Senior Systems Engineer (R5443)

San Diego, California

Enterprise Operations Division – Service Delivery / Full Time Employee / On-site

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

The Senior Systems Administrator is responsible for the administration, support, optimization, and continuous improvement of the enterprise IT infrastructure supporting Shield AI's business operations. This role designs, implements, maintains, and troubleshoots enterprise systems across cloud, endpoint, identity, server, and collaboration platforms while ensuring secure, reliable, and scalable services.

The Senior Systems Administrator partners with Infrastructure, Networking, Security, and Engineering teams to deliver operational excellence, improve system reliability, automate administrative processes, and support strategic IT initiatives. This position serves as a technical lead for enterprise infrastructure projects and provides advanced troubleshooting for complex operational issues.

What you'll do:

Administer, maintain, and optimize enterprise Windows, Linux, and macOS systems supporting corporate business operations.
Design, implement, configure, and support enterprise infrastructure including cloud services, identity management, endpoint management, collaboration platforms, and core IT systems.
Analyze system performance, availability, and operational metrics to proactively improve reliability, scalability, and security.
Administer Active Directory, Azure AD/Entra ID, Group Policy, authentication services, and role-based access controls.
Deploy, maintain, and support endpoint management platforms including Microsoft Intune, JAMF, and related management technologies.
Plan and execute infrastructure upgrades, migrations, patch management, and lifecycle replacement initiatives.
Lead technical implementation of enterprise IT projects while coordinating with Infrastructure, Security, Networking, and business stakeholders.
Troubleshoot complex infrastructure, operating system, cloud, and application issues using root cause analysis methodologies.
Support LAN/WAN connectivity, DNS, DHCP, VPN, and network-related troubleshooting in partnership with networking teams.
Develop automation using PowerShell, Bash, or similar scripting languages to improve operational efficiency and reduce manual administration.
Maintain accurate system documentation, architecture diagrams, operational procedures, and knowledge base articles.
Manage enterprise hardware and software assets throughout their lifecycle including procurement, deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Participate in incident response, change management, disaster recovery planning, and business continuity activities.
Participate in an on-call rotation and perform scheduled maintenance outside normal business hours as required.
Mentor junior administrators and provide technical guidance across the Enterprise IT organization.

Required qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
5+ years of progressively responsible experience administering enterprise IT infrastructure and systems.
Strong experience supporting Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems within enterprise environments.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Active Directory, Azure AD (Entra ID), Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and identity management.
Experience administering Microsoft 365 services including Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, and Intune.
Experience managing endpoint platforms such as JAMF, Intune, or Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
Working knowledge of networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, routing, VPN, DNS, firewalls, and network troubleshooting.
Experience supporting enterprise cloud infrastructure and SaaS platforms.
Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and root cause analysis skills across operating systems, infrastructure, and enterprise applications.
Experience implementing system upgrades, migrations, and enterprise infrastructure projects.
Experience with scripting and automation using PowerShell, Bash, or similar tools.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high operational standards.
Willingness to participate in an on-call rotation and support planned maintenance activities.

$98,000 - $140,000 a year

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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