System Administrator

Utah State University•Logan, UT

11h

About The Position

The System Administrator is responsible for the administration, security, and reliability of discrete infrastructure systems and services that support ASPIRE’s research, engineering, and data‑driven activities. This role ensures the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of research computing environments while supporting specialized research systems, experimental hardware, and advanced computing workloads. Working closely with the Director of Intelligent Systems & Security, the System Administrator supports system‑wide network security, access control, and data continuity efforts. The role serves as a key technical resource for information security, compliance, and research infrastructure operations, and provides Tier 2/3 support beyond standard university IT services. The System Administrator also holds on‑call and escalation responsibilities to maintain network and system functionality and to respond to security or infrastructure incidents. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. U.S. Work Authorization is required for the duration of employment.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree.
2–5 years of systems administration or infrastructure experience.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree.
CompTIA Security+, Linux+, or Microsoft/Linux administration certifications.
Cloud platform certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Experience in systems administration, infrastructure operations, or information security in an enterprise, research, or regulated environment.
Demonstrated experience administering Linux and Windows server environments, including system hardening, patching, and performance monitoring.
Hands‑on experience with network security, including segmentation, firewalls, access controls, and secure lab or research environments.
Experience supporting research or engineering computing systems, including systems interfacing with experimental hardware, data acquisition platforms, or specialized workloads.
Experience providing Tier 2/3 technical support, troubleshooting complex infrastructure and security issues beyond standard helpdesk scope.
Strong documentation and communication skills, including the ability to prepare procedures, inventories, and compliance‑related materials.
Experience implementing or maintaining security controls aligned with federal or industry frameworks such as NIST SP 800‑171, CMMC, or similar compliance standards.
Proven experience with vulnerability management, including vulnerability scanning, patch management, and system hardening.
Understanding of data lifecycle management, including secure backups, disaster recovery, and data continuity planning.
Experience administering virtualized environments (e.g., VMware, Proxmox, or similar).
Experience managing storage solutions such as NAS/SAN systems used for research or high‑value data.
Exposure to GPU‑enabled systems, high‑performance computing, or AI/ML workloads is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience in asset management, including tracking hardware lifecycles, licenses, and configurations.
Experience provisioning and deprovisioning systems and accounts while ensuring secure onboarding and offboarding.
Experience working in a federally funded, grant‑driven, or university‑affiliated research environment.
Familiarity with research data protection requirements and handling of sensitive or export‑controlled information.

Responsibilities

Information Security & Compliance
Security Architecture: Design and implement secure network segments for research labs, ensuring isolation of sensitive equipment (e.g., servers, testbeds) from public networks.
Vulnerability Management: Perform regular vulnerability scans, patch management, and system hardening for all servers and workstations.
Compliance: Lead efforts to align ASPIRE’s IT infrastructure with federal security frameworks (e.g., NIST 800-171, CMMC) where applicable for grant compliance.
Access Control: Manage identity and access management (IAM) policies, ensuring ""Least Privilege"" access to research data and shared storage.
Incident Response: Serve as the primary point of contact for security incidents, coordinating with the University’s Central Information Security Office (ISO).
Research Computing & Infrastructure Operations
Foundation Support: Provide specialized IT support for engineering laboratories, including interfacing computers with experimental hardware, data acquisition systems, and GPU clusters for AI/ML workloads.
Systems Administration: Manage Linux and Windows server environments, virtualization platforms (e.g., VMware/Proxmox), and storage solutions (NAS/SAN) dedicated to research data.
Data Lifecycle Management: Architect robust backup and disaster recovery solutions for critical data, ensuring integrity and availability.
Asset Management: Maintain an accurate inventory of IT assets, software licenses, and hardware lifecycles.
User Support & Liaison
Technical Support: Provide Tier 2/3 support to faculty, staff, and graduate students for complex technical issues that go beyond standard helpdesk scope.
Onboarding: Securely provision devices and accounts for new researchers and students; conduct offboarding to ensure data retention and access revocation.
Liaison: Act as the technical liaison between ASPIRE and the University’s Central IT department, advocating for ASPIRE's unique research needs.