About the Systems Engineer role
A Systems Engineer designs, builds, and maintains the server and platform infrastructure that applications run on. That includes operating systems, virtualization, storage, cloud resources, and the automation that keeps them consistent. Where a helpdesk technician fixes individual machines, a Systems Engineer engineers the environment so problems do not recur.
The title carries two meanings, so clarify which one you need. In IT infrastructure, it means the role described here: servers, cloud platforms, automation, and reliability. In aerospace, defense, and other hardware industries, it means an engineer who integrates complex multi-disciplinary systems. This template targets the IT infrastructure meaning, which is what most tech and enterprise employers intend.
In your posting, name your platforms: Linux or Windows or both, VMware or a cloud provider, and your configuration management tools such as Ansible or Terraform. Also say how much of the role is project work versus operations and on-call, since that ratio is often the deciding factor for experienced candidates.
Systems Engineer job description template
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Job brief
Join our infrastructure team as a Systems Engineer and help keep our platforms secure, stable, and easy to operate. You will manage servers and cloud resources, automate provisioning and configuration, monitor performance, and harden systems against failure and attack.
You are likely to do well if you are a strong troubleshooter who prefers automating a fix over repeating it. Your work will keep our platforms stable, secure, and ready to scale ahead of the business.
Responsibilities
- Design, deploy, and maintain Linux and Windows server environments, on-premise and in the cloud
- Automate provisioning and configuration with tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or PowerShell
- Manage virtualization and cloud platforms, including capacity and cost oversight
- Build and maintain monitoring and alerting so issues surface before users report them
- Administer storage, backup, and disaster recovery systems, and run periodic restore tests
- Harden systems through patching, access control, and security baseline enforcement
- Troubleshoot complex infrastructure issues across compute, storage, and networking layers
- Plan and execute upgrades and migrations with minimal service disruption
- Document architecture, configurations, and runbooks for the wider team
- Participate in the on-call rotation and lead post-incident reviews
Requirements and skills
- Previous experience as a Systems Engineer, Systems Administrator, or infrastructure engineer
- Strong administration skills in Linux, Windows Server, or both
- Hands-on experience with a major cloud platform such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
- Experience with infrastructure automation tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or Puppet
- Scripting ability in Bash, PowerShell, or Python
- Solid grasp of core networking concepts, including DNS, DHCP, and TCP/IP
- Experience with monitoring, logging, and backup tooling
- Methodical troubleshooting skills and clear incident communication
- BSc in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience
Nice to have
- Certifications such as RHCE, Microsoft administrator credentials, or AWS Solutions Architect
- Experience with Kubernetes or other container orchestration platforms
- Familiarity with identity systems such as Active Directory or LDAP at scale
- Experience in regulated or high-availability environments
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