Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.
Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!
If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.
Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!
The Sr. IT Systems Administrator must have a strong background in networking, Linux systems, and experience with Windows, focused on supporting and evolving IT environments with our engineering team. You'll be the first line of support for highly technical issues, own the buildout of more robust and secure network and server infrastructure, and collaborate closely with our Engineering teams in a hands-on, fast-moving environment. This role also touches broader IT responsibilities as needed.
You'll operate with a high degree of autonomy and be trusted to make good decisions — experienced enough to own problems independently and leave things meaningfully better than you found them.
Responsibilities- Serve as first-line support for technical issues in our engineering environments, triaging and resolving networking, server, and connectivity problems
- Design, deploy, and harden network infrastructure in lab environments — switching, routing, VLANs, firewalls, and wireless
- Administer and maintain Linux servers across our mix of distributions (primarily RHEL/CentOS/Fedora and Ubuntu/Debian)
- Administer and maintain Windows-driven lab equipment and computers
- Help build lab network and systems toward greater robustness, security, and maintainability — this is a build role, not just a keep-the-lights-on role
- Manage identity, access, and authentication systems including RADIUS/802.1X and integration with cloud identity providers
- Automate routine administrative tasks through scripting (Bash, Python, or similar)
- Maintain clear, accurate documentation of infrastructure topology, configurations, and runbooks
- Collaborate with Engineering and IT peers on cross-functional infrastructure projects
- Evaluate and recommend tooling and process improvements that raise the bar on reliability and security
- 6–8 years of hands-on experience in IT systems administration, network engineering, or a closely related role
- Strong Linux administration skills across RHEL/CentOS/Fedora and/or Ubuntu/Debian
- Experience administering Windows workstations
- Solid networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing protocols, network design, and firewall policy management
- Experience configuring and troubleshooting enterprise wireless, including RADIUS-based authentication (802.1X/EAP-TLS)
- Comfortable working in a lab or R&D environment alongside engineers and technical stakeholders
- Scripting proficiency for automation — Bash and/or Python and no/low-code tooling
- Strong communication skills; able to document clearly and work effectively with a highly technical audiences
- Willingness to learn new technologies and grow
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Juniper networking equipment (our primary vendor)
- Familiarity with configuration management tooling (Ansible, Puppet, or similar)
- Exposure to cloud identity platforms and SSO (Entra ID/Azure AD, Okta, or equivalent)
- Exposure to public cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Experience with endpoint management platforms (Jamf, Intune, or similar)
- Familiarity with specialized Linux distributions such as PetaLinux or OpenBMC
We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.
- Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Savings Matching Program
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
- Paid Family Leave
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Training & Development
- Commuter Benefits
- Flexible, hybrid workplace model
- Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)
Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
Export Control
Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.
Top Skills
What We Do
Lightmatter is a startup photonics company that has pioneered a new paradigm in processor chip architecture that uses photons instead of electrons. Now the leader in the photonic AI compute “space race,” this new class of high performance semiconductors is the foundation of Lightmatter’s mission to enable the growth of computing, reduce harmful emissions associated with this growth, and democratize computing for all. Lightmatter's technology accelerates critical operations in deep neural networks, using an array of programmable photonic elements fabricated alongside transistors in conventional computer chip fabrication processes. Our close-knit team of engineers has created an integrated photonics chip and ultra-high performance interconnect that is faster, more efficient, and cooler than anything else on earth (or anything ever experienced before) to power the next giant leaps in human progress.
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