IT Platform Administrator (ARL
State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, 16801, USA
Listed on 2026-08-02
-
IT/Tech
Systems Administrator, Cybersecurity, Systems Engineer, IT Support
Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICSWe are searching for a highly motivated IT Platform Administrator to join Enterprise IT at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. This role will provide systems administration, computing support, and specialized support services for the enablement of key research and administrative functions by ensuring the security, compliance, functionality, and reliability of research and administrative systems through hands on configuration and support.
ARL is an authorized DoD Skill Bridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:- Administer identity and access management, authentication services, privileged account controls, certificate management, and role-based access to ensure appropriate protection of research data and information systems
- Install, configure, administer, secure, maintain, and upgrade physical and virtual servers, operating systems, enterprise services, storage platforms, and specialized research computing environments supporting scientific, engineering, and business operations
- Monitor security events, vulnerabilities, system alerts, and compliance status; investigate anomalies; coordinate incident response activities; and implement corrective and preventative actions
- Monitor system availability, performance, capacity, and reliability; proactively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex system, hardware, software, and infrastructure issues to minimize operational impact
- Develop and maintain system architecture diagrams, configuration baselines, operating procedures, disaster recovery documentation, security documentation, and other technical records required for operational support, audits, and system accreditation
- Provide advanced technical support for complex end-user and application issues; mentor less experienced technical staff; and contribute technical expertise to infrastructure modernization and research initiatives
- Collaborate with IT colleagues on the design of technical infrastructures targeting specific goals
- Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required
- Willingness and ability to obtain and maintain a DoD 8140/8570 certification or higher (Security+, CASP+, CySA+), within one year of start date
- Demonstrated experience in the enterprise level administration of Windows and Red Hat Linux Servers
- Knowledge and experience with Infrastructure Core Services:
Active Directory management;
Group Policy;
Windows Server Administration; NTFS Permissions; DNS; and maintenance of secure Windows servers - Experience operating in, and leading, technical projects in a high-security research computing environment
- Success in an environment where various forms of communication and organizational skills are crucial to be effective
- Demonstrated ability to work through difficult problems, using proper steps to identify, define, and formulate ideas that produce results
- Systems integration in a heterogeneous network environment
- Microsoft Entra Administration
- Identity and Access Management and PKI Infrastructure
- Enterprise level administration of both Windows and Linux systems
- A strong understanding of Microsoft Exchange in a hybrid environment.
- Power Shell scripting, system maintenance and automation of tasks
- Developing and maintaining secure Windows and Linux system baseline configurations
- Enterprise storage resources (ECS, Unity, Power Scale, Isilon)
- Enterprise systems management software (SCCM, Ansible, Redhat IDM)
Your working location will be fully on-site, located in State College, PA. Hybrid work opportunities may be an option after acclimating to the role. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONSBachelor's Degree3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
accepted
Required
Certifications:
None
ARL's purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Intel Community (IC).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our web site .psu.edu.
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCESEmployment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory
(ARL):
Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL…
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