continuous improvement of their entire technology environment. You will bring deep cloud and infrastructure expertise, a strong automation mindset, and the client-facing maturity to translate technical complexity into business outcomes. You will serve as the escalation anchor for all Level 1 and Level 2 issues, partner with our engineering teams on complex initiatives, and ensure the client's environment evolves alongside their business.

Requirements

4 to 8 years of experience in systems engineering, cloud operations, or a closely related role
Proven track record as a senior technical resource in a dedicated or client-facing environment, ideally within an MSP or financial services firm
Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure (IaaS, PaaS, hybrid architectures) - Azure Administrator Associate certification preferred
Deep expertise across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem: Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, Teams Calling
Solid command of cloud networking: VNets, VPNs, load balancing, DNS, NSGs, ExpressRoute, and hybrid connectivity
Windows Server administration including Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and DFS
Scripting and automation proficiency in PowerShell, Python, and Bash - you write code to solve operational problems, not just for documentation
Hands-on experience with infrastructure-as-code tools: Terraform, ARM templates, or Bicep
Working knowledge of CI/CD practices and version control (Git, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
Proficiency with monitoring and observability platforms (Azure Monitor, Datadog, Microsoft Sentinel, or equivalent)
Solid networking fundamentals: LAN/WAN/DMZ architecture, routing, switching, firewalls, DHCP, and DNS
Experience supporting market data platforms and vendor integrations common in financial services environments (Bloomberg, Refinitiv/LSEG, CapIQ, Advent, or similar)
Excellent client-facing communication skills - able to engage confidently with both technical teams and business leadership

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in the alternative investment industry (hedge funds, private equity, asset management)
Microsoft certifications such as Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) or Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
Experience with cybersecurity tools: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike, or Darktrace
Familiarity with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (XenApp) or similar application delivery platforms
Exposure to containerization and orchestration: Docker and Kubernetes
Experience supporting hybrid cloud and on-premises integrations including VMware or Hyper-V environments
Working knowledge of Linux server administration
Familiarity with ITIL practices and ITSM tools such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior onsite technical lead and trusted advisor to the client's CTO and senior stakeholders
Build and maintain a strong client relationship grounded in technical credibility, proactive communication, and follow-through
Translate business requirements into technical solutions, providing guidance on infrastructure decisions, vendor evaluations, and technology roadmap considerations
Represent Portfolio BI's standards and quality of service in every client interaction
Coordinate with internal engineering and delivery teams to align onsite operations with broader platform initiatives
Own the day-to-day health, performance, and availability of the client's cloud and hybrid infrastructure
Provide hands-on support across end-user systems, server infrastructure, networking, storage, identity, and security layers
Proactively monitor systems using cloud-native and third-party tools, identifying and resolving risks before they affect operations
Execute and oversee operational activities including patching cycles, backup validation, disaster recovery readiness, and scheduled maintenance
Support and administer the full Microsoft 365 ecosystem including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, and Teams Calling
Serve as the primary escalation point for critical incidents, ensuring timely resolution within defined SLA commitments
Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and implement durable corrective actions to prevent recurrence
Coordinate with Level 3 engineers and product teams on high-impact or systemic issues
Drive continuous improvement of incident response processes, runbooks, and escalation paths
Maintain clear and timely communication with clients during active incidents, providing status updates and post-incident summaries
Design and maintain infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, ARM templates, Bicep) to ensure consistent, repeatable deployments
Develop and enhance automation scripts (PowerShell, Python, Bash) to reduce manual operational overhead and improve reliability
Support cloud deployments, configuration changes, and infrastructure updates under strict change control procedures
Identify automation opportunities across operational workflows and lead implementation through to production
Enforce security best practices, compliance standards, and patch management policies across all managed environments
Administer identity and access management (IAM) including Entra ID policy design, conditional access, and privileged access controls
Ensure proper implementation of logging, monitoring, and audit frameworks using tools such as Microsoft Sentinel, Defender, and Datadog
Collaborate on security incident response, threat hunting, and remediation efforts in line with client risk posture
Maintain high-quality documentation including system architecture diagrams, operational runbooks, and change records
Contribute to standardization of processes and best practices across the broader Stratus delivery team
Participate in regular business reviews and provide technical input on client roadmap discussions