Senior Systems Administrator at Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California

Job Description:

Under general direction and reporting to the Assistant Director, IT, Infrastructure, the Senior Systems Administrator oversees technology infrastructure for research laboratories, administrative systems, and core technology services. Responsibilities include installing, configuring, and maintaining complex infrastructure platforms, as well as providing advanced technical support to end users.

The role involves managing physical, virtual, and cloud infrastructure, supporting critical IT systems, and offering consulting services for diverse computing environments. Participation in on-call rotations ensures 24x7 coverage The Senior Systems Administrator aims to uphold high standards of service quality and credibility, employing innovative solutions to meet research and business requirements in alignment with the Institute's mission.

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces diverse perspectives and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's vibrant community comprises a diverse and talented group of individuals, each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. From visionary leaders to dedicated administrators and brilliant faculty members, the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

 
System Operations

• Provide ongoing support for IT systems, troubleshooting issues, performing maintenance, and monitoring performance to ensure smooth business operations.


• Install and configure operating systems across various devices, ensuring security and optimal performance through patches and updates.


• Research and propose innovative IT solutions, offering consulting services to meet organizational needs.


• Lead complex system design and implementation projects, collaborating with senior management and ensuring alignment with business goals.


• Coordinate IT projects, manage logistics, and liaise with support staff for hardware and software implementations.


• Oversee server and client backup operations, ensuring data integrity and compliance with data protection policies.

System Management and Security

• Manage storage resources to optimize performance, availability, and security of organizational data.


• Contribute to security audits, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending mitigation strategies.

Troubleshooting

• Perform performance tuning and diagnostics to enhance system functionality.


• Act as a technical expert for critical systems, resolving issues escalated by junior staff.


• Customize and maintain web applications and resolve software problems.


• Investigate new technologies and recommend improvements to enhance system stability and efficiency.

Technical Support

• Respond to operational issues promptly and document solutions.


• Participate in on-call rotation for IT support, including nights and weekends.


• Performs other related duties as assigned by management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

What we Require

• Bachelor's Degree (BA) from a four-year college or university in computer science or other engineering field or equivalent combination of education and experience.


• Minimum of five to seven years of related experience and/or training.


• Minimum of seven years’ experience managing enterprise-class compute and storage hardware, including SAN and NAS solutions.


• Minimum of seven years of *NIX operating systems administration experience in an enterprise client-server environment.


• Experience managing a virtualization platform infrastructure in an enterprise environment.

Preferred:

• Ten years’ experience managing enterprise-class compute and storage hardware.


• Five years managing RHEL / CentOS workloads in large client-server enterprise environments.


• Five years of implementation and operations of complex IT solutions.


• Five years managing VMware ESXi and vSphere virtualization platforms.


• Experience with cloud storage and compute platforms.


• Experience in an IT support role working with researchers in an academic or commercial environment.

What We Can Offer

The expected pay range for this position is $110,000 to $130,000 per annum. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, department budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.  

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk’s pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym “I CARE” provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.