Entry Level Microsoft Azure Administrator Jobs in Riverside, CA

Luna Innovations Incorporated (Luna) is seeking a Site IT System Administrator to serve as the primary owner of IT operations for our Chino, California facility, responsible for keeping the site's systems, infrastructure, and technology-dependent operations running reliably day to day. This role is the on-the-ground authority for site technology, including local network and server infrastructure, manufacturing and warehouse systems, hardware and software assets, vendor relationships, documentation, and business continuity planning for the site.

The Site IT System Administrator also provides end-user support and desktop/helpdesk assistance for Chino employees, and partners with Luna's global IT team on company-wide standards, tools, and projects, and on issues that fall outside the scope of local ownership. This person is expected to operate independently, exercise judgment about what to resolve locally versus escalate to global IT, and serve as the first and primary point of accountability for the Chino site's IT operations.

Key ResponsibilitiesSite Ownership and Local Infrastructure

• Own the day-to-day health, availability, and performance of Chino's local IT infrastructure, including network equipment (switches, wireless access points, firewalls), local servers, and site-specific systems.
• Serve as the primary point of accountability for keeping the Chino site operational, coordinating outages, maintenance windows, and infrastructure projects.
• Determine which issues can be resolved locally versus which require escalation to global IT, and manage that escalation process end to end.
• Monitor site systems for performance and availability issues; investigate, remediate, or escalate as appropriate.

Manufacturing and Warehouse Technology

• Support and maintain technology used in Chino's manufacturing and warehouse operations, including label printers, ERP/MRP systems, and shop-floor devices and terminals.
• Serve as the primary IT contact for manufacturing and warehouse system issues, coordinating with operations staff and, when needed, outside hardware/software vendors to resolve them.

Asset Management

• Maintain an accurate inventory of Chino's IT hardware, software licenses, and equipment, including procurement, deployment, tracking, and retirement/disposal.
• Manage the lifecycle of site assets — desktops, laptops, mobile devices, network equipment, and manufacturing/warehouse technology — including input on budgeting and replacement planning.

Systems and Infrastructure Administration

• Administer user and group accounts in Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID, including onboarding, offboarding, permissions, and license assignment.
• Perform routine administration of Windows Server and Microsoft 365 / Azure services relevant to the Chino site, including monitoring, patching, and configuration changes, in coordination with global IT standards.
• Help maintain, and troubleshoot virtualization platforms (VMware, Hyper-V).
• Contribute to backup, archiving, disaster recovery, and endpoint security operations for the Chino site.

Global IT Collaboration

• Partner with IT staff at Luna's other sites to align on consistent support, tooling, and standards across the company.
• Escalate issues that require company-wide tools, global infrastructure, or specialized expertise not available on-site to global IT, and follow through until resolved.
• Provide remote assistance to users at other Luna locations without dedicated on-site IT coverage, as capacity allows.
• Participate in company-wide IT initiatives such as system migrations, hardware refreshes, and security projects, representing Chino's operational needs and constraints.

QualificationsRequired

• Three or more years of experience in an IT support, systems administration, or site IT role, ideally including experience supporting a manufacturing, warehouse, or similarly technology-dependent operational environment.
• Hands-on experience supporting and troubleshooting Windows client operating systems and Microsoft Office / Microsoft 365 applications.
• Working knowledge of Active Directory, including user and group account administration.
• Familiarity with common Windows network technologies and services such as DNS, DHCP, file and print services, and VPN.
• Exposure to Windows Server administration and to virtualization platforms (e.g., VMware or Hyper-V).
• Demonstrated ability to manage vendor relationships, IT assets, and technical documentation independently.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, paired with the discipline to document what was done and why.
• Clear written and verbal communication in English, which is Luna's shared language of business across all sites.
• Ability to work independently as the primary IT resource on-site, exercising sound judgment about what to own locally versus escalate to global IT.
• Ability to work on-site in Chino, California a minimum of three days per week, with additional on-site presence as needed based on operational demands (e.g., manufacturing/warehouse issues, maintenance windows, or coverage gaps), and to travel occasionally (less than 5%).

Preferred

• Four or more years of experience in an IT support or site IT role, or experience supporting users across multiple sites or countries.
• Experience with Microsoft Entra ID and Azure administration.
• Experience with endpoint management and deployment tooling such as Intune.
• Exposure to network administration including routing, switching, wireless, and firewalls (SonicWall in particular).
• Experience developing or maintaining business continuity or disaster recovery plans.
• Experience supporting a manufacturing, engineering, or other technical environment.

Education and Certifications

• Required: An associate degree, technical school program, or two years of college coursework in information technology or a related field — or an equivalent combination of IT certifications and hands-on experience.
• Preferred: A four-year degree from an accredited institution, and one or more current IT certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+, or a Microsoft certification (for example, Modern Desktop Administrator or Azure Administrator Associate).

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• On-site presence in the Chino, California facility a minimum of three days per week, with additional on-site days as needed based on operational needs; remaining days may be worked remotely, provided the site's systems and users can be adequately supported.
• Standard office and light industrial/warehouse environment with extended periods of computer use, both seated and standing.
• Frequent standing, bending, kneeling, and reaching to install, move, or service computer, network, and manufacturing/warehouse equipment.
• Occasional lifting and moving of equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Support is delivered both in person and remotely to employees who travel or work from home.
• Workload and urgency increase during periods of high request volume, project deadlines, and system outages. Regular after-hours or weekend work should be expected for maintenance windows, urgent issues, and business continuity events affecting the Chino site.
• Less than 5% travel to other Luna locations as needed.

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $80,000 – $105,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined by the experience, qualifications, and skills of the selected candidate, along with internal equity.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Luna is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. All employment decisions at Luna are based on business needs, job requirements, and ind