Systems Administrator

Harvard University • Boston, MA

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is recruiting a Systems Administrator for its Infrastructure Team within the Department of Information Technology. CBAR provides statistical analysis for major national and international NIH-funded clinical research networks and employs more than 100 statisticians, programmers, research scientists, faculty, and staff. The position provides computational expertise in a hybrid work environment combining on-campus and remote work.

The Systems Administrator collaborates with the IT Infrastructure Team to maintain and administer Linux, Windows, and VMware environments and related computing networks, hardware, software, applications, and configurations. The role plans and conducts infrastructure engineering work, helps build, configure, and maintain systems, and implements IT solutions to complex business problems. It provides technical and project assistance and may contribute to multiple projects simultaneously.

The position supports planning and implementing security measures and contributes to disaster recovery, compliance, business continuity, and security solutions. Duties also include monitoring system performance, creating accounts and maintaining access, performing startup and shutdown procedures, applying patches, managing and installing packages, updates and upgrades, backups, and disaster recovery operations. The administrator troubleshoots and documents user and server issues, including working directly with users to resolve computing problems.

This is a term appointment ending November 30, 2027, with the possibility of extension. The schedule is 35 hours per week and requires flexibility to work longer hours for technology implementation, evaluation, and troubleshooting, including maintenance one Saturday each month. RHCSA and CompTIA Server+ certifications must be obtained within one year of hire if not already held; the hiring department will pay the costs.

Requirements

• At least two years of post-secondary education or relevant work experience.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• At least five years of relevant IT experience, including at least three years in systems administration.
• Experience maintaining and troubleshooting virtual server environments.
• Experience with security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
• Familiarity with data security compliance standards such as NIST 800-53 and 21 CFR Part 11.
• Experience with Red Hat Linux.
• Experience with Microsoft Windows Server and Active Directory.
• Experience with virtualization, such as VMware.
• Experience with Linux shell scripting.
• RHCSA and CompTIA Server+ certifications, or ability to obtain both within one year of hire; certification costs are paid by the hiring department.
• Commitment to customer service and comfort working in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to keep abreast of industry trends and technology changes; team orientation and flexibility.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and empathy toward coworkers and customers.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Organization, attention to detail, and self-starter capability, including ability to explain complex IT and security concepts effectively to non-technical people.
• Schedule flexibility to work longer hours as needed for technology implementation, evaluation, and troubleshooting, including maintenance one Saturday each month.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with statistical software such as SAS, R, or Python on a research computing cluster.
• Experience with Ansible and Jira.
• Completion of Harvard IT Academy specified foundational courses or an external equivalent.
• RHCSA certification before hire.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and administer Linux, Windows, and VMware computer environments and related computing networks, hardware, system software, application software, and configurations.
• Plan and conduct infrastructure engineering duties; build, configure, and maintain systems as part of a team.
• Implement IT solutions to complex business problems and provide technical and project assistance across potentially multiple projects.
• Support planning, coordination, and implementation of system security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
• Contribute to planning and coordinating disaster recovery, compliance, business continuity, and security solutions for the CBAR computing environment.
• Monitor system performance, create accounts, and maintain access to the CBAR computing environment.
• Perform routine system startup and shutdown procedures, apply patches, manage and install packages, and perform updates and upgrades.
• Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve user and server issues promptly, document issues appropriately, and work directly with users to solve computing problems.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
• Retirement plans with university contributions.
• Wellbeing and mental health resources.
• Support for families and caregivers.
• Professional development opportunities, including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
• Commuter benefits, discounts, and campus perks.

What This Job Offers

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