Systems Engineer I

Job Title

Systems Engineer I

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

AgriLife Center for Managed Technology Services (CMTS)

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension, and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

The Systems Engineer I supports the Center for Managed Technology Services (CMTS) by designing, deploying, and managing Linux and Windows research systems, virtual infrastructure, backups, and instrumentation environments. This position is part of a dedicated systems engineering vertical and contributes to secure, stable, and scalable infrastructure across institutional research environments, partnering with institutional governance teams, researchers, and vendors to implement secure, reliable solutions.

Responsibilities

Server & Endpoint Engineering (Linux/Windows) + Security Compliance

• Build, configure, secure, and maintain Linux and Windows servers/endpoints supporting research and enterprise workflows.
• Implement hardening, patching, access controls, encryption, logging, and audit-readiness requirements in alignment with CMTS and institutional security guidance.
• Contribute to baseline standards and approved patterns; document deviations when required.
• Troubleshoot OS and application-level issues; perform performance tuning and operational fixes.

Virtual Infrastructure & Cloud Networking

• Deploy, configure, and administer virtual infrastructure supporting research and enterprise environments (Azure, AWS, on-prem VMware as the footprint grows).
• Execute VM lifecycle tasks (provisioning, configuration, patch/hardening implementation, monitoring integration, compliance alignment, and decommissioning) following CMTS standards and approved maintenance windows.
• Partner with institutional governance teams and unit IT partners to implement routing/peering, IP/DNS, and firewall/VPN access needs, following institutional change controls and designated approval paths.

Storage, Backup, and Recovery Operations

• Implement and monitor backup and recovery solutions across supported platforms (cloud storage, Synology C2, future on-prem storage, and researcher-provided storage as applicable).
• Configure backup cadence/retention based on project requirements and validate restoration readiness when required.
• Recommend storage approaches aligned to performance, cost, and data lifecycle needs and document decisions.

Research Workstation, Instrumentation, and Field Support + Vendor Enablement

• Perform routine remote checks and schedule on-site inspections for research workstations and instrument-attached systems.
• Conduct manual patching where automatic updates are constrained by experimental risk and approved change windows.
• Respond to hardware issues and instrument-computer failures; coordinate troubleshooting and resolution with appropriate partners.
• Support vendor access and maintenance activities and document exceptions when upgrades are not feasible.

Researcher Enablement, Intake, and Governance Alignment

• Participate in researcher consultations for compute, storage, security, and lifecycle planning; help translate needs into implementable technical options.
• Assist with onboarding and configuration for scientific workflows within CMTS-supported environments.
• Contribute technical inputs for infrastructure planning and cost estimates to support proposals and planning.
• Follow institutional governance requirements and document exceptions when researchers decline CMTS services and assume responsibility for compliance.

Documentation, Standards, and Service Design

• Create and maintain operational documentation, support procedures, and technical references across OS, virtualization, storage/backup, monitoring, incident response, and vendor coordination.
• Contribute to service-level documents (SLDs) and intake workflows to support consistency, audit readiness, and operational continuity.
• Maintain audit-ready records that support repeatable execution and knowledge transfer.

DevOps & Automation Support (Shared Function)

• Support automation pipelines and CI/CD workflows shared across Software & Applications and Technology & Engineering verticals, using tools such as Ansible, Python, and GitHub Actions, and Azure DevOps.
• Contribute to infrastructure-as-code practices that support the reliability of cloud and hybrid platforms.
• Collaborate with Software & Applications and Technology & Engineering staff on shared automation initiatives, providing systems engineering context and support as needed.

Continuous Skill Development and Expanding Ownership

• Build capability across Linux/Windows administration, Azure/AWS/VMWare, on-prem infrastructure, monitoring/observability, and research instrumentation environments.
• Take on increasing responsibility for technical deliverables within projects over time in collaboration with the broader CMTS team.

Other Duties As Assigned

• Performs other duties as assigned to support CMTS and departmental operations.

Required Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of experience supporting Linux/Windows servers in a professional environment.

Required Knowledge Skills And Abilities

• Familiarity with virtualization platforms, storage concepts, and core networking principles.
• Ability to document system configurations, processes, and procedures.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Basic familiarity with CI/CD and automation tooling (e.g., Ansible, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps) sufficient to support shared DevOps functions.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting research environments, HPC clusters, or mixed OS ecosystems.
• Exposure to cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, VMWare), infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation), and automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and scripting (e.g., Bash, Python).
• Experience with container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker).
• Preferred certifications: CompTIA Linux+, Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), Azure Administrator Associate, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate, or VMware Certified Professional (VCP).

Other Requirements

• May require work outside standard office hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to support operations and scheduled maintenance windows.
• Requires periodic on-site visits to CMTS-supported lab locations.

What You Need To Know

Salary: Pay Grade 72. Compensation is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Position is based on-site in College Station, Texas.

Full-time remote work is NOT available for this position. However, partially remote work may be available, pending employee eligibility requirements are met in accordance with AgriLife Alternate Work Location Procedures.

Non-immigrant foreign nationals are prohibited by export control laws from performing the employment responsibilities associated with this position; sponsorship is NOT available.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums.
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

A cover letter, resumé, and references are requested. You may upload these documents on the application under CV/Resume.

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.