Lead Systems Administrator & Architect

Role: Lead Systems Administrator & Architect

Permanent position

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Hybrid)

Job Description

Summary:

As a Lead Systems Administrator & Architect, you will be responsible for the strategic design, implementation, and ongoing management of our server infrastructure, hosted primarily in Microsoft Azure. This role combines high-level system architecture with hands-on administration across Windows environments, ensuring the infrastructure is secure, reliable, and optimized for the company's evolving needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ongoing Infrastructure Design & Optimization : Lead the ongoing design and implementation of improvements to our Azure infrastructure, ensuring that it remains scalable, secure, and cost-efficient. Collaborate with key stakeholders to identify areas for optimization, enhance system performance, and ensure the infrastructure evolves to meet changing business needs.
• Azure Administration & Optimization : Oversee the administration of Azure resources, including virtual machines, storage, networking, and identity management. Ensure ongoing optimization for performance, security, and cost-effectiveness.
• System Administration : Manage day-to-day administration of Windows Server environments and Unix appliances, ensuring high availability, performance, and system health. Troubleshoot and resolve issues promptly, coordinating with other teams as necessary.
• Automation & Scripting : Leverage tools such as PowerShell, Azure Automation, and Ansible to automate repetitive tasks, streamline infrastructure management, and ensure efficient deployment processes.
• Security Management: Ensure the security of infrastructure by implementing robust access controls and adhering to best security practices for both Azure and on-premises systems. Collaborate closely with Security Ops to continuously monitor systems for vulnerabilities and ensure compliance. Coordinate efforts to remediate security issues and maintain a proactive, security-first posture.
• Performance Monitoring & Scaling : Proactively monitor the performance of both Azure-hosted and on-premises systems, identifying bottlenecks, performance issues, and opportunities for improvement. Ensure systems scale effectively to meet business needs.
• Backup & Disaster Recovery : Ensure the ongoing health and availability of backup systems and disaster recovery plans. Monitor, test, and maintain existing backup and recovery strategies to ensure data integrity and business continuity.
• Leadership & Mentorship : Provide leadership and mentorship to junior system administrators. Share knowledge of best practices and cloud technologies to promote professional growth and team development.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with development, operations, and other technical teams to ensure infrastructure aligns with application requirements and business objectives. Lead infrastructure projects and initiatives to support new services or major system updates.

Minimum Requirements:

• Experience : 7+ years of experience in systems administration with a strong background in Azure and hybrid cloud environments.
• Technical Expertise :
• Extensive experience managing Windows Server environments (Active Directory, Exchange Server, Hyper-V, etc.) and Unix-based systems.
• Proficiency with Azure services, including VMs, AVD, App Services, Storage, Identity, Monitoring, Azure Active Directory, etc.
• Automation & Scripting : Strong experience with PowerShell, Azure Automation, Ansible, or other tools to automate and streamline processes.
• Cloud Architecture & Design : Solid understanding of Azure architecture, with hands-on experience optimizing and maintaining cloud infrastructure for cost, performance, and scalability.
• Problem-Solving & Troubleshooting : Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills, with the ability to resolve complex issues across both Windows and Unix environments.
• Collaboration & Communication : Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for working cross-functionally with teams and stakeholders.
• Certifications (preferred but not required):
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

Fluid thanks you for your interest in this opportunity. However, only candidates with the required qualifications will be contacted.

Fluid adheres to the principles of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. We welcome and encourage diversity in our workplace.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.