System Administrator (Cyber Infrastructure)

Remote from: USA
Annual salary: Undisclosed
Salary information is not provided for this position. Check our Salary Directory to estimate the average compensation for similar roles.
Department: DevOps & Infrastructure
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 10 Jun 2026
Apply before: 10 Jul 2026
Views / Applies: 22 / 4

About ECS

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AI Summary

This role is for a Cyber Infrastructure System Administrator supporting NIH NIAID under a contract basis. Responsibilities include supervising daily system configuration, optimizing resource utilization, performing capacity analysis, and ensuring effective change management. The ideal candidate has at least 6 years of experience, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and an active Public Trust clearance. The position is remote but requires residence in the Washington DC Metro area with occasional travel. This is a senior-level role with strong emphasis on cybersecurity and infrastructure management.

Role DNA

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

Pace & Pressure

Relaxed Fast-paced

Autonomy Level

Guided Full Ownership

Communication Load

Independent Highly Collaborative

AI Insight The job requires 6+ years of experience, supervisory skills, and a security clearance, indicating a high level of expertise and responsibility.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The salary is not specified in the posting. Based on market data for a senior Cyber Infrastructure System Administrator with government contract experience, the typical range is $80,000 to $130,000, with a median of $105,000. This role may offer competitive compensation considering the security clearance requirement.

Key Skills

System Administration Cybersecurity Infrastructure Management Capacity Planning Change Management Mainframe Systems Client/Server Systems Security Clearance Network Security IT Operations

Cover Letter Sample

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to express my strong interest in the System Administrator (Cyber Infrastructure) position at ECS, supporting the NIH NIAID NEAT contract. With over 6 years of experience in IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and systems administration, I am confident in my ability to supervise daily operations, optimize system performance, and ensure security compliance. My background includes managing both mainframe and client/server environments, performing capacity analysis, and implementing change management processes.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and an active Public Trust clearance, meeting all requirements for this role. My supervisory experience and technical expertise align perfectly with the responsibilities outlined. I am eager to contribute to the NIAID mission and ready to work remotely within the DC Metro area.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how my skills can support your team.

Sincerely,
John Doe

Possible Interview Questions

Describe your experience with supervising and managing daily system configuration and operation in a multi-platform environment.

In my previous role, I supervised a team of 5 system administrators managing both mainframe and client/server systems. I oversaw daily configuration updates, user access management, and system monitoring. I implemented standardized procedures to ensure consistency and compliance.

How do you approach capacity planning and resource optimization for IT systems?

I use historical performance data and trend analysis to forecast future needs. For example, I once identified a storage bottleneck and recommended migrating to SSDs, which improved I/O performance by 40%. I also regularly review system metrics to adjust allocation proactively.

Explain a time you performed root cause analysis for a critical system issue. What was your process?

We had a recurring application outage. I led a team to collect logs, correlate events, and isolate the issue to a misconfigured firewall rule. We implemented a permanent fix and updated change management procedures to prevent recurrence.

What security standards and best practices do you follow when managing authentication and authorization?

I adhere to NIST standards and implement role-based access control (RBAC), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regular audits. I also ensure that systems are patched and that privileged accounts are closely monitored.

How do you ensure effective change management in a government contract environment?

I follow a structured change management process involving request submission, impact analysis, approval from a change advisory board (CAB), and scheduled implementation. I also document changes and conduct post-implementation reviews to verify success.

ECS is seeking an experienced Cyber Infrastructure System Administrator to work remotely providing infrastructure support for the work performed under this contract for NIH NIAID Enabling and Advancing Technologies (NEAT). All other tasks are intended to facilitate the implementation and operation of Network and Cybersecurity. This engagement supports current and future technologies including evaluating, planning for, and implementing new technologies in the NIAID and NIH environment in response to changing business strategies, policy, and regulatory changes.

Please Note: This position is contingent upon [contract win].

The Cyber Infrastructure System Administrator is responsible for supervising and managing the daily activities of configuration and operation of systems which may be mainframe, mini, or client/server based.

Key Responsibilities:

Supervise and manage the daily activities of configuration and operation of systems which may be mainframe, mini, or client/server based.
Plan and monitor the optimizing of system operation and resource utilization, and perform systems capacity analysis and planning.
Plan and monitor assistance to users in accessing and using business systems. Commensurate experience and education.
Collect, store, and analyze data relevant to monitored applications to perform and report accurate root causal analysis of all related issues and to support trend analysis and forecasting.
Ensure effective change management of all OCICB-supported software applications.

Qualifications

Minimum 6 years of experience supporting IT infrastructure, systems, and applications, including support teams and ensuring quality of service operations.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Security or related field.
Active Public Trust or higher security clearance.
Strong supervisory skills in managing system configuration and operation.
In-depth knowledge of optimizing system operations and resource utilization.
Proficiency in performing systems capacity analysis and planning.
Excellent leadership and communication skills to assist users in accessing business systems.
Extensive experience working with mainframe, mini, and client/server-based systems.
Experience monitoring systems for unanticipated issues and reporting on systems performance metrics.
Experience applying troubleshooting techniques across various server, application, and network technologies.
Experience with security standards and best practices, including authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Reside within the Washington DC Metro area.
Travel within the Washington DC Metro Area, and CONUS as needed.

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