Network Systems Engineer

Auxiant’s Mission Statement and Core Values Mission: An Independent TPA investing in People and Innovation to deliver expert-driven experiences with REAL Results. Core Values: Independent Solutions. REAL Results R espect E mpowerment A gility L eadership Be part of a growing and prospering company as a Network Systems Engineer . Auxiant is a third party administrator of self-funded employee benefit plans with offices in Cedar Rapids, IA, Madison and Milwaukee, WI. Auxiant is a fast-growing, progressive company offering an excellent wage and benefit package. Role Overview / Summary The Network and Systems Engineer is an individual contributor responsible for the design, implementation, automation, and operational support of enterprise network and systems infrastructure. This role requires deep technical expertise across traditional network and systems administration as well as modern platform engineering practices including containerization, automation pipelines, and identity and access management. Actively interacts and collaborates with technical teams and IT leadership while demonstrating strong work independence, sound prioritization, and disciplined tracking of project and operational work. Essential Responsibilities – Tasks and duties may be included Tasks and duties assigned will be related to and potentially extend beyond these essential responsibilities Infrastructure as code & automation – Design and maintain infrastructure automation using Ansible, Python, and related tooling; establish consistent automation standards across system provisioning, configuration management, and operational workflows. CI/CD pipeline development – Build, maintain, and optimize infrastructure automation pipelines using GitLab CI/CD; support infrastructure provisioning, configuration management, and systems deployment processes through pipeline-driven automation workflows. Container platform management – Deploy, manage, and troubleshoot infrastructure and platform container environments; maintain configurations, resource efficiency, and platform stability for systems-level workloads; infrastructure container management does not extend to application containers owned by development teams. Identity & access management – Administer enterprise IAM platforms; manage authentication, authorization, and directory services; enforce least-privilege access principles and support compliance requirements. Secrets management & certificate automation – Design and operate automated certificate enrollment, renewal, and PKI lifecycle processes; manage enterprise secrets management platforms across infrastructure and application environments. Database infrastructure & high availability – Support and maintain the MySQL and MSSQL database platform infrastructure including installation, patching, connection pooling, high availability proxy configuration, and replication health; assist with performance analysis and maintenance planning at the infrastructure level; database administration responsibilities including query development, schema management, and application-level database work are outside the scope of this role. Monitoring & observability – Architect, configure, and maintain infrastructure and systems monitoring including servers, network devices, and platform components; define thresholds, dashboards, and escalation workflows; monitoring scope includes systems-level visibility into web stack infrastructure but does not extend to application performance or application-layer monitoring owned by development teams. Scripting & automation development – Design and maintain automation solutions using PowerShell, Python, and Ansible in support of infrastructure provisioning, systems administration, and network operations; ensure all scripts are documented, version-controlled, and maintained. Linux systems administration – Configure, manage, and troubleshoot Linux systems in Ubuntu-based environments; manage user permissions, file systems, logging, and network configuration. Network infrastructure – Configure and troubleshoot layer 2/3 switches, VLANs, firewalls, SD-WAN, VPN solutions, and ISP connectivity across corporate offices, remote data center, and cloud environments. Microsoft Active Directory & server infrastructure – Lead the design, architecture, and policy development of the Active Directory environment including domain structure, group policy frameworks, and service account governance; contribute to higher-level administration activities including service account management and group policy peer review; administer Windows Server environments in support of infrastructure and platform operations. Patch management & lifecycle automation – Lead patch automation for Linux and applicable infrastructure systems; contribute to broader patch lifecycle coordination and deployment activities. Security, backup & compliance support – Assist with alert response, SIEM ticket handling, backup system support, compliance audit reviews, and remediation activities as assigned. Documentation & collaboration – Create and maintain documentation for infrastructure, automation workflows, and operational procedures; collaborate with developers, programmers, and technical analysts on infrastructure and platform needs. On-call & after-hours duties – Participate in the after-hours on-call rotation and scheduled maintenance activities; serve as an escalation point for complex infrastructure problems. Other duties as assigned – Additional duties will be assigned based on team and organizational needs and the individual’s skills and ability to take on expanded responsibilities. Education / Qualifications / Special requirements A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field is preferred. An Associate’s degree combined with substantial hands‑on experience, or equivalent self‑directed learning and demonstrated technical proficiency, will be considered in lieu of a Bachelor’s degree. 4 to 5 years of directly relevant experience in infrastructure, systems administration, or a related technical discipline with demonstrated progression into DevOps and platform engineering responsibilities. Required skills and experience Demonstrated proficiency in Linux systems administration; Ubuntu environment experience strongly preferred. CompTIA Linux+ or equivalent knowledge validated through hands‑on experience is acceptable. Demonstrated experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and deploying and managing Docker containers in a team or production environment. Proven experience writing and maintaining Ansible playbooks and automation scripts for infrastructure configuration and management. Proficiency in scripting using Python and/or PowerShell for automation and operational tasks. Working knowledge of networking fundamentals including switching, routing, VLANs, and firewall concepts; CompTIA Network+ or equivalent demonstrated experience. Preferred skills and experience Familiarity with enterprise IAM platform administration, secrets management, and certificate lifecycle automation. Exposure to cloud environments, particularly AWS; AWS Cloud Practitioner or equivalent familiarity preferred. Understanding of database administration fundamentals including high availability concepts. Security awareness foundation: CompTIA Security+ or equivalent knowledge is a plus. Relevant industry certifications are recognized and valued; formal credentials may be substituted with demonstrated equivalent experience and a verifiable portfolio of work. Expectations Proven experience working in a professional office environment with the ability to remain focused and productive throughout the workday. Strong sense of urgency with a results‑driven approach to both operational and project‑based responsibilities. Highly self‑motivated with keen attention to detail and a commitment to quality and accuracy in all work products. Effective written and oral communication skills with the ability to clearly convey technical concepts to both technical peers and non‑technical stakeholders. Ability to conduct independent and collaborative research into complex technical issues and develop well‑reasoned solutions. Proven analytical and problem‑solving abilities with a methodical approach to troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis. Ability to effectively prioritize operational tasks and remain flexible when adapting to shifting priorities as directed or as situational needs require. Demonstrated experience working in a team‑oriented, collaborative environment while also delivering strong independent work contributions. Professional and respectful interaction with technical teammates, leadership, and internal colleagues across the organization. Working Conditions Primary work environment is a professional office setting with stable indoor temperatures and standard office conditions. Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods, up to 8 hours per day. Regularly moves about the office to access equipment, office machinery, and workspace areas. Must be capable of occasionally moving or transporting equipment and objects weighing up to 50 lbs. Regularly operates a computer and standard office equipment including telephones, printers, and scanners. Occasional work in data center or server room environments which may include varying temperatures, elevated noise levels from equipment, and physical cable management activities. After‑hours and on‑call work is required on a rotating basis and may include evenings, weekends, or holidays in response to system events or scheduled maintenance. Occasional travel between corporate office locations and the remote data center may be required. Work may periodically be performed remotely as operationally appropriate and as approved by leadership. Full benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending, Gym Membership Reimbursement, Life Insurance, LTD, STD, 401K, 3 weeks vacation, 9 paid holidays, casual dress code and more Job Type: Full-time Schedule 8 hour shift Day shift Monday to Friday #J-18808-Ljbffr