California School Employees Association
Senior Systems Engineer - San Jose, CA
DEFINITION
Under the general direction of the Director of Information Systems, the Senior Systems Engineer is responsible for maintaining CSEA’s technical infrastructure, ensuring the reliability, security, and efficiency of IT systems. This provides technical control, ensures the availability and security of core systems, and acts as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues within the IS team. This position requires advanced technical expertise, and the ability to develop and implement IT solutions that enhance system performance, security, and compliance.
SUMMARY
The Senior Systems Senior Engineer serves as a technical subject matter expert and operational backbone of the IS department. The role bridges infrastructure support, business systems knowledge, and data processes, ensuring both the performance of internal systems and the availability of quality data to support CSEA’s operational and strategic initiatives. This position differs from other IS roles by combining high-level infrastructure oversight with business support, ensuring the smooth operation of IT systems while providing the tools and data-driven insights that inform and support decision-making processes.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Monitor and support core infrastructure, system architecture, and network operations to ensure optimal system performance
- Maintain and administer all internal IS systems, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security
- Serve as a technical escalation point for the IS team (including ISOAs) on issues related to infrastructure, data, and systems
- Support CSEA political campaigns and field initiatives through data extracts, reports, and outreach platforms such as phone banks and automated messaging tools
- Assist staff with updating and managing member data received from employers or other sources
- Maintain and manage reporting tools, including creation of queries and procedures to ensure data integrity and accuracy.
- Train and support users in email delivery platforms, managing outbound queues and resolving delivery issues
- Support and document department tools and processes, ensuring continuity and knowledge-sharing across the IS team.
- Collaborate with the Director of IS and Business Analysts to plan and implement improvements to existing systems.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
- Enterprise IT systems, network architecture, cybersecurity protocols, and system integrations.
- Business intelligence tools, reporting solutions, and SQL-based query development.
- IT governance, security compliance standards, and data protection best practices.
- Relational database concepts, SQL, and data warehousing.
- Effective training methods for technical topics and user support.
- Advanced proficiency in MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
Ability to:
- Simplify and communicate technical topics to non-technical audiences
- Research, recommend, learn and master new technologies and tools appropriate to task
- Analyze complex data, reason logically, draw valid conclusions and validate results
- Adjust to peak workloads, irregular hours of work, and meet deadlines
- Develop and maintain detailed, user-friendly documentation for IT systems and processes.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Handle confidential information efficiently and with complete security
EDUCATION
BS Degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems or equivalent major or experience. MS preferred.
EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in IT infrastructure management, system administration, or a related technical field.
- At least 3 years of experience managing enterprise IT systems, databases, or business intelligence solutions.
- Hands-on experience with data management, query development, and reporting tools.
- Proven ability to support and train staff in IT tools and system functionalities.
- Experience in IT security, compliance, and disaster recovery planning.
- Prior experience in a technical escalation role, providing guidance to IS support staff.
Benefits of working at CSEA
We offer a dynamic career opportunity. We have an excellent salary and benefits package with:
- 19 paid holidays
- 3 weeks’ vacation to start and 5 weeks after 7 years
- Medical, dental and vision benefits for you and your family
- Pension
- 401k
- Life insurance
- Work/life flexibility…. an opportunity to enjoy the work you do, and find fulfillment through working with like-minded, dedicated professionals committed to this significant social mission
To Apply:
Go to www.csea.com/careers, upload your resume and a cover letter that explains your qualifications, interest and career goals.
Questions? Contact HR at [email protected]. Please do not send resumes or other documents to this email.
CSEA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to building and supporting a diverse workforce.
This is an exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
EOE/AA
Skills Required
- BS Degree in Computer Science or equivalent
- Minimum 5 years of experience in IT infrastructure management
- At least 3 years managing enterprise IT systems
- Hands-on experience with data management and reporting tools
- Experience in IT security and compliance
- Prior experience in a technical escalation role
What We Do
The California School Employees Association is the largest classified school employee union in the United States, representing over 250,000 school support staff throughout California.
