Senior Systems Engineer

Job Purpose

The Senior System Engineer is responsible for building, maintaining, and optimising the organisation’s Windows and Linux server ecosystems, ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of core IT infrastructure. This role combines traditional system engineering with automation, observability, and modern DevOps approaches. The Senior System Engineer plays a key role in supporting servers, databases, networks, storage, and communication systems across the organisation’s data centres.

Key Responsibilities Infrastructure Management & Support

• Take ownership of system infrastructure, ensuring uptime and reliability of core services.

• Operate, administer, and optimise Windows servers, Linux servers, and management tools across on-premise and cloud environments.

• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve system, network, and security issues.

• Provide occasional after-hours support when necessary.

• Maintain monthly reporting, documentation, and presentation processes.

Collaboration & Requirement Analysis

• Engage with colleagues, development teams, and business units to analyse needs and workshop technical requirements.

• Provide expert technical guidance and input to internal stakeholders.

• Act as a technical leader within the system engineering team.

Innovation, Automation & Best Practices

• Research, recommend, and implement new tools, technologies, and best practices.

• Drive automation to reduce manual processes and improve operational efficiency.

• Integrate system thinking with software development skills to enhance performance, monitoring, and automation.

Security, Compliance & Operational Excellence

• Ensure platform security including security certificates, API integrations, and access controls.

• Support business continuity initiatives including disaster recovery planning and execution.

• Follow organisational processes, change management procedures, and IT governance frameworks.

• Create and maintain up-to-date technical documentation.

Experience Requirements

(7+ years of relevant experience required)

• System Architecture Design, consulting, and documentation.

• Advanced Active Directory implementation, support, and maintenance.

• Security certificate management (including Wildcard certificates).

• Secure FTP environments (Cerberus advantageous).

• Microsoft licensing knowledge.

• Proxy, reverse proxy, and Fortinet technologies.

• MPLS and IP routing.

• IIS (Internet Information Server).

• Load balancing (Kemp beneficial).

• Windows Server OS (2008/2012/2016/2019).

• Microsoft failover clustering & high availability.

• API/integration frameworks and key concepts.

• Scripting/programming: PowerShell and C#.

• Virtualisation technologies: VMware and Hyper-V.

• MS Exchange (2013+), SMTP/POP3, HTML.

• MailMarshal administration.

• Terminal services.

• Cloud platforms: Azure, AWS.

Skills, Attributes & Competencies Technical & Analytical

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Strong architectural design abilities with a systems-thinking mindset.

• Detail-oriented with strong judgement and decision-making ability.

Communication & Collaboration

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to collaborate effectively and contribute positively within a team environment.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work independently.

• Strong organisational and time-management skills.

• Willingness to learn new technologies and continuously develop skills.

• Customer-centric approach.

• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities.

Beneficial Skills (Advantageous)

• Docker, Vagrant, VirtualBox, Chef, Puppet, Ansible.

• Understanding of Agile methodologies.

• Advanced networking skills.

• Monitoring tools: Nagios, LogicMonitor.

• Backup technologies: Veeam, cloud backup platforms, Rubrik.