Engineer - Senior Systems (Microsoft)

Job Title: Engineer Wage/Hour Status: Non-Exempt 

Job Role: Senior Systems (Microsoft) Funding Source: Local 

Pay Grade: AD 5 

Department/School: Technology 

Function: Technology 

Reports to: Director of Technology Systems HR Date Approved: August 2024 

HR Date Revised: September 2025 

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SUMMARY: 

The Senior Systems Engineer is responsible for ensuring the stability, security, and performance of enterprise Microsoft and Windows-based infrastructure across both cloud and on-premises environments. This includes advanced administration of Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, Intune, Windows Server, virtualization platforms, and enterprise networking. The engineer will design, implement, and maintain mission-critical systems while applying best practices in cloud identity, security, and compliance. 

This role requires hands-on technical expertise, strong troubleshooting skills, and the ability to manage complex integrations between Microsoft platforms, third-party applications, and instructional technologies that support educational operations. The Senior Systems Engineer will act as a technical leader within the systems domain, contributing to enterprise IT strategy, mentoring junior engineers, and collaborating across teams to deliver secure, scalable, and reliable solutions.   

The essential functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the characteristic duties and responsibilities noted herein, however, this list represents examples only, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions found in this job description. 

• Model KISD core organizational beliefs and values; perform duties effectively and efficiently for the purpose of supporting and contributing to high student achievement. 

• Provide program support and service delivery; communicate effectively within and across teams and participate in cross-functional work groups. 

• Maintain a commitment to the District mission; model District expectations through personal leadership and actively support the efforts of others to achieve District goals. 

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MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES 

Operational and Systems and Device Support 

• Administer, configure, and support Microsoft 365 services including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, and OneDrive, and other related technologies ensuring secure and reliable operation. 

• Manage Azure Active Directory (AAD) identity services, including role-based access control (RBAC), single sign-on (SSO), conditional access, and multifactor authentication in conjunction with the Cybersecurity team. 

• Lead enterprise Intune endpoint management, including Autopilot enrollment, compliance policies, application deployment, and troubleshooting advanced endpoint issues. 

• Maintain, and deploy Windows Server physical and virtual machines and all related services such as DNS, DHCP, File & Print Services, Failover clustering while maintaining best practices for security hardening and updates. 

• Provide administration of Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) for on-premise domain controllers, including OU/security model design, delegation, health replication, and account governance. 

• Administer and maintain virtualization platforms (VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V), including provisioning, performance optimization, cluster management, high availability, and advanced troubleshooting of host and guest systems. 

• Manage and support hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) environments and perform backend hardware troubleshooting of Dell enterprise servers and storage systems (iDRAC, storage controllers, firmware/driver lifecycle). 

• Administer and monitor backup and disaster recovery solutions using Veeam Backup & Replication, including DR testing and execution. 

• Apply networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, WLAN) to ensure interoperability and system stability. 

• Develop and maintain PowerShell scripts and automation to reduce overhead, improve consistency, and enforce standards. 

• Troubleshoot and resolve complex multi-system issues across authentication, networking, storage, virtualization, and applications. 

• Support and integrate third-party systems, applications, and services that interact with the on-premises Microsoft and Azure ecosystems to enhance instructional technology and educational operations. 

Analysis and Collaboration 

• Serve as a technical lead for Microsoft systems engineering, establishing best practices and mentoring junior engineers and analysts. 

• Partner with networking, security, and other teams to ensure aligned, secure enterprise solutions. 

• Collaborate with IT leadership and business stakeholders to understand requirements, define system goals, and deliver scalable solutions that meet instructional and operational needs. 

• Conduct technical evaluations and assessments of existing environments (Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, Windows Server, Active Directory, virtualization), identifying opportunities for optimization and modernization. 

• Research emerging technologies, evaluate their fit within the environment, and present recommendations to leadership for strategic adoption. 

• Provide documentation, reporting, and technical insights to support planning, audits, and compliance efforts. 

• Contribute to cross-functional initiatives, ensuring systems engineering expertise informs districtwide technology strategy. 

Recordkeeping, Reporting and Inventory 

• Maintain comprehensive documentation of system architectures, configurations, processes, and recovery procedures. 

• Produce detailed system performance and capacity reports to support lifecycle planning and risk assessments. 

• Document incidents, resolutions, and root cause analyses in a consistent and clear manner, contributing to a shared knowledgebase. 

• Maintain accurate records of hardware, software, licensing, and inventories to support compliance and resource planning. 

• Continuously refine documentation and reporting practices to improve knowledge transfer and operational efficiency. 

Policy and Law 

• Perform other duties, as assigned by the Director of Infrastructure Network Operations, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of District network infrastructure services. 

• Maintain confidentiality. 

• Pursue Professional Development activities for self and assigned staff; ensure that Professional Development activities are aligned with District goals and initiatives and current professional research. 

• Comply with all policies, operating procedures, legal requirements, and verbal and written directives. 

• Comply with the Professional Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators. 

• Follow District safety protocols and emergency procedures. 

• Perform other related duties as assigned. 

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QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education/Certification: 

• Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent professional experience. 

• Industry certifications strongly preferred, such as: 

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) 

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) 

• Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-800/AZ-801) 

• Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert (MS-100/101) 

• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300) 

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) 

• Veeam Certified Engineer (VMCE) 

• Legacy certifications (e.g., MCSA/MCSE in Windows Server or equivalent) accepted as valid indicators of prior expertise, but candidates are encouraged to hold or pursue current role-based certifications aligned with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365. 

 Experience: 

• 7 years of progressive IT experience with direct responsibility for enterprise-scale Microsoft environments. 

• Demonstrated expertise in Microsoft 365 / Azure AD administration, Windows Server & ADDS, Intune endpoint management, virtualization, and backup/disaster recovery. 

• Hands-on experience administering virtualization platforms (VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V), including cluster management, high availability, and performance optimization. 

• Experience supporting Dell enterprise server hardware and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). 

• Familiarity with enterprise networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, DHCP, DNS). 

• Proficiency in PowerShell scripting and automation for administration and reporting. 

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SPECIAL KNOWLEGDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES: 

• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with ability to resolve cross-system issues spanning identity, networking, virtualization, and storage. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to document processes, mentor peers, and present technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. 

• Ability to align systems engineering with security, networking, and instructional technology requirements. 

• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment in high-pressure environments and contribute to long-term IT strategy. 

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SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITES: 

• None 

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MENTAL/PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: 

Tools/Equipment Used:  

• Standard office equipment including personal computer and peripherals  

• Network equipment 

• Computer systems 

Posture: 

• Prolonged sitting and standing; bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting  

Motion: 

• Repetitive hand motions, frequent keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching  

Lifting: 

• Occasional lifting and carrying 50 to 80 pounds 

Environment:  

• May work prolonged or irregular hours 

• Occasional districtwide and statewide travel 

• Regular exposure to noise and computer monitors 

• Work to be completed on-site from assigned school or building 

• Remote work available when not required on-site and approved by department supervisor 

Mental Demands:  

• Work with frequent interruptions; maintain emotional control under stress; work prolonged or irregular hours 

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INTENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: 

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be.  It is not intended to limit, or any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision.  The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.