OT Systems Administrator

Job#: 3055934
Job Description:
Systems Administrator
Enterprise and OT/Manufacturing Environments
R2Next Design, Build, Migrate, and Operate Program | Annapolis Junction / Linthicum Heights, MD | On site | No clearance required
Our client is standing up a new, self-sufficient IT environment for an engineering, research, and microelectronics manufacturing organization of roughly 800 users across sites in Annapolis Junction and Linthicum Heights, Maryland.

The environment has no direct internet access, is fully virtualized on VMware, and is being built largely from existing Cisco, Dell, and HPE infrastructure as the organization transitions off a government-operated network, with a target of having the new program network operational by year-end and additional business and manufacturing integration work following over the next two years. The Systems Administrator is a versatile, hands-on engineer who helps build and run the new environment and supports the IT systems inside the client's manufacturing and laboratory spaces.

This is a mid-level role for someone who has worked across servers, virtualization, identity, and endpoints, is comfortable around production and test equipment, and understands that in OT, uptime and safety come before change.

Key Responsibilities
Environment Build and Migration
Build, configure, and harden Windows Server and Linux systems from approved templates and baselines, including domain services, file and print, and monitoring agents. Support Active Directory administration, group policy, DNS, DHCP, and tiered administrative access in partnership with the identity and security engineers. Assist the VMware and network engineers with virtual machine builds, Horizon desktop support, and thin and zero client enrollment.

Execute asset sanitization and enrollment steps, keeping accurate records per asset as hardware moves from the legacy environment into the new one. Support pilot and production migration waves, including user cutovers, application checks, troubleshooting, and post-cutover hypercare. OT and Manufacturing Support
Learn and document the systems that support manufacturing and laboratory operations, including engineering workstations, test-equipment controller PCs, data collection servers, and license servers.

Work with the IT staff who administer the manufacturing environment today to inventory equipment, software versions, and data flows before any change is proposed. Apply OT-appropriate practices: coordinated maintenance windows, vendor-validated patching, backups and images of equipment-attached systems, and rollback plans for production and test assets. Support controlled, monitored transfer of test and production data between the manufacturing zone and the program network as that design is implemented.

Maintain legacy and vendor-locked operating systems safely through isolation, compensating controls, and documentation. Operations and Documentation
Stage patches, signatures, and software through the controlled ingress process and internal repositories, since the environment has no direct internet access. Write and maintain runbooks, SOPs, and as-built documentation; log work and incidents in the client's ticketing process. Automate repeatable tasks with PowerShell, Bash, or Python, and recommend practical improvements as the environment moves toward managed operations.

Support configuration and evidence collection aligned to NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 under the direction of the cybersecurity engineer. Technical Environment
Category
Environment
Platforms
Windows Server, Windows 10/11, Red Hat or similar Linux, Active Directory, PKI, file and print. Virtualization and endpoints
VMware vSphere and Horizon 8 VDI; thin and zero clients; specialized laboratory endpoints. Hardware
Dell servers, HP/HPE high-performance computing, enterprise storage and backup.

OT and manufacturing
Manufacturing and laboratory networks, test equipment and controller PCs, engineering application and license servers. Security
No direct internet access, offline update repositories, hardened baselines (DISA STIG / CIS), centralized logging, NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3. Required Qualifications
4 to 7 years of systems administration experience across Windows Server and Linux. Hands-on Active Directory, group policy, DNS, and DHCP administration. Working experience supporting VMware vSphere virtual machines; Horizon VDI exposure is a plus.

Experience supporting IT systems in a manufacturing, laboratory, test, or industrial environment, including working within production schedules and change restrictions. Scripting experience in PowerShell, Bash, or Python. Experience in regulated or restricted environments, such as CUI, export-controlled, isolated, or air-gapped networks. U.S. person, due to export-controlled data in the environment.

Preferred Qualifications
Familiarity with OT concepts such as the Purdue model, industrial DMZs, ISA/IEC 62443, or NIST SP 800-82. Experience with test-equipment control software, MES, or data historians in semiconductor, microelectronics, aerospace, or defense manufacturing. Experience with data diodes, secure file transfer, or other controlled cross-zone data exchange. Experience applying DISA STIGs or CIS benchmarks and supporting NIST-based compliance evidence. Certifications such as CompTIA Security+, Microsoft Certified, RHCSA, VMware VCTA/VCP, or GICSP.

What Will Make You Successful
A flexible, multi-skilled approach: you are happy to help wherever the build needs hands that week. Patience and respect for how manufacturing and lab teams work, and a habit of learning before changing. Clear communication and careful documentation in a fast-moving, evolving program. Work Location and Conditions
Primarily on site in Annapolis Junction and Linthicum Heights, Maryland, where hands-on work with racks, endpoints, and lab equipment takes place.

No security clearance is required; candidates must be U.S. persons because the environment holds export-controlled information. Occasional after-hours support may be needed for cutover windows. The initial engagement runs through March 2027 as part of a multi-phase, multi-year program. Everforth Apex is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Everforth Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.

We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Everforth Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details. By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Everforth Apex and its affiliates, and contracted partners.

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