System Administrator

Discovery Life Sciences • Huntsville, AL

43d • Onsite

About The Position

Discovery Life Sciences (Discovery) is a leading provider of highly characterized human biospecimens and cellular starting materials to advance cell and gene therapy and precision medicine programs for cancer, infectious disease, and other complex conditions. We routinely manage hundreds of studies and expertly test thousands of biospecimens simultaneously. Leading biopharma, diagnostic and academic institutions trust us to quickly deliver high-quality biospecimens and reliable, reproducible biomarker data, so they can outpace their competition and push the leading edge of innovation using our Science at your Service TM business model. Position Summary: Discovery is looking for a talented and passionate System Administrator to join our dynamic IT team. A Systems Administrator is responsible for providing systems administration expertise across a mixed Windows Server and Linux enterprise environment, spanning physical and virtualized infrastructure (Hyper-V), backup and disaster recovery, Active Directory / Microsoft Entra ID identity services, and AWS cloud infrastructure. This position is an integral part of a small, collaborative IT team, working closely with peers across infrastructure, development, and application support to solve system administration challenges across on-premises and cloud.

Requirements

• 8 + years of proven experience working as a Systems Administrator.
• Associate degree and 6 years of professional experience required, OR bachelor's degree and 4 years of professional experience
• Strong hands-on experience administering Windows Server (2016–2025) in a production environment.
• Experience administering Active Directory Domain Services and Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), including domain controllers, FSMO roles, Group Policy, hybrid identity/Entra Connect sync, and conditional access.
• Proficiency with PowerShell for Windows automation and remote administration.
• Experience with Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization, including Failover Clustering, Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV), VM lifecycle management, and cluster/storage troubleshooting.
• Experience with Veeam Backup & Replication (or equivalent enterprise backup platform), including backup job design, restore operations (including granular/guest-level file restore), and disaster recovery testing.
• Strong hands-on experience administering enterprise Linux distributions in a production environment.
• Proficiency with Bash or Python for Linux automation and scripting.
• Familiarity with AWS services, including EC2, S3, RDS, VPC, IAM, Lambda, and CloudFormation.
• Experience with enterprise storage technologies (block, file, object), SAN/NAS platforms, and iSCSI configuration and troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of enterprise firewall/network security platforms (e.g., FortiGate), VPN configuration, and network segmentation.
• Knowledge of networking protocols and services (DNS, DHCP, HTTP/HTTPS, SSH, FTP) and SSH implementation and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with MySQL, PostgreSQL, and/or Microsoft SQL Server, and web/application servers such as Apache or IIS.
• Experience with vulnerability and patch management processes across a large, heterogeneous server fleet (Windows and Linux).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent documentation and organizational skills.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with regulated/GxP IT environments and 21 CFR Part 11 considerations is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and optimize enterprise Windows, Linux, virtualization, and cloud infrastructure across on-premises and AWS environments.
• Manage identity services, Microsoft 365, and security configurations to ensure reliable access and compliance.
• Oversee Hyper-V virtualization and Veeam backup environments, supporting business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Automate administrative processes using Bash, Python, and Ansible to improve efficiency and system reliability.
• Provide advanced technical support, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and document infrastructure standards and procedures.
• Install, configure, and maintain Windows Server systems, both physical and virtual, across on-premises and AWS environments.
• Support Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID identity services, including user/group lifecycle, Group Policy, and hybrid sync health.
• Administer Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online where required, including mailbox, security, and compliance configuration.
• Administer the Hyper-V virtualization cluster, including VM provisioning, cluster/storage health, checkpoint management, and capacity planning.
• Administer Veeam backup infrastructure, including monitoring job success/failure, performing restores, and supporting disaster recovery exercises.
• Install, configure, patch, and maintain enterprise Linux systems, both physical and virtual, across on-premises and AWS environments.
• Perform Bash, Python, and Ansible automation for Linux configuration management and patching.
• Design, deploy, manage, and operate scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS.
• Optimize AWS resource utilization and cost management.
• Implement and control the secure flow of data to and from AWS, including cross-account data sharing where required.
• Provide 3rd level support for Windows, Linux, and AWS-related incidents.
• Liaise with vendors and other IT personnel for problem resolution.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation regarding system configurations, policies, and procedures.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package options, including a free dental, vision package, life insurance, and disability coverage which start on your first day of employment.
• 401(k) match program which starts on your first day of employment.
• Generous vacation and paid time off, paid parental leave, paid family leave, etc.
• Professional development opportunities and reimbursement for relevant certifications and tuition.
• Collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity.
• Team-building activities and social events.
• Employee Referral Program and Colleague Recognition Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree