Network Administrator (Contract)

Job Title:         Network Administrator

Location:         Santa Clara, CA - on-site 5 days/week with travel to data centers as needed

Type of hire:    Contract

Duration:         6 month contract to start, potential for extension

Working Conditions

•5 days per week on-site is preferred, with travel to data centers as needed.

•May require availability outside of standard hours for maintenance windows or critical incidents.

•Occasional travel to the Austin site may be required.

Job Summary

This individual will be responsible for managing and optimizing both cloud-based and on-premise systems, with a strong emphasis on network security, server infrastructure, virtualization, and Microsoft ecosystem technologies including Azure and Active Directory. The role requires strong Linux systems experience and the ability to perform hands-on data center work such as racking, stacking, and basic hardware setup. They will have a deep understanding of enterprise environments, is capable of supporting infrastructure projects end-to-end, and can provide high-level support to internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Engineering & Management

•Design, deploy, and maintain core network infrastructure, including firewalls, routers, switches, and VPNs.

•Configure and manage enterprise Linux and Windows Server environments, including DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, and File Services.

•Administer and support virtualization platforms such as VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Proxmox VE.

•Plan and manage scalable storage solutions (NAS, SAN) for high availability and disaster recovery.

•Perform hands-on data center work, including hardware installation, cabling, and troubleshooting.

Cloud & On-Premise Platform Integration

•Design and manage Azure Cloud environments (IaaS, networking, security groups, NSGs, VNets, VPN Gateways).

•Integrate and administer Azure Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and related identity and access management solutions.

•Maintain and troubleshoot on-premise Active Directory or LDAP-based authentication infrastructure.

Security and Compliance

•Implement and maintain network security best practices including firewall policies, intrusion prevention/detection, and endpoint security.

•Ensure systems and configurations meet compliance standards (e.g., ISO, SOC2, HIPAA, as applicable).

•Monitor, analyze, and remediate vulnerabilities in system and network infrastructure.

Operational Support & Documentation

•Monitor system and network performance, ensuring high availability and performance tuning.

•Provide tier 3 escalation support to internal IT teams and occasionally to end users.

•Develop and maintain comprehensive infrastructure documentation, including topology diagrams and configuration guides.

•Participate in change management and capacity planning efforts.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

•Work closely with application, cybersecurity, and DevOps teams to align infrastructure services with organizational goals.

•Evaluate and recommend new technologies and tools to improve efficiency, security, and reliability.

Required Skills and Qualifications

•Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent experience.

•5 years of hands-on experience in a senior infrastructure or systems/network engineering role.

•Strong Linux systems administration experience.

•Advanced expertise with firewalls (e.g., Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA), routers, and switches.

•Strong hands-on experience with Windows Server platforms, Active Directory, Group Policy, and PowerShell scripting.

•Proven experience in Azure cloud infrastructure, including compute, networking, and security services.

•Proficient in VMware vSphere/ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Proxmox VE.

•Familiarity with enterprise storage platforms, including backup and replication strategies.

•Knowledge of network protocols and services (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, SSL, SNMP, etc.).

•Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.

•Willingness to perform hands-on data center work and occasional travel to the Austin site or other data centers.

Preferred Qualifications

•Industry certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate, VMware VCP, Cisco CCNP, CompTIA Network , or Security .

•Experience with automation tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or PowerShell DSC.

•Familiarity with hybrid identity models and SSO/SAML integrations.

•Experience supporting environments within regulated industries (e.g., finance, healthcare, government).