Position Detail - Systems Administrator

Position Type: Staff Full-time (Hybrid Schedule Supported)

Hours per week: 37.5   

Weeks per year: 52

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm; occasional nights and/or weekends as needed (Hybrid Schedule Supported)

The annual salary range for this position also includes a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation. Please review the information here: Benefits Information.

The annual salary range for this position also includes a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation. Please review the information here: Benefits Information.

Department Summary & Job Purpose:

Mount Holyoke College’s Library, Information and Technology Services (LITS) Division empowers a diverse and inclusive learning community equipping every person to purposefully engage the world. We connect people with the information, expertise, spaces, and technologies that enhance their work and fuel scholarly endeavors. Mount Holyoke College is part of the Five Colleges, Inc. Consortium along with Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Reporting to the Head of Network, Systems, and Application Support, the Systems Administrator is a member of the team that supports the college community in using and applying information technologies to meet their educational and business goals and objectives. The position is responsible for deploying and maintaining Linux server systems, as well as implementing and managing infrastructure application services. It involves consulting and support for groups within LITS and the wider college community.

This position is a member of the Technology Infrastructure and Systems Support group, which focuses on providing the technology foundation and its accompanying framework for the infrastructure, resources, and services that support the College. Operations within the TISS Group include: data center operations, networking, web application support, business intelligence, digital library, academic, and administrative computing.

Core Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Linux Systems Administration
• This position is responsible for administering the entire lifecycle of Linux servers. This includes establishing and maintaining baseline server configurations using tools such as Ansible. Deploying and managing servers in on-premise VMware and cloud-based hosting environments (i.e. AWS and Azure). The ongoing maintenance, including automated patch management, system and application monitoring/ alerting, backups, and performance tuning and configuration updates. As versions of operating systems and applications approach their end-of-support, this position is responsible for working with colleagues to plan for the orderly transition to up-to-date systems and solutions.
• This work is done in partnership with Application Administrators in LITS and other offices that rely on these systems to support the academic and administrative functions of the college. 
• Infrastructure Application, Documentation, and Change Management
• This position is responsible for being an application manager for critical infrastructure technologies such as DHCP, DNS, NTP, and others. In addition, they play a lead role in managing authentication and authorization (AA) systems such as LDAP, Shibboleth, and other cloud and locally hosted AA, SSO, and MFA solutions.
• The successful delivery of these technologies and systems in the College’s technology ecosystem means that this position will be responsible for implementing scripts, API connections, and other methods to integrate them with ERP, card access, and academic tools and platforms. Management of systems and applications through change management, documentation standards, and communication processes are also key responsibilities. 
• Information Security
• Actively monitors information security mailing lists, communities of practice, and websites to keep up to date on current threats and trends. Implements server and application security best practices including local firewall rules, MFA, antivirus solutions, and other technologies. Manages and automates provisioning and updating of SSL certificates for all Linux servers and other infrastructure equipment.
• Manages and acts as the point of contact for internal and external vulnerability scans of critical systems, services, and networks. This includes generating monthly reports, tracking trends, and working with the LITS Information Security, and other teams to remediate issues. 
• Additional Responsibilities
• Ensures compliance with professional and technology standards, license and regulatory requirements, accessibility standards and practices, and other College standards, policies, and procedures. 
• Contributes as a member of project teams, working groups, and other LITS and College committees to plan and achieve TISS, LITS, and College goals and priorities. 
• Actively works with colleagues in LITS, as well as College and external committees, to foster a robust campus community and create a welcoming and user-centered environment in which a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff can thrive. 
• Participates in external organizations, communities of practice, and other professional activities related to the duties of the position, including the College, Five Colleges, and larger higher education communities, as well as those around programming and development tools, processes, and specific products. 
• Attends and contributes to major college events, which may be held at night, on weekends, or on holidays, and which are part of every employee’s core responsibilities. 
• Evening and weekend work, as necessary. In some circumstances, it may be important to assist during adverse weather and emergencies to ensure essential services and service points are covered. 
• Performs related duties as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• Experience building, configuring, and administering various distributions of Linux servers. (I.e. Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and RHEL) within a VMWare virtual server environment required.
• Experience deploying Linux servers in cloud environments such as AWS or Azure desired. Experience with deploying and managing containerized applications desired.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Linux security practices (i.e. permissions, iptables, IDS, patch management, MFA, Privileged Access Management (PAM), vulnerability scanning, and system monitoring.
• Experience in networking protocols and applications including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, BIND, Route53, LDAP, and Azure/on-premise AD.
• Experience with identity and access management tools. (i.e. Shibboleth, SAML)
• Experience with SSL certificate management on Linux systems.
• Experience or knowledge of Linux server integration with Microsoft Active Directory.
• Familiarity with version control systems (preferably Git).
• Familiarity with configuration management tools such as Ansible and Puppet.
• Working knowledge of scripting in Bash, Perl, and Python.
• Ability to diagnose system and application software problems.
• Ability to self-start and self-manage daily workload, as well as to collaborate with faculty and staff across the Mount Holyoke College campus as needed.
• Ability to document technical infrastructure and to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse group of faculty, students, administrators, staff, and others.

Preferred Qualifications:

License/Certifications:

Compliance Requirements: 

Physical Demands: 

• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position that weigh up to 25 pounds.
• Perform desk-based computer tasks, typing, using a mouse, using a telephone, and grasp lightly/fine manipulation.
• Walking: Frequently moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site or building to another. Crawling: Occasionally moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the College will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job.

Working Conditions: 

• Work is primarily performed on-site in an interior office environment. Frequent travel on campus to departments/buildings or occasional travel to local off-campus locations. Remote work may be possible with supervisor approval and in alignment with the current MHC Flexible and Adaptive work program.
  

Background Checks:

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants: 

Apply online; application materials must include:

1. A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
2. A complete resume or curriculum vitae
3. Contact information for 3 professional references

Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, ancestry, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state or local law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the recruitment and admission of students to its graduate program.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.