Systems and Applications Administrator

Description

Reporting to the Head of Network, Systems, and Application Support, the Systems and Applications Administrator is a key member of the team that supports the College community in using and applying information technologies to meet its educational mission.    The position assists in planning, implementing and maintaining Linux server systems, storage, and centralized application services. It involves consulting and support for the entire college community in general and other departments within Library and Information Services in particular.

The Network, Systems, and Applications Support team is part of the larger Technology Infrastructure and Systems Support (TISS) group, which also includes the Administrative Computing,  Business Intelligence, Enterprise Services and Web Development teams. TISS collectively is responsible for providing the technology infrastructure and its accompanying framework for the electronic resources and services that support the College.  This includes the College’s wired, wireless, WAN, and LAN networks, its SIS and ERPs, and associated administrative applications, a suite of CMS and custom web applications, as well as the data warehouse and a collection of strategic and operational reporting tools.   To successfully manage these systems and services, TISS’s work involves close consultation with other departments within Library, Information, and Technology Services (LITS), and collaboration with the wider College community.

Essential Job Functions

Linux Server Administration:

The Systems and Applications Administrator will be responsible for effective provisioning, patching, configuration, and monitoring of the 100+ Linux servers using tools such as Ansible, Nagios and ElasticSearch.  

Infrastructure Support and Management:

Work with other members of the Network, Systems, and Application Support team to support and manage the College’s virtual server environment.  Also partner with Network, Systems, and Application Support staff to support the College’s enterprise backup solution and SAN/NAS devices. Perform daily system monitoring, verifying the integrity and availability of all hardware, server resources, applications and key processes, reviewing system and application logs.  

Support the existing Identity Management systems including OpenLDAP, Shibboleth, SAML, and Radius. 

Contribute to, maintain, and document system management and configuration standards. Recommend automated approaches for system administration tasks.  Perform periodic performance reporting to support capacity planning. Participate in developing and maintaining disaster and business continuity recovery procedures and processes.  Assist other System Administrators as needed. 

Technical Support:

Act as Tier III technical support for other technologists within LITS. Work with academic departments and administrative offices in providing consulting and advice on College technology initiatives. 

Professional Development: 

Stay informed with the latest developments in supported software, tools, and services through attendance at seminars and training and participation with professional associations. Remain abreast of technology trends and related topics, relevant technology requirements, and long range planning efforts.

Additional Responsibilities

Contribute to a continuous process of assessment to ensure the TISS Department’s success in advancing the College’s evolving goals in light of pedagogical, information, and technology changes.  Assist in identifying, planning, and implementing the best solutions for the College.

Develop strong working, collaborative partnerships within LITS, with the College community, Five Colleges, and others, to proactively identify, recommend, facilitate, and implement appropriate and effective policies, services, resources, support, and procedures that improve the ability of the College community to accomplish its teaching, learning, research, and administrative goals.   Actively work to help LITS, and the College to create an accessible and welcoming environment in which a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff can thrive.

Ensure compliance with professional and technology standards, licensing and regulatory requirements, and MHC standards, policies, and procedures.

Maintain a high level of quality customer service standards in responding to questions and problems.

Occasional evening and weekend work, as necessary.  In some circumstances, it may be required to assist during adverse weather and emergency situations to ensure essential services and service points are covered.  

Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Skills

Education needed:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Experience needed:

3-5 years experience installing, maintaining and troubleshooting Linux Servers and experience with LDAP, BIND DNS, DHCP, and SAML.

Experience working with VMware/Hyper-V or other virtualization technologies in an enterprise environment. Familiarity with Storage Area Network (SAN) and Network Attached Storage (NAS) technologies (NetApp, Dell/EMC, etc.).

Experience with data center backup and recovery solutions (ie Veeam, Commvault, Veritas, etc.) Familiarity with enterprise patch management and service/software monitoring solutions.

Solid understanding of troubleshooting and problem analysis procedures; ability to resolve problems quickly and efficiently.

Strong interpersonal skills; ability to communicate technical concepts and issues with non-technical audiences orally and in writing.  

Additional qualifications desired:

Microsoft SQL Server and SharePoint administration experience.

Experience deploying and managing servers in AWS/Azure IaaS platforms.

Creativity, with a passion for supporting a collaborative and inclusive work environment.  Commitment to working effectively with a diverse group of faculty, students, administrators, staff, and others. 

Maintain a professional and tactful approach in all interactions, ensuring confidentiality and an individual’s right to privacy regarding appropriate information.

Flexibility to accept, manage and incorporate change and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously and effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Ability to travel as needed to participate in consortia and professional meetings and events.

The physical demands of the position include: 

1. Ability to work with computer screens and printed materials.

2. Ability to effectively communicate via telephone, email, and in person.

3. Ability to freely traverse campus.

4. Ability to install servers and network equipment into racks.

Effective January 1, 2020 all new hires will be required to complete the background check process prior to commencing their Service Activity (employment) with the College. All offers of employment and continued employment at Mount Holyoke College are contingent upon satisfactory results of thorough background checks. For additional information about the Mount Holyoke College Background Check Policy, please visit Background Checks.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Mount Holyoke College is committed to enriching the educational experience it offers through the diversity of its faculty, administration, and staff members. Mount Holyoke seeks to recruit and support a broadly diverse team who will contribute to the college's excellence, diversity of viewpoints and experiences, and relevance in a global society. In furtherance of institutional excellence, the College encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including faculty, staff, and administration of color, diverse gender identities, first generation college students and individuals who have followed non-traditional pathways to college, and individuals with a demonstrated leadership commitment to including diverse backgrounds and perspectives.