Senior IT Systems Administrator

Job Title: Senior IT Systems Administrator

Location: Philadelphia, Hybrid

My client, a Philadelphia based clinical-stage, Biotechnology is looking to make a key hire. This Senior IT Systems Administrator will be the fourth hire into a growing IT group. This person willbe responsible for the implementation, support, and continuous improvement of the IT infrastructure and collaboration systems to ensure they exceed the needs of internal customers.

The individual will support systems with stakeholders across all departments, and be responsible for maintaining compliance with cybersecurity and regulatory requirements.

This is a hands-on role that requires deep experience with the M365 stack, AWS Hybrid cloud, and Linux/Windows servers and workstations.

Responsibilities Include

Responsible for design, implementation, configuration, and support of servers, network devices and firewalls in collaboration with IT and business teams.

Operational activities (e.g., end-user support, break-fix, sustaining compliance) of IT systems including servers, network devices and firewalls. This includes monitoring, patch management, system backup/recovery, system administration, troubleshooting, change control, deviation and CAPA management, and issue resolution.

Assist in troubleshooting Tier 2/3 escalations through communication with end users and service providers.

Administer and support core Linux, Microsoft, Cisco, and VMware technologies.

Maintain and support AWS hybrid cloud environment: EC2, VPC, ELB, RDS, S3.

Maintain and support M365 systems: Exchange, SharePoint, Teams – Including Microsoft Entra ID.

Maintain BC/DR systems to comply with data retention requirements and perform periodic testing.

Ensure IT systems maintain compliance with cybersecurity and regulatory standards.

Create and maintain comprehensive documentation of IT Systems (such as: SOPs, User Guides, Training Materials, Test Plans, Validation Documents).

Assist staff and partners in understanding and using technology, provides presentations and training as required.

Manage SDLC of IT systems as required, including: On-Premise, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS

Collaborate with the Quality and Compliance department to support the validation process through SDLC activities; develop and/or execute test scripts as required.

Support data integrity processes for IT systems and Lab Workstations.

Other assignments and projects as required.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of working experience as a System Administrator or similar role in biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences industries.

Experience with LAN/WAN networks, including wireless and firewall management.

Experience with Operational Technology network segmentation is a plus.

Strong experience in AWS: EC2, VPC, ELB, RDS, S3.

Strong experience with Windows Server 2016/2019/2022 and RHeL 7/8/9 server operating systems.

Experience maintaining M365 applications: Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, Entra ID – including SSO, SAML, OIDC configuration.

Solid understanding of Active Directory, GPO’s, Windows file and folder permissions.

Experience with backup and recovery platforms.

Excellent project management, communication, and problem-solving abilities.

Strong curiosity and the ability to learn quickly and adapt to a fast-changing environment.

Strong background in client support and demonstrated ability to work with clients who have a wide variance in IT and computing skill levels.

Strong team orientation and passion for continuous self-development

Comfortable in a fast-paced small company environment.

Experience in a startup industrial setting is preferred.