Senior IT Systems Engineer

SENIOR IT SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating manufacturing as a single integrated system, we unlock a new era of innovation where complex hardware is designed, built, and scaled without limits.  

As a Senior IT Systems Engineer, you will build the systems that connect our people, our factory, and our data: identity and endpoints, servers and storage, cloud and Kubernetes, the network, and the security layer over all of it. IT here is part of the technology we build, so it gets the same appetite for custom solutions to problems nobody has solved yet. Freeform is scaling rapidly across headcount, locations, and new technology coming online, so we’re looking for someone who’s excited to move fast and build the plane as we fly it. We want someone with broad skills, a “no job too big or small” mentality, and a taste for building.  

Responsibilities:  

• Run Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and Azure in a hybrid setup with on-prem Active Directory, including Entra Connect, conditional access, RBAC, and licensing  
• Manage the device fleet in Intune: enrollment, compliance, app deployment, Autopilot, and patching  
• Build and maintain Windows Server (AD DS, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, RADIUS/NPS) and hardened Ubuntu and Red Hat servers  
• Run virtualization and SAN storage (Pure Storage, HPE 3PAR over iSCSI and NFS), from provisioning and replication to capacity planning  
• Run and manage AWS infrastructure, including EKS, S3, IAM and VPC networking, with ownership of access control, monitoring and cost.  
• Administer Kubernetes both on-prem and in EKS: cluster builds and upgrades, networking and ingress, storage, RBAC, and troubleshooting workloads.  
• Design and maintain the Layer 2/3 network and own segmentation across user, server, management, OT, and guest zones  
• Operate Defender XDR, Sentinel, and pfSense firewalls: tune detections, investigate incidents, and drive vulnerability remediation and least-privilege access  
• Design and build custom solutions where off-the-shelf tools fall short, and automate repetitive work  
• Act as the senior escalation point for infrastructure incidents and lead root-cause analysis  
• Document what you build in runbooks and diagrams, and mentor junior IT staff  
• Join the on-call rotation and planned after-hours maintenance windows  

Basic Qualifications:  

• 7+ years in systems administration or infrastructure engineering, 3+ in a senior or lead role, owning a mixed Windows, Linux, cloud, and network environment  
• Experience with the below technologies including administering and troubleshooting  
  • Hybrid Microsoft 365, Intune, and Azure: on-prem AD synced to Entra ID, hybrid join, co-existence, and migration  
  • Windows Server DNS, DHCP, and RADIUS/NPS in production  
  • Ubuntu and Red Hat: systemd, storage, networking, hardening, and command-line troubleshooting  
  • vSphere, Hyper-V, or OpenShift, plus SAN storage over iSCSI and NFS (hands-on with Pure Storage and HPE 3PAR) 
  • AWS (EKS, S3, IAM) / Azure / GCP  
  • Kubernetes (on-prem and in the cloud) 
  • Layer 2/3 networking: VLANs, ACLs, segmentation, MLAG, and LACP  
  • Defender XDR, Sentinel, and pfSense administration  
• PowerShell and Bash scripting experience  
• Clear written communication with technical and non-technical audiences  

Nice to Have:  

• Experience with HashiCorp Vault and Argo CD  
• Experience with Ansible  
• Python scripting experience  
• Experience administering Siemens Teamcenter  
• Experience with Microsoft SQL Server administration  
• Hands-on experience deploying physical security systems (DVR/NVR, CCTV, access control) 
• AI fluency: practical use of AI tools for scripting, troubleshooting, and documentation, with sound judgment on data handling  
• Degree in computer information systems, computer science, or computer engineering  

Location:  

• Based in Hawthorne, our vertically integrated facility brings technology development, R&D, and production together under one roof. We operate at the center of LA's deep tech ecosystem, surrounded by some of the most ambitious hardware innovation happening anywhere in the country.  
• Our fast-paced, cross-functional environment is built on close collaboration, and as such, this role requires full-time onsite presence (five days a week), with very limited exceptions.  

Why Freeform? 

• We have an inclusive and diverse culture that values collaboration, learning, and making deliberate data-driven decisions
• We offer a unique opportunity to be an early and integral member of a rapidly growing company that is scaling a world-changing technology
• Benefits  
  • Significant stock option packages  
  • 100% employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (premium PPO and HMO options) 
  • Life insurance  
  • Traditional and Roth 401(k) 
  • Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays  
  • Generous Paid Parental Leave and extended transition back to work for the birthing parent  
  • Free daily catered lunch and dinner, and fully stocked kitchenette  
  • Casual dress, flexible work hours, and regular catered team building events  
• Compensation   
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the company’s current stage of development and allows the employee to grow and develop within a role.  
  • In addition to the significant stock option package, the estimated salary range for this role is $160,000 - $215,000per year. The upper end of the range is reserved for individuals who  demonstrate exceptional experience, deep domain mastery, and a proven history of high performance and impact.  
• Freeform is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity; employment with Freeform is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability sttus, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.