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Senior System Operator Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Resource Label Group

Senior System Administrator

Franklin, TN · On-site

$82K - $112K/yr

RLG is a PE-backed manufacturer operating 28 plant sites across the United States and Canada ... The Senior Systems Administrator is a key member of that team. This role owns the infrastructure ...

idexcel

Senior Systems Engineer

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$99K - $136K/yr

Over 200 units of the Eclipse11 MeV, negative ion cyclotron from Siemens are being operated in all ... Experience writing extensive project documentation and executing complex system testing * Ability ...

EnerNex, LLC

Senior Power Systems Engineer

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$99K - $136K/yr

... system operators, developers, and regulators. This role is intended for an experienced engineer who can independently execute technical work, provide sound engineering judgment, and serve as a ...

Whisper Aero

Senior Systems Administrator

Nashville, TN · On-site

$83K - $112K/yr

About the Role Whisper Aero is seeking a skilled and dedicated Senior Systems Administrator to join ... Utilize your experience with Linux, particularly Debian-based operating systems, to build, scale ...

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Senior System Operator information

See Tennessee salary details

$9

$29

$75

How much do senior system operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for senior system operator in Tennessee is $29.67, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.69 and $34.71 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior system operator do?

A Senior System Operator is responsible for monitoring, controlling, and maintaining the reliable operation of complex computer or power systems. They oversee system performance, troubleshoot issues, and coordinate with technical teams to ensure optimal functionality and uptime. Senior System Operators also implement system upgrades, enforce security protocols, and may train junior staff. Their expertise is vital in minimizing downtime and ensuring the smooth operation of essential systems.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior system operator?

To thrive as a Senior System Operator, you need deep knowledge of system operations, troubleshooting, and network management, often backed by a relevant degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with SCADA systems, operating procedures, and certifications such as NERC or equivalent are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, decision-making under pressure, and clear communication skills help you excel in this role. These skills ensure reliable system performance, efficient problem resolution, and maintain safety and compliance in critical infrastructure environments.

What are some common challenges faced by senior system operators and how can they be addressed?

Senior System Operators often encounter challenges such as managing unexpected system outages, coordinating real-time responses to equipment failures, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. These challenges require strong problem-solving skills, the ability to make quick decisions under pressure, and effective communication with cross-functional teams. Staying updated with the latest industry protocols, participating in regular training, and fostering close collaboration with engineering and IT departments can help address these challenges and ensure reliable system operations.

What is the difference between Senior System Operator vs System Operator?

AspectSenior System OperatorSystem Operator
CredentialsTypically requires more experience and possibly advanced certificationsEntry to mid-level certifications and experience
Work EnvironmentOversees complex systems, mentors junior staffMonitors and controls systems under supervision
ResponsibilitiesAdvanced troubleshooting, system optimization, team leadershipBasic system monitoring, incident response

The Senior System Operator generally has more experience, advanced skills, and leadership responsibilities compared to a System Operator. They handle complex tasks, mentor staff, and optimize system performance, whereas System Operators focus on routine monitoring and incident management.

What are the most commonly searched types of System Operator jobs in Tennessee?

The most popular types of System Operator jobs in Tennessee are:

Senior System Operator jobs near you

Senior System Administrator

Franklin, TN • On-site

Resource Label Group
Printing and Printing Services • 501 - 1,000 employees

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

People enjoy working here

Good employer

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Learn more about Resource Label Groupexternal

$82K - $112K/yr

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

RLG is a PE-backed manufacturer operating 28 plant sites across the United States and Canada. Following a period of rapid, acquisition-driven growth, the company is executing a focused IT turnaround: standardizing infrastructure across a fragmented estate, maturing its cybersecurity posture, and building the team and operating model to support continued M&A.
The Senior Systems Administrator is a key member of that team. This role owns the infrastructure reliability of an assigned portfolio of plant sites, serves as the senior technical resource for Systems Administrators in their geographic area, and contributes to enterprise-level projects and standards that affect the full RLG estate. It is a high-autonomy role with real ownership: the expectation is that assigned sites run well, issues get resolved before they become incidents, and the team around you gets better because you are in it.
This role is well suited to an experienced infrastructure professional who wants meaningful scope, direct impact on production operations, and a clear path toward people leadership. It is not a help desk escalation role. L1 and L2 support is handled by an outsourced MSP; the Senior Systems Administrator owns everything above that threshold.
Key Responsibilities
Site Infrastructure Reliability
  • Own the infrastructure health of your assigned plant sites: servers, virtualization (Proxmox/VMware/Nutanix), storage, endpoints, local networking, and site-level security posture.
  • Maintain accurate, current documentation of site infrastructure including configurations, network diagrams, change history, and known issues. Documentation is not optional; every site you own should be understandable to someone who has never visited it.
  • Monitor assigned sites proactively using RLG tooling; identify and address degradation signals before they become incidents.
  • Execute infrastructure changes with disciplined change management: planned, communicated to affected stakeholders, tested where possible, and with a rollback plan in place before you start.
  • Maintain awareness of site-level security posture; execute patching schedules, EOL device retirement, and security baseline requirements on time.

L3 Escalation and MSP Interface
  • Own L3 resolution for escalations from the outsourced L1/L2 MSP across your assigned sites. You are the top of the internal escalation stack for those sites.
  • Resolve escalations including novel issues with no existing runbook.
  • Identify recurring escalation patterns from the MSP; raise systemic issues to the Infrastructure Manager with a recommended fix, not just a flag.
  • Provide clear, specific technical direction to MSP remote hands during on-site work at your sites.

Regional Technical Leadership
  • Serve as the informal technical lead for Systems Administrators in your geographic area.
  • Flag capacity problems, performance concerns, or skill gaps you observe in your geographic area to the Infrastructure Manager.
  • Lead multi-site or cross-regional technical projects when assigned by the Infrastructure Manager.

Enterprise Standards and Improvement
  • Contribute to and maintain RLG infrastructure standards documentation and runbooks. You are a net contributor to the team knowledge base.
  • Identify opportunities to improve reliability, automation, reduce manual effort, or address systemic risk across your sites or the broader estate.
  • Participate in enterprise-level infrastructure projects, integrations, and acquisitions.
  • Stay current with the technology platforms in use across RLG; share relevant knowledge with the team.

Business and Operations Relationship
  • Build working relationships with plant managers and operations contacts in the assigned region. Understand what they do, what their IT dependencies are, and what a bad day looks like for them.
  • Communicate clearly with non-technical stakeholders about outages, planned changes, and timelines.
  • Escalate to the Infrastructure Manager when a site-level issue has potential production impact, before that impact occurs if at all possible.

Key Qualifications
Education and Certifications
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience. Equivalent experience will be given full consideration.
  • Valuable certifications: Microsoft Certified (Azure Administrator, M365 Administrator, or equivalent), VMware VCP, or comparable infrastructure credentials. CompTIA (Server+, Network+, Security+) valued for candidates building toward those levels.

Experience
  • 5 or more years of IT infrastructure experience in a multi-site or enterprise environment, with demonstrated ownership of site-level infrastructure rather than support queue participation.
  • Experience resolving complex L3 issues independently, including issues with no existing documentation or runbook.
  • Experience executing infrastructure changes (migrations, upgrades, new deployments) with sound change management practice in a production environment.
  • Experience providing technical guidance or informal mentorship to less experienced colleagues.
  • Strong communication skills (verbal and written) with technical and non-technical audiences alike.
  • Ability to navigate in a fast-moving, acquisitive environment.
  • Multi-site manufacturing, industrial, or similarly operationally sensitive environment experience is a strong asset.

Technical Skills
  • Windows Server and Active Directory/Entra ID administration at an enterprise level.
  • Virtualization: hands-on experience with VMware ESXi and/or Proxmox VE. Experience migrating between hypervisor platforms is an asset.
  • Networking fundamentals: VLANs, firewall rules, DNS, DHCP, and site-level connectivity. You do not need to be a network engineer, but you need to be able to own first-line network issues at sites without escalating.
  • Endpoint management in an enterprise environment.
  • Backup and recovery tooling; experience validating BC/DR configurations at the site level.
  • Security fundamentals: patching discipline, EOL device management, security baseline enforcement, and the ability to identify and escalate posture gaps.
  • RMM tooling for remote monitoring and management of a distributed endpoint estate.
  • Familiarity with ERP shop floor environments and the infrastructure requirements that support them is an asset (e.g., Radius, LabelTraxx).

Posted Pay Range: 95,000 - 110,000

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