IT Infrastructure Team – Senior Systems Administrator Job Description
The Senior Systems Administrator is a senior individual contributor responsible for planning and implementing infrastructure for new sites and modifications to existing sites across Kalmbach Feeds. The role translates business, construction, operational, cybersecurity, and support requirements into reliable site designs and completed deployments. Its scope includes servers, virtual machines, switches, networks, structured cabling, wireless access points, uninterruptible power supplies, time clocks, cameras, physical security systems, backups, recovery capabilities, and related infrastructure supporting offices, manufacturing plants, warehouses, and other company locations.
The Role:
- Plan and implement infrastructure for new plants, warehouses, offices, and other sites, as well as expansions, renovations, and technology modifications at existing locations.
- Develop site infrastructure designs, bills of materials, estimates, implementation plans, technical standards, schedules, testing procedures, and turnover documentation.
- Coordinate infrastructure requirements and delivery with construction teams, facilities, operations, Cybersecurity, Service Desk, Business Systems, vendors, contractors, and local site contacts.
- Design, configure, install, test, document, and support servers, virtual machines, switches, networks, structured cabling, wireless access points, and related connectivity.
- Plan and deploy uninterruptible power supplies, time clocks, cameras, physical security systems, and other site technology components.
- Assess existing sites, identify infrastructure gaps and lifecycle risks, and recommend practical upgrades that improve reliability, security, capacity, standardization, and supportability.
- Define equipment placement, rack layouts, power and UPS requirements, cabling paths, wireless coverage, network segmentation, addressing, and connectivity needs for each site.
- Configure monitoring, alerting, backups, and recovery capabilities; verify successful backups and test recovery procedures for deployed infrastructure.
- Apply cybersecurity, patching, configuration, privileged-access, logging, segmentation, licensing, and lifecycle standards to all site implementations.
- Manage assigned project tasks, dependencies, risks, costs, vendors, procurement activities, and implementation milestones; communicate status, issues, and recovery plans promptly.
- Perform site-readiness reviews, installation oversight, validation testing, cutovers, and post-implementation support to ensure infrastructure is operational before business use.
- Maintain accurate diagrams, inventories, configurations, procedures, support documentation, warranties, and lifecycle records for deployed systems.
- Troubleshoot complex infrastructure issues, lead root-cause analysis within assigned work, implement corrective actions, and transfer knowledge to support teams.
- Participate in a shared, rotating on-call schedule to respond to infrastructure incidents and support business-critical operations outside normal working hours.
Skills and Experience:
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, engineering, or a related field, or at least seven years of progressively responsible experience across infrastructure, systems administration, network engineering, or IT operations in a multi-site environment.
- Demonstrated experience planning and implementing infrastructure for new sites, expansions, renovations, and significant modifications to existing facilities.
- Hands-on experience with enterprise servers, virtualization, switches, wired and wireless networks, structured cabling, access points, UPS systems, printers, monitoring, backups, and recovery. Experience with Cisco DNA Center, VMware, Microsoft SQL Server, or comparable platforms is preferred.
- Experience integrating site technologies such as time clocks, cameras, and physical access-control systems.
- Experience supporting infrastructure in manufacturing, distribution, or another availability-sensitive environment and coordinating work around construction and operational schedules.
- Experience developing requirements, obtaining and evaluating vendor quotes, and coordinating contractors, procurement, licensing, professional services, and implementation schedules while managing assigned costs and commitments and holding vendors accountable to agreed-upon schedules and deliverables.
- Working knowledge of infrastructure security practices, including vulnerability remediation, privileged access, secure configuration, logging, network segmentation, patch governance, and incident response.
- Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills, including the ability to assess site conditions, resolve complex technical issues, perform root-cause analysis, and implement durable corrective actions.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision and collaborate effectively as part of a cross-functional team while managing multiple concurrent site initiatives, balancing planned work with operational needs, identifying risks early, and communicating changes, delays, and recovery plans.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical requirements, risks, implementation status, and support needs for operational leaders, project teams, vendors, and technical partners.
Skills Required
- Associate or bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, engineering, or a related field, or at least seven years of progressively responsible infrastructure, systems administration, network engineering, or IT operations experience in a multi-site environment.
- Experience planning and implementing infrastructure for new sites, expansions, renovations, and significant facility modifications.
- Hands-on experience with enterprise servers, virtualization, switches, wired and wireless networks, structured cabling, access points, UPS systems, printers, monitoring, backups, and recovery.
- Experience with Cisco DNA Center, VMware, Microsoft SQL Server, or comparable platforms.
- Experience integrating time clocks, cameras, and physical access-control systems.
- Experience supporting infrastructure in manufacturing, distribution, or another availability-sensitive environment.
- Experience coordinating infrastructure work around construction and operational schedules.
- Experience developing requirements, evaluating vendor quotes, coordinating contractors, procurement, licensing, professional services, and implementation schedules.
- Experience managing assigned costs and commitments and holding vendors accountable for schedules and deliverables.
- Working knowledge of vulnerability remediation, privileged access, secure configuration, logging, network segmentation, patch governance, and incident response.
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical, site-assessment, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action skills.
- Ability to work independently, collaborate cross-functionally, manage concurrent site initiatives, identify risks, and communicate changes and recovery plans.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for explaining technical requirements, risks, implementation status, and support needs.
What We Do
Feeding What You Love—Including Your Career. Since 1963, Kalmbach Feeds has been a family-owned leader in animal nutrition. While we take pride in manufacturing the highest quality products for livestock, poultry, and companion animals, our absolute greatest asset isn't our feed—it's our people. We are built on core values that treat our team like family. We believe in fostering an environment of integrity, stability, and continuous innovation where every employee can grow a meaningful career. Why Build Your Career at Kalmbach Feeds? Family-First Culture: We operate with the care, respect, and long-term vision of a family-owned business. Driven by Innovation: Work with cutting-edge manufacturing technology and industry-leading professionals. Purpose-Driven Work: Be part of a vital team that helps feed and care for animals across the region. A Place to Grow: We invest in our people, celebrating milestones, internal promotions, and career development. ? Join Our Growing Family: Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Click the "Learn More" / "Visit website" button above to explore our open roles and find your fit on our team.
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