What are the responsibilities and job description for the System Administrator: Office of Innovative Technologies - UTK position at University of Tennessee and Careers?
The University of Tennessee’s Office of Innovative Technology (OIT) is seeking a skilled IT Administrator/Analyst 2 to manage and optimize critical Microsoft Windows and Azure systems that support thousands of students, faculty, and researchers every day. In this impactful role, you will install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Windows servers and Azure infrastructure; monitor performance and drive optimizations; perform security analysis; and adhere to best-practice procedures for patching, deployment, and configuration tuning while collaborating across OIT teams. Strong Microsoft Windows systems administration experience is required — if you excel with cloud and server technologies and want to contribute to one of America’s leading public universities, this is your opportunity.
Daily Systems Monitoring and Operations
- Monitors Windows Server and Azure infrastructure health using tools such as Azure Monitor, Microsoft System Center, SolarWinds, or similar.
- Reviews logs, alerts, and performance metrics; responds to incidents and escalates as needed.
- Performs routine system health checks, resource and especially disk space management, service restarts, and event log analysis.
- Maintains monitoring dashboards and creates basic alerts.
Patching, Updates, and Backup Administration
- Assists in testing, scheduling, and applying monthly Windows Server and Azure VM patches/updates.
- Verifies backup success, performs test restores, and maintains backup documentation.
Helps maintain patch compliance reporting.
Security and Access Management
- Implements and maintains Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Active Directory security groups, and Azure RBAC roles.
- Creates, modifies, and disables user accounts and service accounts in AD and Entra.
- Assists with security hardening (Group Policy, Azure Policy, CIS benchmarks).
- Participates in vulnerability scanning, remediation, and audit requests.
Server Builds, Configuration, and Deployment Support
- Builds and configures new Windows servers (physical and virtual) and Azure VMs under the direction of senior staff.
- Installs and configures core services (IIS, file/print, DHCP, DNS, etc.).
- QA new servers in accordance with best practice documentation.
- Document server builds and configurations in the team’s SharePoint document library.
Documentation, Knowledge Sharing, and Support
- Creates and maintains runbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and system documentation.
- Provides support for Windows/Azure-related tickets escalated from the help desk.
- Participates in team meetings, training sessions, and knowledge transfer activities.
- Serves as a supporting team member on medium to large infrastructure projects (server migrations, Azure landings, upgrades).
Required Qualifications
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree and one year of experience in an enterprise environment using Microsoft Active Directory and servers.
- Or associate’s degree and 4 years of experience
- Or a high school diploma or GED and 8 years of experience
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Ability to work in a very fast-paced environment, supporting Cloud Computing in Microsoft Azure and Windows Systems tasks.
- Knowledge of networking principles, DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, and VPNs.
- Introductory PowerShell skills.
Work Competencies:
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively both as part of a collaborative team environment and independently.
- self-starter with strong initiative and the ability to manage tasks
Preferred Qualifications
Any Microsoft Azure-specific training or certifications (e.g., AZ-104 or AZ-900).
Familiarity with SCCM and/or Azure Monitor.
Work Location
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Hybrid
Compensation and Benefits
UT market range: MR12
Anticipated hiring range: $61,000 - $65,000
Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted attachments below. To ensure full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before March 27, 2026.
- Resume
- Cover Letter
About The Division
University of Tennessee’s Office of Innovative Technology (OIT) exists to advance the university’s mission “to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate the citizens of the state…” by delivering customer-driven, consistent, and credible IT services for learning, research, and continuous improvement.
Salary : $61,000 - $65,000