Senior Systems Administrator

Position Summary:

The Senior Systems Administrator is responsible for the setup, maintenance and administration of a variety of enterprise Linux Servers. The position requires an individual who has demonstrated technical skills working in close collaboration with technical and non-technical stakeholders including infrastructure teams, DevOps, security, application owners, and leadership to provide enterprise system administration services.


The Sr. Sys Admin must have proven success with the implementation of multiple projects while working with other groups in IT and across the enterprise. This individual must work on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. This person must also network with key contacts outside their own area of expertise for issue identification & resolution.

This position is eligible for remote work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.


Position Responsibilities:

• Install, maintain and configure enterprise-class Linux servers and all related processes, including backup/restore, security policies, tuning, capacity planning, and monitoring of all resources to ensure high availability of all services provided
• Design, implement, monitor and maintain backup/recovery systems for Unix and Windows servers
• Address operational systems issues including Logical Volume Manager functions, file and share permissions, user accounts and installing applications
• Research and evaluate new technologies and present recommendations and justifications on hardware and software purchases
• Collaborate with service owners and vendors to define the scope of requests
• Assists in the development of long-range strategies for Linux systems support needs of the organization.
• Participate in release management functions, in coordination with Application Management group
• Implement and deploy EPIC requirements for management of data on SAN storage utilizing LVM and performance of OS.
• Write procedure documentation for peers and junior staff
• Write installation and setup documentation for supported systems
• Write and document test plans for system implementation and maintenance
• Promote and maintain upgrade management practices.
• Monitor capacity and performance of servers, storage and applications
• Plan and implement upgrades of Linux operating systems and supporting software
• Develop scripts for automation of systems tasks
• Support Linux High Availability methods
• Troubleshoot and provide problem resolution for complex server issues
• Provide 24 x 7 on-call support as required and requested.
• Manage and participate in projects as assigned, and work with team members across the company to deliver project goals
• Consult with vendor technical experts to determine device architecture, topology, and transmission requirements.
• Provide mentoring and cross-training of Systems Administration and Service Desk staff

Additional Information:


Pay Grade: 5B


Salary: $68,678 to commensurate

The University of Iowa offers a generous benefits package, including 24 days of paid vacation per year to start and paid sick leave. Complete information regarding the full benefits package may be viewed at

Percent of Time: 100%


Staff Type: Professional & Scientific


Type of Position: Regular


Education Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, or related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field.

Experience Requirements:

• Typically 5-7 years of experience in System Administration and backup/restore management
• Experience with installation, maintenance, upgrade, configuration, problem resolution and performance tuning of Linux systems
• Capabilities to install, configure and manage Enterprise level backup and restore systems for all types of servers
• Proficient in programming with a scripting language such Korn Shell or Perl
• Familiar with Network and SAN-attached devices and tools such as Isilon
• Experience with Disaster Recovery methods and tools
• Ability to effectively document procedures and instructions
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and strong interpersonal skills

Desired Qualifications:

• Familiar with Ubuntu System Administration
• Working knowledge of IBM/Cohesity and Dell/EMC PPDM/Avamar backup products
• Working with Cloud-based server and applications, including backup and recovery, Cybersecurity and Air-Gap solutions
• Experience with one or more of the following: Zabbix Monitoring, VMware, Ansible Automation, database administration
• Systems administration experience in a healthcare environment
• Familiarity with Linux server security hardening methodologies and practical implementation experience.
• Experience with networking, including firewalls, VPNs, DNS, load balancers, virtual networks, and ExpressRoute/VPN gateways
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, ECS/AKS)
• Demonstrated ability to lead or contribute to complex troubleshooting involving cross-platform systems and multi-vendor environments
• Experience collaborating with business stakeholders, vendors, and cross-functional teams to deliver technical solutions aligned with organizational goals
• Accuracy and attention to detail with strong organizational and project management skills

To be considered, applicants must upload a resume(under submission relevant materials) that clearly addresses how they meet the listed required and desired qualifications of this position. A cover letter is desired as part of the application process. Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.


Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.


This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.


For additional questions contact Stefan Foster at View email address on click.appcast.io