Senior System Administrator - University of Southern California

The USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies in Playa Vista, is seeking a highly skilled Senior System Administrator to join its IT department. This role requires advanced expertise in systems administration, networking, cloud computing, virtualization, and Linux/macOS environments. Join us in a dynamic, fast-paced setting where innovation and collaboration drive success. Key Responsibilities Systems Administration & Networking Maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot the Institute’s back-end systems and networks. Oversee, administer, and optimize computer networks, including hardware, software, and configurations. Monitor system performance and security, adjusting as needed. Technical Project Leadership Lead IT projects from inception to completion with minimal supervision. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to advance IT services and capabilities. Security & Compliance Ensure system compliance with security frameworks (NIST 800-171, CMMC, ISO-27001). Manage data backups, disaster recovery operations, and security access protocols. User Support & Documentation Provide mentorship to junior system administrators and handle escalated helpdesk tasks. Develop and maintain system documentation and user training materials. Plan, design, and conduct specialized end-user training for groups or individuals. Preferred Qualifications Education & Skills Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field. Advanced knowledge of Linux system administration and cloud services (Azure, AWS, GCP). Strong troubleshooting skills in complex, heterogeneous environments. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Technical Expertise Five or more years of advanced Linux administration experience. Familiarity with enterprise storage systems (NetApp, EMC, Tegile). VMware ESX administration and Ansible configuration management. Experience supporting HPC systems and LAMP stacks. Technical writing experience for engineering guides and how-to documentation. Security & Compliance Understanding of PCI, PII, HIPAA, DFARS compliance standards. Knowledge of security assessment tools (SentinelOne, NMAP, Nessus, Rapid7). Additional Preferred Experience Enterprise storage management experience. Backup system architecture experience (preferably Rubrik). Familiarity with Jira, Confluence, SVN, Git, JAMF, Zendesk. The annual base salary range for this position is $125,000 to $140,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations. Why Join Us? This position offers an opportunity to work in a collaborative and innovative environment at the forefront of research and technology. You will contribute to advancing IT services, ensuring the success of the Institute’s cutting-edge projects. Security Clearance This position may require a security clearance. Applicants must be eligible to obtain a security clearance if required. If you’re passionate about solving complex IT challenges and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply! Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 5 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Expert understanding and strong technical knowledge of and experience with systems administration, backups, operating systems programming languages and associated hardware platforms. Possesses the required knowledge to build, configure, load and restore a system from the ground up. Previous systems administration experience required. USC is a smoke-free environment USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law. Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Plan Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination USC is an E-Verify Employer Digital Accessibility If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://wd5.myworkday.com/usc/d/inst/1$9925/9925$118001.htmld USC is a leading private research university located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles – a global center for arts, technology and international business. As the largest private employer in the city – responsible for more than $5 billion annually in economic activity in the region – we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills. As a USC employee, you will enjoy excellent benefits and perks, and you will be a member of the Trojan Family - the faculty, staff, students and alumni who make USC a great place to work. Application help If you need assistance during the application process, see our application help. (If you already work for USC, see Your USC career.) At any point you may also contact our HR Service Center for help at (213) 821-8100 or uschr@usc.edu.