Careers at Virginia Tech

Based on the foundation of the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology, Virginia Tech launched the Virginia Tech National Security Institute in September 2021. With a presence in Blacksburg and the Washington, D.C., metro area, the institute aspires to be the nation's preeminent academic organization at the nexus of interdisciplinary research, technology, policy, and talent development, the national security institute will advance national security in pursuit of a secure America.

The Institute is seeking applicants for a Lead Systems Engineer to support its virtual and physical Windows Server and Linux server infrastructure supporting the institute's administrative and research computing needs. The Lead Systems Engineer will manage multiple physical and virtual servers, shared enterprise storage and networking, and provide tier II and III level support to faculty and staff. The Lead Systems Engineer will lead and oversee the work of Tier I support technicians and act as a backup to Tier I support issues as needed. The Lead Systems Engineer will advise leadership on critical infrastructure and service needs and implement technology to eliminate gaps in IT support and service. Due to the nature of the Institute's work, US citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance is required.

The successful candidate must have proven, advanced experience in the following areas
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of education, training, certifications, and years of experience.
• System administration experience using and managing Linux and Windows based server systems
• Significant experience troubleshooting complex software and hardware errors
• Network administration experience, including configuration and maintenance of routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Demonstrated knowledge of networking concepts such as vlan, port channeling, link aggregation, etc.
• Proficient experience with scripting languages (PowerShell, bash, php, Perl)
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Active Directory including group policy management, user/computer object management, ldap/ldaps
• Significant experience with SSL certificate concepts and usage including certificate signing, certificate requests, certificate authorities, intermediate certificates, etc.
• Proficient experience managing a VMWare server environment and virtualization concepts with multiple VM systems and storage nodes.
• Demonstrated experience with VMWare vcenter server and concepts for managing VMs (vmotion, vsan, etc.)
• Experience with enterprise storage systems (NetApp, Dell EMC, PureStorage, etc.)
• Demonstrated knowledge of storage interconnect technologies and filesystems (San/NAS, fiber ethernet, iscsi, nfs and clustered filesystems btrfs, vmfs) and concepts (LUN, Virtual Volumes, Snapshots, etc.)
• Proficient experience with backup and replication technologies and applications (Veeam, rsync)
• Proficient experience with automation technologies such as ansible, puppet, chef, etc.
• Knowledge of central logging systems such as Splunk and log concepts (syslog/rsyslog, retention, log rotation)
• Experience with system backup and replication technologies such as VEEAM and backup concepts
• Experience with VMWare Horizon VDI administration and deployment
• Strong experience with database administration and programming, including strong SQL skills
• Experience working with datacenter environmental systems such as enterprise UPS systems, Power Distribution, Datacenter HVAC, etc.
• Significant experience managing IT systems for environments that conduct restricted research, and proficiency with applicable security standards including the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), and NIST 800-171
• Strong customer services skills with demonstrated prioritizing and time management, and ability to communicate technical issues easily to a wide audience with varying levels of IT knowledge
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to quickly solve problems in high-pressure situations with no guidance or assistance
• Experience leading a team of technical support staff, providing guidance on complex IT problems
• Experience creating technical support documentation such as KB articles and internal wiki articles assisting faculty, staff, and internal IT support staff
• previous experience leading a group of IT support staff
• US citizenship
• Must be able to safely move and handle items weighing up to 50 lbs.

• Previous experience conducting IT system management in a research environment and working effectively with faculty, staff, and students
• Previous experience working on government contracts and federal funding

5

Restricted

Commensurate with experience, starting at $100,000

December 2, 2024

Due to the nature of the work of our Institute, all candidates must be US citizens.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.