IT System Administrator

NorthWest Research Associates (NWRA; www.nwra.com) is a 70-person earth and space scientific research group, owned and operated by its scientists with three offices in the Western US (Seattle, WA; Boulder, CO; Monterey, CA). The person hired into this position will work out of the Boulder, CO office and will need to be in office full time to start. The position is part of a company-wide IT Team to support the IT infrastructure. This is a full-time position, but applicants wishing to work 75% time are also welcome to apply. There will be opportunity to travel to the other two NWRA offices for work and training, with an expectation of at least one trip per year to Monterey, CA. The successful applicant should be eager to wear multiple hats as they will perform a wide variety of duties.

The  IT System Administrator will collaborate with the company IT Team on network health and security, provide technical IT assistance to users in all three offices as well as remote workers, troubleshoot problems with computer hardware and software, and various additional IT tasks including scripting.

NWRA offers a competitive salary and generous benefits package, with medical, dental, life, long-term disability and care insurance, 401(k) matching and profit-sharing contributions, and 7 weeks of earned personal and holiday leave per year.   Compensation is competitive with similar university positions. The salary range for this position as an IT System Administrator is $55K - $75K.  Factors such as academic credentials, relevant experience and skills will influence the actual salary offered to the incumbent.

This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated professional with strong analytical and interpersonal skills who likes to continue learning, and who likes variety in the job. This position reports to the IT Systems Manager.

US citizenship required.

Detailed Job Duties Shared by the IT Team

• Apply knowledge of computer hardware, software, and networking to identify, investigate, and resolve issues.
• Collaborate with IT team to resolve “Help Desk” issues regarding network connectivity, VPN, printing, user login, smart cards, encryption, software packages, VOIP phones, and other hardware, software, and network issues as encountered.
• Guide users through diagnostic and troubleshooting steps to fix problems via email, phone, teleconference, and in person.
• Develop and maintain accurate reports of equipment and/or software malfunctions.
• Develop solutions to help ensure secure environments are maintained for all computer equipment, data files, supplies, etc.
• Install, configure, and maintain computer operating systems and software, network devices (e.g. switches and access points), network printers, VOIP phones, etc.
• Write scripts and ansible plays to automate tasks.
• Update documentation with notes to resolve common issues, IT procedures, configuration guides, etc.
• Server-rack maintenance including installing and removing machines, Ethernet cabling, power cycling machines, monitoring temperatures, swapping hard disks, etc.
• Monitor the status of systems and notify users of present or planned network downtime.
• Schedule and perform routine software updates and system backups.
• Arrange service by software or hardware vendors to repair or replace products.
• Keep track of supplies and complete purchase orders.
• Communicate with end-users, IT team, staff, management, etc. via email, teleconference, chat, and phone.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, self-motivate, and work independently.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Basic understanding of Python, Power Shell, bash, or other scripting languages.
• Familiarity with Windows and Linux.
• Familiarity with networking hardware and protocols.
• Proficient with or the ability to quickly learn an array of computer hardware and software.

Preferred Skills

• Experience supporting multi-platform operating system and networking environments, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Cisco IOS/NX-OS, and Synology NAS devices.
• Experience with ansible.
• Server room equipment and maintenance experience.

Education and Experience

• This position requires at least a 2-year degree with experience in computer networking. Computer server experience is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science preferred
• Industry certifications are a bonus.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

NWRA is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer for minorities, women, veterans and disabled individuals.