CIRES/NSIDC IT System Administrator

Job Summary

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) within the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder encourages applications for a full-time System Administrator to join the Technical Services group. The System Administrator plays a key role in developing and managing information technology systems at NSIDC. You will join a group of professionals that help maintain essential IT operations, such as operating systems, monitoring tools, business applications, functional servers, email systems, laptops, desktops, productivity software, and related hardware. Success in this role means you can support computer systems in a mixed operating system environment and work efficiently with internal technology providers as well as other operations groups.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, serves as a national information and referral center in support of snow and ice research. NSIDC is a trusted source of cryospheric data and services, and is a leader in research and development within this field.

https://nsidc.org

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) is an internationally recognized leader in innovative environmental science and research and is located at the University of Colorado Boulder. At CIRES, more than 800 environmental science professionals work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet. CIRES has partnered with NOAA since 1967, and our areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system.

https://cires.colorado.edu

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Monitor computer systems; proactively address or escalate issues before service is impacted.
• Apply knowledge of Linux, MacOS, MS Windows and related systems to maintain and enhance science data operations.
• Install and configure new hardware components for operations in an enterprise data center environment.
• Maintain server back-ups and disaster recovery initiatives. Including data restores as needed.
• Maintain security best practices as needed.
• Conduct research on IT products and services in support of procurement and development efforts.
• General network infrastructure administration.
• Monitor the Jira help request system and provide desktop support.

What You Should Know

• Please note that those applicants requiring visa sponsorship now or in the future will not be considered for this position. Applicants must be currently authorized to legally work in the United States on a full-time basis.
• Due to NASA funding restrictions, candidates who have paid or unpaid appointments or positions with Chinese Government organizations, Chinese Government controlled organizations, Chinese-owned companies, or any company incorporated under the laws of the People’s Republic of China are ineligible for hire.
• This is an on-site position with the option for a hybrid work modality. CIRES and NSIDC are currently supporting a high degree of work location flexibility. Hybrid work arrangements will follow current CIRES and university guidance and policies.
• All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to align with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement . New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.
• For questions about the job, please contact Jay Patel, hiring supervisor, at jpatel@colorado.edu.

What We Can Offer

• We can offer a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, along with a generous benefits package.
• The pay range for this full-time position is $62,000 - $88,500 per year. Salary is commensurate with education and experience and determined based on our CIRES internal career track classification.
• Relocation expenses are available for this position following CIRES and the University of Colorado’s relocation processes and procedures.
• Boulder is a vibrant community with access to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of trails, rivers, lakes, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theaters, museums, and sports venues. Boulder was recently ranked as one of the top places to live in the U.S. by U.S. News.
• As an employee at CU Boulder, you receive a pass allowing free access to the regional public transit system , which is an outstanding network of buses and light rail systems that provide service within Boulder and connect to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 1 year of relevant experience as a system administrator.
• Please note that those applicants requiring visa sponsorship now or in the future will not be considered for this position. Applicants must be currently authorized to legally work in the United States on a full-time basis.

What You Will Need

• Experience providing system administration for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS operating systems.
• Ability to effectively communicate with staff; software developers, data management operators, customer/user representatives, and office administrators.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, to include resources, priorities, and timelines.
• Customer service orientation toward problem solving and troubleshooting
• Ability to be self-directed; to take ownership of issues and inefficiencies and be proactive about seeking better solutions.
• Ability to contribute to a diverse and inclusive environment as part of the CU Boulder Inclusive Excellence vision.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-team environment supporting a variety of users.
• Initiative to learn quickly and to apply your knowledge to daily challenges.
• Ability to apply relevant IT security directives.
• Track record of successful troubleshooting skills.

What We Would Like You to Have

Please note that while the position details both required and preferred skills and experience, we invite applicants to apply even if they do not have the preferred skills and experience outlined in this “What We Would Like You To Have” section. If you meet the requirements stated above and you have passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on the job training for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the position.

• 2-3 years of relevant experience as a system administrator.
• Experience with virtualization technologies such as VMware/vSphere.
• Experience with container technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience with deployment and configuration management tools – Ex. Vagrant, Docker, Puppet, Ansible.
• Experience with system monitoring tools – Ex. Prometheus, Nagios, Cacti.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume or CV
2. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
3. List of contact information for 3 references who will be willing to write a confidential Letter of Recommendation for you.

If you are selected as the finalist, we will contact you through email and request that you submit 1 name and email of a reference who will be asked to submit a letter of recommendation (can be one of the 3 noted above). This information will be kept confidential and viewable only by the search committee.

If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version as an optional attachment.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Position will remain posted until filled.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Jay Patel

Posting Contact Email: jpatel@colorado.edu