Senior Systems Engineer

The Washington Post•Washington, DC

12d•$108,700 - $181,100•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Systems Engineer helps keep The Washington Post’s identity, collaboration, endpoint, and core IT service platforms secure, reliable, and available. This role serves as a senior technical resource for Identity and Access Management, supporting Active Directory, Okta, single sign-on, and automated user-lifecycle processes. Through hands-on systems engineering, administration, integration, and automation, this role improves the reliability and efficiency of technology services used across the organization. Working with IT Operations, Cybersecurity, Legal, Compliance, HR, and other partners, this role helps translate operational and security requirements into practical technical solutions. As an individual contributor, this role provides technical guidance and project leadership but does not have formal people-management responsibilities.

Requirements

Five or more years of relevant experience in systems engineering, systems administration, enterprise infrastructure, Identity and Access Management, or a related discipline.
Advanced knowledge of Active Directory, Okta, SSO integrations, multifactor authentication, access provisioning, and role-based access controls.
Experience administering Google Workspace in a large or complex environment, including experience with the Google Admin SDK, OAuth, and service accounts.
Hands-on experience integrating enterprise systems, SaaS applications, IAM tools, HR platforms, or IT service-management platforms.
Proficiency in at least one relevant scripting language, such as Python, JavaScript, Bash, PowerShell, or Google Apps Script.
Experience working with REST APIs and troubleshooting system-to-system integrations.
Practical experience implementing identity, endpoint, configuration, or access controls in partnership with cybersecurity or compliance teams.
Experience supporting ITSM, CMDB, asset-management, endpoint-management, storage, or enterprise collaboration platforms.
Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills, including the ability to identify root causes and resolve issues involving multiple systems.
Ability to manage assigned projects and technical work independently while recognizing when decisions or risks require escalation.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and recommendations to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
Experience creating technical documentation, operational procedures, and support runbooks.
Ability to provide technical guidance and mentoring without formal supervisory authority.
A bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer science, engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, certifications, training, and practical experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with infrastructure as code, version control, automated testing, CI/CD, or other modern systems-engineering practices is preferred.
Experience supporting legal holds, e-discovery, data retention, or information-governance processes is preferred.

Responsibilities

Administer and improve Identity and Access Management services, including Active Directory, Okta, single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and role-based access, supporting secure and reliable access to enterprise systems.
Design and implement automated provisioning, deprovisioning, and access-change workflows within established security and platform standards, improving the accuracy and timeliness of identity administration.
Develop and maintain integrations among platforms such as Workday, Okta, Active Directory, Google Workspace, Proofpoint, and ServiceNow, improving the consistency of data and service workflows.
Engineer and support assigned enterprise platforms, which may include Google Workspace, storage and collaboration services, endpoint-management tools, asset-management systems, and ITSM platforms, maintaining reliable day-to-day operations.
Use APIs, scripting, and systems-management tools to automate recurring administrative and operational processes, reducing manual effort and preventable errors.
Troubleshoot complex incidents involving identity, access, integrations, endpoints, systems administration, and enterprise applications, restoring service and identifying corrective actions.
Partner with Cybersecurity and Compliance to implement approved security configurations, access controls, and remediation plans, reducing identity and infrastructure risk.
Support the technical implementation of data-retention requirements, legal holds, and e-discovery requests in partnership with Legal, Cybersecurity, and designated data owners, ensuring requests are executed accurately and securely.
Contribute technical expertise to system upgrades, platform changes, integration projects, and service improvements, helping projects meet operational, security, and delivery requirements.
Maintain system documentation, technical procedures, integration records, and operational runbooks, improving service continuity and reducing reliance on individual knowledge.
Recommend improvements to system configurations, workflows, and working methods, strengthening the effectiveness and reliability of the IT Operations team.
Provide technical guidance, cross-training, and mentoring to engineers and administrators, helping colleagues resolve issues and work effectively within established standards.