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Senior Systems Administrator – Scientific IT Infrastructure & Cybersecurity

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s ( LBNL ) Advanced Light Source ( ALS ) Division has an opening for a Senior Systems Administrator – Scientific IT Infrastructure & Cybersecurity. This position will supervise the ALS-IT team and provide strategic and technical direction for the systems, servers, networks, and cybersecurity infrastructure supporting more than 40 scientific beamlines, the ALS Control Room, and other mission-critical facility operations.

Serving as the senior technical authority for the ALS beamline and controls computing environment, you will lead complex infrastructure and cybersecurity initiatives, develop and mentor IT professionals, and partner closely with ALS leadership and Berkeley Lab’s central IT organization. This role is ideal for a technical leader who combines hands-on systems and cybersecurity expertise with people leadership, strategic planning, and a commitment to reliable, secure IT services that enable world-class scientific discovery.

The Advanced Light Source is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national scientific user facility that produces exceptionally bright soft and hard x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared light. With a strong scientific reputation, expert staff, and advanced capabilities, the ALS attracts thousands of academic and industrial users each year in condensed matter and quantum materials, energy sciences, biosciences, earth and planetary sciences and more.

The ALS is one of five Berkeley Lab user facilities that serve 15,000 users annually. Co-located with the Molecular Foundry, NERSC supercomputing center, and Berkeley Lab's materials, chemical sciences, biosciences, and other divisions, it provides an ideal collaborative environment for innovative scientific discoveries.

The ALS is a global leader in soft x-ray science, and aims to maintain its leadership with ALS-U, a major project to upgrade the facility to a fourth-generation light source. This upgrade will position the facility among the brightest soft x-ray light sources in the world, offering capabilities that no other facility can provide.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and supervise the ALS Information Technology (ALS-IT) team, providing coaching, performance management, hiring, employee development, and oversight in accordance with Laboratory policies.
• Set strategic and technical direction for the IT infrastructure supporting the Advanced Light Source, including systems, servers, storage, networking, virtualization, identity management, and cybersecurity.
• Develop and execute the ALS-IT technology roadmap, establish priorities, manage resources, contribute to budget planning, and lead infrastructure modernization initiatives.
• Serve as the primary technical advisor and cybersecurity expert for the ALS beamline and controls computing environment, ensuring the reliability, security, and availability of mission-critical research systems.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and administration , implementation, and administration of enterprise Windows and Linux environments, Active Directory, virtualization platforms, Kubernetes-based services, identity and access management, and infrastructure automation.
• Oversee system monitoring, incident response, patch management, disaster recovery, and operational support to maintain high availability for scientific operations.
• Direct disaster recovery and business continuity planning, testing, and drills tailored to scientific data storage, control room systems, and other mission-critical user facility operations.
• Partner with ALS leadership, beamline scientists, and Berkeley Lab IT to develop technology solutions, establish best practices, and support complex scientific computing initiatives.
• Drive network security and infrastructure modernization initiatives, including the implementation of Zero Trust principles for edge devices and systems within the ALS beamline and controls computing environment.
• Establish and maintain Service Level Agreements, support procedures, and ticketing workflows that provide responsive and consistent IT services to ALS staff, scientific personnel, and visiting facility users.
• Support accelerator operations and scientific user programs by ensuring reliable IT services for the ALS Control Room, beamlines, and research operations, including occasional after-hours support during critical operational periods in support of ALS’s 24/7 operations.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions that improve operational efficiency, cybersecurity, and scientific computing capabilities.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, with a minimum of 12 years of relevant experience in a professional IT environment or 8 years with a Master’s degree.
• Demonstrated people-management experience supervising technical staff, including assigning and reviewing work, setting priorities, coaching and developing employees, providing performance feedback, and addressing performance concerns.
• Proven experience leading cybersecurity initiatives and complex technical projects in enterprise or similarly complex IT environments, preferably within a research or academic setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, exercise sound technical judgment, and lead complex initiatives from planning through implementation.
• In-depth knowledge of Windows and Linux systems and strong working knowledge of macOS, including experience administering and troubleshooting cross-platform computing environments.
• In-depth knowledge of virtualized server environments and infrastructure, such as VMware, Hyper‑V, or Proxmox.
• Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes, containerized application deployments, infrastructure automation, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Advanced knowledge of computer hardware, including PC and Mac workstations, rack‑mounted server hardware, and networking and security devices.
• Experience administering enterprise storage systems, such as NetApp, with a strong understanding of RAID concepts, configurations, and levels.
• Advanced knowledge of enterprise networking and network security, including TCP/IP, routing and switching, subnetted environments, remote‑access technologies, and network troubleshooting using packet‑analysis tools.
• Experience managing data center and server‑room infrastructure, including rack layout, power distribution and management, cooling requirements, server hardware, and storage systems.
• Broad knowledge of cybersecurity concepts, tools, methods, frameworks, and evolving threats, supported by hands‑on experience or formal training in network and cybersecurity practices.
• Demonstrated experience implementing defense‑in‑depth cybersecurity controls, including system hardening, firewalls, endpoint protection, vulnerability mitigation, intrusion detection/prevention, and other technical safeguards.
• Demonstrated familiarity with NIST SP 800-53 security controls, the DOE Risk Management Framework, or comparable federal cybersecurity standards and frameworks.
• Experience managing IT budgets, technology procurement, vendor contracts, and lifecycle replacement schedules for enterprise hardware and infrastructure.
• Broad and specialized expertise in enterprise systems administration and cybersecurity sufficient to serve as a trusted technical advisor and recognized subject‑matter expert.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with a wide variety of colleagues, explain complex technical information clearly and concisely, and produce well‑crafted technical documentation.
• Strong commitment to promoting, implementing, and modeling effective cybersecurity practices while maintaining reliable, secure, and highly available IT services.

Desired skills/knowledge:

• Relevant cybersecurity certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, Security+, CASP+, SSCP, or comparable credentials.
• Experience supporting scientific research, laboratory, academic, accelerator, industrial controls, or other complex 24/7 operational environments.
• Experience implementing Zero Trust principles in environments that include specialized, legacy, or operational technology systems.
• Experience leading disaster recovery, business continuity, or cybersecurity tabletop exercises for mission‑critical infrastructure.
• Experience with infrastructure‑as‑code, configuration management, observability, or enterprise automation technologies.

Additional information:

• Application date: Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by September 15, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.
• Appointment type: This is a full-time career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay.
• Salary range: The expected salary for this position is $179,000 - $218,000, which fits into the full salary of $158,808 - $267,996 depending upon the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes education, certifications, and years of experience.
• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work modality: Work will be primarily performed at:Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites (for more information click here ).
• Work schedule: The ALS is a 24/7 scientific user facility. This position generally works a regular schedule but may require occasional after‑hours or weekend support during critical operations, incidents, maintenance, or system upgrades.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. For additional information, click here .