Assistant Network System Administrator Jobs in California

Delta Solutions and Services Bowhead is seeking a Senior Network/  System Administrator for our team at Vandenberg SFB.

The Network / System Administrator is responsible for the configuration, management, security, and sustainment of critical IT infrastructure supporting DoD mission systems. This hybrid position combines advanced network administration-managing routers, switches, firewalls, and cabling-with system administration functions including virtualization, server operations, and enterprise services such as Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP. The administrator ensures resilient and compliant operations across both classified and unclassified environments, supporting mission readiness through effective configuration management, performance monitoring, and cybersecurity integration. The position serves as a technical authority, mentoring junior administrators, coordinating with cybersecurity, engineering, CST, and mission teams, and ensuring enterprise systems maintain continuous availability and compliance with DoD directives.

Configure, manage, and troubleshoot routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers across LAN, WAN, and data center environments. Implement and maintain routing protocols such as OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP to ensure secure, efficient, and redundant traffic flow across enterprise networks. Design and manage VLANs, trunking, link aggregation, and port security configurations to maintain segmentation, performance, and network resiliency. Manage and allocate IP address space, maintaining detailed documentation and ensuring efficient IP utilization across all networks. Monitor network performance and availability, proactively addressing bottlenecks, latency, and congestion using enterprise monitoring tools. Install, terminate, and troubleshoot facility and network cabling to ensure proper connectivity and signal integrity. Install, configure, and maintain physical and virtual servers, including operating system deployment, patch management, and resource optimization. Administer enterprise infrastructure services including Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, file/print services, and certificate authorities. Install, configure, and maintain Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments, managing profile persistence, resource pooling, and user access control policies. Perform system and data backups, restore operations, patching, and recovery testing to ensure operational continuity and data integrity. Develop and maintain system documentation, technical baselines, configuration guides, and SOPs for standardized and secure deployments. Implement DISA STIGs, DoD hardening guides, and security controls across network and system components to maintain compliance with RMF and cybersecurity requirements. Coordinate with ISSOs, ISSMs, and cybersecurity personnel to support RMF accreditation, vulnerability remediation, POA&M tracking, and audit responses. Support insider threat and data loss prevention initiatives by applying appropriate system-level and network-level monitoring and controls. Lead root cause analysis and resolution of complex technical issues affecting system performance or availability, documenting solutions and lessons learned. Maintain configuration documentation including IP address management records, network topology diagrams, and server build standards. Maintain version control for configurations and system images to enable rollback, rapid recovery, and consistent baseline enforcement. Track asset inventory, hardware lifecycles, and software license renewals to ensure accurate accountability and resource availability. Ensure continuity of operations by implementing redundancy, failover mechanisms, and participating in contingency and COOP exercises. Monitor system and network health using enterprise tools and analytics platforms, assessing performance metrics and identifying improvement opportunities. Provide capacity planning, scalability assessments, and infrastructure recommendations to enhance reliability and mission performance. Develop and deliver system performance reports, risk assessments, and technical status summaries for leadership review. Collaborate with engineering, logistics, and cyber teams to integrate network and system changes while maintaining secure and stable operations. Provide Tier II/III escalation support and expert troubleshooting for user, network, and system issues. Provide after-hours and surge support during mission operations, inspections, or contingency events. Serve as a property custodian in accordance with DoDI 5000.64, DAFI 23-111, and AFMAN 17-1203, maintaining accountability for assigned equipment. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum 7 or more years of progressively responsible experience managing network and system infrastructure in DoD or similar mission-critical environments. Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must meet position and certification requirements outlined in DoD 8140 for the System Administrator or Network Operations Specialist role (Advanced Level) within six months of hire. Ability to provide after-hours support as required to maintain operational readiness. Provide support for exercises, contingencies, and real-world operations. Demonstrated proficiency in enterprise monitoring tools, virtualization platforms (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V), and configuration management utilities. Strong knowledge of DoD network architectures, DISA standards, and enterprise-level troubleshooting procedures.

Physical Demands:

Must be able to lift up to 50 poundsMust be able to stand and walk for prolonged amounts of timeMust be able to twist, bend and squat periodically

SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS: Must currently hold a minimum Secret clearance with the ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance.Applicants with an active TS/SCI clearance are preferred.

Targeted salary range is $150,000 to $170,000 annually based on qualifications and experience.

Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Bowhead considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and business considerations when extending an offer.

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