Benchwood Foods

Location: On-site with occasional travel
Department: Information Technology (Food Manufacturing)
Reports To: IT Director and Senior Systems Analyst

Position Summary

The Senior Systems Engineer provides advanced technical support and infrastructure administration across the organization’s IT environment. This position serves as a senior escalation resource for complex issues involving servers, Microsoft cloud services, virtualization, networking, identity, security, and enterprise applications.
The role combines hands-on troubleshooting, systems administration, project support, technical documentation, automation, and mentoring. The successful candidate will help maintain the availability, security, performance, and reliability of the organization’s technology environment.

Key Responsibilities Advanced Technical Support

• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex infrastructure and application issues.
• Diagnose and resolve advanced hardware, software, operating systems, and network problems.
• Perform root cause analysis and document findings. Includes recommendations for remediation and preventive actions.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other IT support personnel.
• Coordinate with vendors and service providers when additional support is required.
• Develop and maintain troubleshooting procedures and knowledge base articles.

Systems Administration

• Administer and support:
  • Windows Server Environment (2016/2019/2022+)
  • Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS/DHCP, File services, print services, and Remote Desktop Services.
  • Administer Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Azure, and Microsoft Entra ID.
• Monitor system performance, availability, capacity, and operational health.
• Manage server patching, maintenance activities, and lifecycle activities.
• Support system backups, recovery procedures, and processes.
• Participate in systems recovery testing and continuity planning.

Virtualization & Cloud

• Support VMware vCenter and ESXi vSphere environment.
• Provision, configure, maintain, and retire virtual machines.
• Administer cloud infrastructure including:
  • Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and Intune
• Assist with cloud migration, modernization, and infrastructure improvement initiatives.

Network Infrastructure

• Troubleshoot LAN, WAN, wireless, VPN, DNS, and other connectivity issues.
• Support switches, firewalls, VPNs, wireless infrastructure, VLANs, routing, and network security technologies.
• Assist with storage systems and storage-area network technologies.
• Work with internet service providers, telecommunications providers, and technology vendors to resolve service issues.

Security & Compliance

• Support cybersecurity controls, standards, and operational security practices.
• Administer MFA, authentication systems, certificates, and identity management.
• Assist with security-incident response and remediation activities.
• Review and remediate vulnerability findings.
• Support audit requests, compliance reviews, and evidence collection.
• Identify and recommend improvements that reduce operational and security risk.

Automation & Documentation

• Develop automation solutions using PowerShell and other scripting tools to improve efficiency and reliability.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, SOPs, network diagrams, and system configurations.
• Recommend process improvements and technology enhancements.
• Participate in infrastructure projects, system upgrades, migrations, and technology deployments.
• Assist with project planning, testing, implementation, and post-deployment support.

Required Qualifications Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent education, training, and professional experience will be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in IT infrastructure engineering, systems administration, and advanced technical support.
• Experience supporting mission-critical or enterprise production systems.
• Experience with incident management, escalation, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis.

Technical Skills

Strong working knowledge of:

• Candidates do not need to be experts in every technology.
• Windows Server Administration
• Active Directory and Group Policy
• Microsoft 365 Administration and Exchange Online
• VMware vCenter, vSphere, ESXi
• TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, and VPN technologies
• Fortinet Firewalls and network-security technologies
• Storage systems and SAN technologies
• PowerShell scripting
• Endpoint management solutions, including Intune.
• Security operations and vulnerability management
• Backup, recovery, and disaster recovery technologies.

Relevant Certifications may include:

• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator
• VMware VCP
• CompTIA Security+
• Fortinet NSE 4
• ITIL Foundation

Core Competencies

• Advanced troubleshooting and analytical ability
• Strong customer service and communication skills for both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Project coordination and implementation experience
• Technical documentation and process development skills
• Willingness to mentor and support other IT team members

Work Requirements

• Ability to lift equipment up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work in server rooms, data centers, and network closets.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for maintenance, upgrades, or incident response.
• Occasional travel to the other 3 locations.
• Participation in an on-call rotation is required. On call is for a week and is once every five weeks.

Measures of Success

Performance in this role may be measured on:

• Timely resolution of complex incidents
• System availability, reliability, and performance
• Successful delivery of projects
• Reduction in recurring incidents
• Technical documentation quality and completeness
• Patch, vulnerability, and security-remediation performance
• Backup and recovery readiness
• Automation and process-improvement contributions.
• Knowledge sharing and mentoring of other team members.