Job description
Location: Anywhere in the US- no further west than Central Time
Overview of Role
Are you ready to help shape and lead a world-class Technical Operations organization from the ground up? Our client is looking for a Principal Systems Engineer to design, implement, and oversee the systems and infrastructure that power their ambitious growth and industry-shaping strategy. This is a chance to play a defining role in a high-impact, forward-thinking team that values curiosity, pragmatism, and outcomes over outputs. If you love complex problem-solving, thrive in dynamic environments, and want to build something meaningful, this is the kind of role where your leadership and technical expertise will truly make a mark.
What You’ll Be Doing
Provide senior leadership and direction on systems design, architecture, and standards.
Build and implement robust technical solutions across hardware, software, and infrastructure.
Oversee enterprise system infrastructure — compute, storage, virtualization, capacity, lifecycle, upgrades, and incident/change management.
Act as a key liaison between Technical Operations and Engineering, Architecture, Security, and Production Support teams.
Align infrastructure solutions with strategic business objectives and recommend emerging technologies to drive performance and cost efficiency.
Develop and maintain technical documentation, engineering drawings, and system procedures.
Lead disaster recovery planning, security assessments, and preventative maintenance programs.
Communicate system updates, service health, and technical bulletins across the global organization.
Champion best practices in change management, configuration policies, and operational excellence.
What You Bring
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
10+ years of experience in Windows, Linux, and hybrid cloud environments.
10+ years in enterprise-level systems architecture, design, and support.
5+ years as a technical lead or architect on complex infrastructure projects.
Advanced expertise in Windows Server (IIS, DHCP, DNS, Clustering), Linux (preferably Ubuntu), Active Directory & Microsoft Entra ID, and Microsoft 365 solutions.
Strong hands-on experience with automation and Infrastructure as Code (Ansible, Terraform, Bash, Python).
Proven track record working with VMware vSphere/ESXi, SAN/NAS/Object storage solutions, and enterprise networking.
In-depth knowledge of disaster recovery, business continuity, and enterprise security practices.
Excellent communication skills — able to translate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Bonus Points For:
Hybrid cloud strategy experience (AWS, Azure).
Advanced certifications (VCAP, VCDX, Microsoft Expert-level, etc.).
Experience with orchestration platforms like Scalr or Rundeck.
Why This Role Stands Out:
This is more than a job, it’s an opportunity to lead, innovate, and influence the technical foundation of a rapidly growing, forward-looking organization. You’ll be surrounded by people who are curious, driven, and empowered to make bold ideas a reality.
If you’re ready to help build something exceptional, this could be the perfect next step in your career.