IT System Administration Senior Specialist

The posting will remain open until filled. Priority screening for applications received by February 23, 2025.

Information Technology Services (ITS) supports students, faculty, and staff through diverse technology implementations, furthering the institutional mission and priorities. ITS provides hardware and software configuration and administration, technical and end-user support, process and business analysis, and data and integration services to help further the success of Highline’s students and employees.

The IT Infrastructure and System Administration team is responsible for the design, installation, operation, and support of all college network, telecommunications, and server infrastructure. This includes all networks; network security services; physical and virtual server infrastructure on premises and hosted in public or private cloud environments; storage; and backup and disaster recovery operations. This team is also responsible for system administration, identity management, system integrations, and application development services.

The IT System Administration Specialist works within the IT Infrastructure and System Administration team. The primary responsibility of this role is to design, manage, and maintain the comprehensive systems infrastructure of the entire campus.   Serving as the primary system administrator, the position involves ensuring the efficient operation of servers, storage and other critical network and security systems that manage the operations of the campus, tailored to meet the diverse requirements of both operational and academic programs. This includes management of access control and backup systems as a critical component of IT security operations, ensuring the preservation of data and system integrity. Additionally, the role requires active collaboration with staff in other departments in the ITS division to assist in the administration and maintenance of the server infrastructure, encompassing physical, virtual, and cloud-based components. Furthermore, the position includes providing critical security measures such as managing certificates, system access permissions, and other security protocols to ensure the safety and integrity of the campus infrastructure.

This position is responsible for representing Highline College in a professional manner and assists in maintaining an environment conducive to achieving educational goals. This position will perform other duties as required, and is assigned an alternate work schedule based on business and operational needs of the Department and the College, which requires flexible hours and working evenings and weekends as required. This position is eligible for a partial telecommuting schedule upon supervisor approval.

The incumbent in this position will pursue ongoing professional development to further their skills and knowledge.

This position is a classified full-time position, which is eligible for overtime.

Salary Information: The salary range stated above reflects the starting step of Range 07IT (Step A) and ending step (Step M) salary for this classified position and includes a 5% King County compensation provision. Based on salary placement of Step A, it will take 5.5 years to reach Step L on the salary schedule, 11.5 years to reach step M on the salary schedule. This does not reflect any contractual changes, legislative mandated salary increases or Cost of Living Increases (COLA's) that may be approved in the future.Reporting to the Director of IT Infrastructure and Systems Administration, this position will:

• Act as lead system administrator for servers and connected services in Windows and Linux environments;
  • Manage Windows Server services, including Active Directory, file servers, SQL servers, and other resources as needed;
  • Manage Linux server services, including Ubuntu OS, web services, mail services, and database services;
• Design, build and maintain vSphere virtual infrastructure;
• Install, configure and manage ESXi servers;
• Maintain operational redundancy for critical campus infrastructure while ensuring secure best practices;
• Co-manage campus core network configuration as part of the campus-wide infrastructure, ensuring a seamlessly integrated and well maintained network across the entire campus environment;
  • Perform regular maintenance, updates, and upgrades on all network equipment;
  • Manage firewall (Palo Alto Networks) and VPN (Global Protect) access for campus students, staff, and faculty;
• Manage campus access control system (Genetec);
• Manage certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation for secure communication of internal and externally available campus resources;
• Manage load balancer (F5, AWS) and campus network traffic;
• Perform regular maintenance, updates, and security upgrades per notice of new and evolving vulnerability and exploits to guarantee secure and optimal performance of all server equipment;
• Actively participate in continuing education and professional development to maintain and upgrade skills and knowledge.

COMPETENCIES:
The ideal candidate for this position will possess:

• General Expertise:
  • Working knowledge of cloud computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft 365 (M365), and Google Workspace
  • Familiarity with identity management and user authentication systems such as Active Directory, Okta and RADIUS
  • Proficiency managing physical access control systems
• Server Management Expertise:
  • In-depth knowledge of Windows and Linux server administration
  • Advanced expertise in Active Directory services
  • Advanced proficiency in certificate management, including cryptographic protocols such as TLS
  • Proficiency in managing on-premise and cloud-based backup solutions
• Networking Expertise:
  • Advanced expertise in the installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of various networking equipment, including switches, routers, firewalls, and critical infrastructure components.
  • In-depth knowledge of physical and logical networking topologies
  • Proficient understanding of IP routing, DHCP, DNS, VLAN, and VPN configuration
• Virtualization Expertise:
  • Showcases proficiency in managing VMWare vSphere and supporting infrastructure for seamless integration and operation of virtualized server and desktop systems across the campus network.
  • Advanced skills in managing virtualization platforms, particularly in VMWare, ESXi, and Nutanix environments.
  • In-depth knowledge of iSCI for shared storage network management
• Effective Communication:
  • Communicates clearly in a variety of contexts using all required methods and tools, including, but not limited to: Atlassian Confluence, Google Docs, Microsoft SharePoint, Slack, and Microsoft Teams
  • Ability to articulate technical concepts effectively to non-technical customers.

Minimum Qualifications:

• AA or AAS degree; AND
• Three or more years of experience in IT Infrastructure support; AND
• Advanced working knowledge of virtualization technologies and components, such as VMWare vSphere, Nutanix, ESXi systems, and iSCI networking; AND
• Advanced working knowledge of Windows and Linux server platforms and management.

OR

• Equivalent education and/or experience.

 
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

THE COLLEGE

Founded in 1961, Highline College was the first community college to be established in King County and is one of 34 community and technical colleges. More than 350,000 alumni have graduated from Highline over the years. Nestled between Seattle and Tacoma, we are located on the traditional village sites of the Muckleshoot, Puyallup and many other Coast Salish tribes.

Highline prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and access for all students, staff, and faculty, which is evident in our Mission, Vision, and Values. We are proud to be one of the most diverse colleges in the state and stand committed to the well-being of our global community. Those who come to our college bring unique personal experiences, beliefs, and perspectives and make us better. We strive to provide and highlight resources to support our students, staff, and faculty by fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Your online application must include the following to be considered complete:

1. A detailed resume that addresses the MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS of the position;

2. A letter of application/cover letter (two-page maximum, recommended) that addresses your ability to meet the QUALIFICATIONS, and KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES for the position;

3. A one-page response to the Supplemental Question.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• National Criminal Background Check may be required;
• This position is covered under the Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA)bargaining agreement.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE AT:
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/highline

NEED APPLICATION HELP?
Should you have any difficulties uploading your documents or navigating the application process, please contact NEOGOV Technical Support at 1-855-524- 5627, Monday - Friday 6:00 AM to 6:00PM Pacific Time.

HIGHLINE COLLEGE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Highline College is an equal opportunity employer. The College is committed to enhancing the diversity of our faculty and staff, as well as our student population. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientations, and gender identity diversity. We strongly encourage applicants to apply without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legal protected status.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
The College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants needing accommodations in the application process in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources office at (206) 592-3812. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may dial 711 to place a call through Washington Relay, the state's free telecommunication access service.

TITLE IX POLICY
Highline College complies with Title IX regulations. For details on our policies, see our website https://humanresources.highline.edu/faculty-and-staff/policies/title-ix/

The College appointing authorities reserve the right and may exercise the option to make an employment decision prior to the conclusion of the recruitment process.  

Salary : $7,880 - $10,598