Associate Systems Administrator

Columbia University (Staff Jobs)

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Associate Systems Administrator supports the administration, configuration, maintenance, and optimization of departmental IT infrastructure and research computing environments. The position performs systems analysis, advanced technical troubleshooting, software configuration, system testing, and implementation of approved technical changes across designated Linux servers, storage systems, networks, research computing clusters, and related applications.

The incumbent evaluates system performance, investigates technical issues, identifies potential solutions, and applies technical judgment within established operational and security parameters. The position also develops and maintains technical documentation and, where applicable, scripts and automation to improve system reliability, operational efficiency, and research computing services. The role collaborates with departmental IT colleagues, researchers, faculty, and University technical teams to support reliable and secure computing environments.

Responsibilities

Departmental IT Operations and Support (35%):

• Administer and maintain designated departmental computing systems and IT services, including system configuration, account administration, software deployment, and ongoing operational maintenance.

• Analyze reported system and service issues, diagnose underlying causes, evaluate potential solutions, and resolve technical problems within the scope of assigned system responsibilities.

• Exercise technical judgment in determining appropriate troubleshooting methods, configuration adjustments, and corrective actions, escalating issues that exceed established access, authorization, or technical parameters.

• Evaluate system requirements and operational needs to identify opportunities to improve system reliability, availability, performance, and user experience.

• Maintain accurate records of incidents, root-cause findings, corrective actions, system configurations, and resolutions to support operational continuity and future problem resolution.

• Provide technical support for departmental computing, desktop administration, and audiovisual systems, as assigned.

Systems and Infrastructure Support (20%):

• Administer and maintain assigned Linux servers, shared storage environments, research computing clusters, and related infrastructure in accordance with approved technical standards and operational requirements.

• Analyze infrastructure requirements and system behavior to identify configuration needs, capacity constraints, performance issues, and opportunities for operational improvement.

• Evaluate system configurations and technical alternatives and recommend appropriate solutions to address infrastructure, storage, networking, and research computing requirements.

• Plan, test, and implement authorized hardware and software configuration changes, validating system functionality and addressing implementation issues.

• Monitor infrastructure conditions, including equipment status and relevant power and cooling indicators, and investigate or coordinate resolution of issues affecting system availability.

• Maintain infrastructure inventories, system diagrams, configuration records, and technical documentation to support reliable administration and continuity of service.

Research Software and Applications (15%):

• Evaluate, install, configure, test, maintain, and update research software, computational tools, and related applications based on documented requirements and compatibility considerations.

• Analyze application and software configuration issues, determine appropriate corrective actions, and resolve installation, dependency, compatibility, and operational problems.

• Assess software upgrades and configuration modifications for potential impacts on system functionality, research workflows, and infrastructure compatibility before implementation.

• Develop, modify, test, and maintain scripts or automation, where applicable, to support system configuration, software deployment, routine administration, monitoring, and research computing operations.

• Evaluate technical alternatives and recommend software configurations or tools that address departmental and research computing needs.

• Maintain technical documentation describing software dependencies, configuration decisions, testing procedures, implementation steps, and outcomes.

System Monitoring and Troubleshooting (10%):

• Monitor designated systems, servers, clusters, storage environments, and networks using appropriate monitoring and diagnostic tools.

• Analyze system logs, performance metrics, resource utilization, and other technical indicators to identify irregularities, service degradation, and potential causes of system failures.

• Investigate non-routine technical issues involving system performance, connectivity, application functionality, storage, and infrastructure operations, identifying root causes and implementing appropriate corrective measures within authorized parameters.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of corrective actions and validate system performance following troubleshooting, maintenance, or approved configuration changes.

• Identify recurring issues and recommend improvements to system monitoring, preventive maintenance, incident response, and operational procedures.

• Document findings, resolutions, and recommendations and coordinate with specialized University IT teams when issues require additional expertise or authorization.

IT Security and Maintenance (10%):

• Perform authorized system maintenance, security updates, configuration changes, and software patching in accordance with university security standards and applicable technical requirements.

• Evaluate system access configurations and account permissions within assigned responsibilities to support appropriate access controls and secure system operations.

• Identify and investigate potential configuration weaknesses, vulnerabilities, unusual system activity, and other security concerns, implementing authorized corrective actions or referring matters to the appropriate security personnel.

• Plan and execute approved system changes, including pre-implementation checks, testing, validation, and post-implementation monitoring.

• Assess potential operational impacts of proposed changes and communicate technical risks, dependencies, and implementation considerations to relevant IT colleagues and stakeholders.

• Coordinate with University technical and security teams to resolve infrastructure issues, support compliance requirements, and maintain secure and reliable computing services.

• (10 %) Perform other related tasks, duties, and responsibilities as assigned to support departmental IT operations, infrastructure administration, and research computing activities.

• Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• 0-1 year of relevant experience (including internships, academic projects, lab environments, or equivalent hands-on experience).

• Foundational knowledge of Linux (command line, permissions, services, logs).

• Basic knowledge of networking concepts and scripting fundamentals (bash and/or python).

• Ability to learn quickly, follow documented processes, and escalate appropriately.

• Reliable, detail-oriented, and able to work effectively in a team environment.

• Positive, mission-oriented attitude and sense of humor a must.

• Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

• Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.