Senior System Engineer

***Summary*** The Senior Systems Engineer is Apex’s highest-level technical resource — a deeply experienced engineer responsible for designing, scoping, and delivering complex IT infrastructure projects for managed services clients. This role leads project engineering from design through implementation, writes technical scopes, and serves as the senior technical authority across Microsoft, networking, and systems environments. While project work is the primary focus, the Senior Systems Engineer also serves as an escalation resource for the most complex issues the service desk team cannot resolve. Beyond individual technical contributions, this role is expected to mentor and develop the engineers and technicians around them, raising the technical standard of the entire team. ***Primary Responsibilities*** Project Engineering & Design Design and engineer complex IT infrastructure solutions tailored to each client’s environment, business needs, and risk profile Lead solution design across Microsoft server environments, virtualization (Hyper-V), Microsoft 365, Azure, networking, and security Architect WAN/LAN infrastructure, firewall configurations, VPN and remote access solutions, and network security implementations Evaluate client environments to identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement and translate findings into actionable project designs Ensure all designs are technically sound, scalable, and aligned with Apex’s standards and best practices Project Delivery Lead the end-to-end delivery of infrastructure projects from kickoff through completion Design and deploy IT infrastructure solutions including server builds, network deployments, cloud migrations, and system upgrades Collaborate closely with the Project Manager, Account Manager, and vCIO to ensure projects are delivered on time, on scope, and to client expectations Communicate proactively with clients throughout project delivery — keeping them informed of progress, changes, and any issues that arise Coordinate with Network/Systems Engineers and other technical resources on project execution tasks Scope Writing & Technical Documentation Create detailed project scopes that accurately capture client needs, mitigate risks, and define clear deliverables and boundaries Ensure scopes are written with enough specificity to protect Apex and set clear expectations with clients Maintain and create detailed technical documentation in IT Glue for all project work and system configurations Document all client environment changes, configurations, and implementations thoroughly and accurately Escalation Support Serve as the senior technical escalation point for complex issues that exceed the scope of the Network/Systems Engineer Diagnose and resolve advanced technical problems across Microsoft environments, networking, and infrastructure Provide guidance to the service desk team on difficult issues without taking over tickets that should remain at lower tiers Note: escalation support is a secondary function — project engineering is the primary focus of this role Leadership & Mentoring Set the technical standard for Apex’s engineering and service desk teams through demonstrated excellence Actively mentor and develop Network/Systems Engineers, Field Technicians, and Service Desk Technicians Share knowledge proactively — through documentation, informal coaching, and formal training Identify skill gaps on the technical team and work with the Engineering Manager and Director of Operations to address them Contribute to the continuous improvement of Apex’s technical standards, tools, and processes Ticket Management Log all work accurately and in real time in ConnectWise Work through the assigned ticket queue in priority order Keep ticket notes clear, complete, and useful for anyone who picks up the ticket after you Meet defined response time and resolution SLAs consistently Documentation Adherence Follow all standard operating procedures documented in IT Glue Adhere to Apex’s security best practices on every ticket Never bypass documented processes — if a process is unclear or missing, flag it Contribute to documentation improvements when gaps or outdated procedures are identified Customer Service Excellence Keep clients informed of ticket progress and resolution status throughout the support process Communicate professionally and clearly in all client interactions Identify patterns and recurring issues within client environments and flag them to the Service Desk Manager Work collaboratively with dispatchers, service managers, and engineers Represent Apex professionally in every client interaction ***Required Qualifications*** 10+ years of IT experience, with significant time spent in systems/network engineering or infrastructure project delivery Deep hands-on expertise with Microsoft server environments including Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS/DHCP, and Hyper-V Strong Microsoft 365 and Azure administration experience — including Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, Intune, and Azure AD Advanced networking knowledge — routing, switching, VLANs, VPNs, WAN/LAN architecture, and firewall configuration Experience with enterprise firewall platforms (Fortinet, SonicWall, Meraki, or similar) Demonstrated experience designing and delivering complex infrastructure projects end-to-end Experience writing technical scopes, project plans, or statements of work Strong communication skills — able to present technical recommendations clearly to both technical and executive audiences Experience mentoring or developing junior technical staff Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; equivalent experience considered Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to client sites as needed ***Preferred Qualifications*** MSP experience strongly preferred Microsoft certifications: MD-102, AZ-104, AZ-305, MS-700, or equivalent CompTIA Network+, Security+, or similar certifications Experience with backup and disaster recovery platforms (Datto, Veeam, or similar) Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks and tools relevant to the SMB market Experience with ConnectWise Manage, ScreenConnect, and IT Glue MBA or Master’s degree in a related field ***What This Role Is Not*** Not a service desk or helpdesk role — day-to-day ticket work is primarily handled by the service desk team Not a purely reactive escalation role — project engineering and design are the primary focus Not a project management role — project coordination and client scheduling are owned by the Project Manager Not a role for someone who wants to specialize narrowly — breadth across Microsoft, networking, and systems is required ***What Makes Someone Successful Here*** Designs solutions that actually work in the real world — technically excellent and practically deliverable Writes scopes that protect Apex and give clients confidence — clear, specific, and complete Delivers projects cleanly — on scope, well-documented, and with clients who feel taken care of Raises the technical bar around them — the team is better because this person is on it Stays current on the technologies Apex supports and brings that knowledge back to the team Communicates with clients at a level that builds trust — credible, clear, and never condescending Self-directed and self-motivated — doesn’t need to be managed through complex work ***Benefits*** Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications Comprehensive benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k, Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays) Quarterly incentives based on individual and team KPIs On-the-job training and support Team-based work environment ***Schedule*** Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. May require work outside of normal business hours on occasion. On call rotation required after 90 days ***Work Location*** Onsite in Cornelius, NC Local travel required for onsite client project work and escalation visits Hybrid work opportunity (up to 2 days/week) available after 90 days, based on performance This is a general overview of the role and does not constitute a comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities.