Job Description

IT@JH Cloud and Virtualization Services is seeking a Systems Engineer who is responsible for supporting researchers across Johns Hopkins University. This role involves managing Azure subscriptions and AWS accounts, as well as providing assistance with High Performance Computing (HPC) (Linux), secure storage devices and virtual desktop environments (Windows). In addition to offering support, the position is responsible for deploying various Cloud based services and collaborating with other IT@JH teams and customers to gather requirements that align with customer needs. A key responsibility includes ensuring that all solutions are secure and compliant with NIST SP 800-171 standards, when applicable, thereby contributing to the integrity and security of research initiatives within the institution. The nature of work assignments is ticket-based, as well as project based. Expectations will be set my management with weekly check-ins with the technical team/architect to review progress and challenges to task completion. Once the employee is fully onboarded, technical tasks will mostly be completed independently.



Job Scope/Complexity

Develop solutions based on extensive technical knowledge, skills and experience; influence clients towards innovative/integrated solutions. Responsible for full life cycle of medium to large sized complex projects; strong technical skills; strong ability to understand complex business processes. Complex and large projects typically are applications/systems with 501-3000 concurrent users requiring uptime commensurate with Clinical, Business critical, Education critical or Enterprise systems. Impacts of outages will cause major disruption such as implementation of downtime procedures, major disruption of business operations, and/or cascades to more than 7 systems/applications. Disruptions are without obvious or simple workarounds. Build and maintain client relationships through positive interactions. May help lower-level positions. Project scope can span an entire department, division, or enterprise-wide level. For enterprise-wide level typical projects impact the broader customer base of Johns Hopkins and its most mission critical systems. Projects often require interaction with various departments and teams both within and outside the department. Work is complex.



Specific Duties & Responsibilities

The responsibilities listed below are typical examples of the work performed by this position.
Not all duties assigned to this position are included, nor is it expected that everyone in this position will be assigned every job responsibility.


Systems Analysis/Design (Environment/Platform)

Design complex business, clinical, education, or infrastructure solutions by meeting with customers to observe and understand current processes and the issue related to those processes. Provide written documentation and diagrams of findings to share with the client and other IT colleagues.
Design complex solutions that conform to institutional policies, standards, and guidelines, and infrastructure environment and to vendor and industry best practices to deliver a quality product.
Select infrastructure applications that reside between end user applications and hardware operating systems by working with vendors, customers, and other sources (i.e., opensource or Internet2 initiatives) to provide configurable tools to the customers.
Develop new methods to improve service processes, performance, and functionality by examining existing systems management tools and processes.
Research, recommend, and implement new technologies based on the value to the institutions.
Works with vendor processes and products to improve the quality and fit for the institutions. Typically establishes product mastery and demonstrates initiative for improvements.


Install & Configure

Install and configure complex server hardware and operating systems by following technical documentation to provide a working product.
Evaluate, implement, and manage appropriate complex software and hardware solutions by using best practices for the environment to ensure system integrity.
Install and configure infrastructure applications by following product installation and configuration directions and industry best practices to deliver a solution to the customers.
Implement a schedule of system backups and archive operations by using best practices for the environment to ensure data/media recoverability.


Maintain & Troubleshoot

Provide complex server level administration (manage HW/SW, maintenance, upgrades and patches, account maintenance, backups and recoveries and assist users) by following documented procedures to ensure a stable environment.
Monitor and tune the system by following documentation and procedures to achieve optimum performance levels.
Develop complex scripts and solutions by using departmental standards to automate systems management.
Perform complex system software upgrades including planning and scheduling, testing, and coordination by following documentation and departmental standards to provide a stable product for the environment.
Design and/or integrate security authorization and access control. Audit and maintain user access and authorization by following access and authorization documentation to provide for system security.
Generate and maintain complex periodic and ongoing system specific reports by using appropriate tools to assess system performance, integrity and capacity in order to deliver a stable environment to the users.
Follow and maintain IT security awareness and best practices by understanding security principles as they pertain to environments supported in order to deliver secure solutions to customers.
Utilize system management and monitoring tools and incident tracking systems by following documentation and standards to detect incidents, take corrective actions, and determine root cause.
Monitor changes and resolve any incidents by responding to problems as they occur, by reviewing all processing and output of the newly implemented solution, and by proactively ensuring the solution works successfully to satisfy the customer requirements and to provide a smooth transition to the new solution.


Project Collaboration & Lifecycle Participation

Implement changes while adhering to the change management policies and procedures in order to deliver a successful solution to the customer. Communicate to all parties the nature, significance, and risk factors.
With assistance of the project team, develop RFPs from requirements gathered by following institutional and purchasing guidelines in order to present well documented requirements to potential vendors for proposed solutions.
Evaluate vendor proposals by reviewing requirements for the product to select the most appropriate vendor.
Assist vendors, consultants, and inside Enterprise groups in developing applications by meeting with the team on a regular basis to deliver quality products to customers.
Participate in scheduled project team meetings by attending all meetings to provide input to the project team.
Author and maintain documentation by writing audience-appropriate materials to serve as technical and/or end user reference.
Develop test scenarios appropriate to changes being implemented by following testing guidelines to ensure all delivered solutions work as expected and errors are handled in a meaningful way.
Test all changes by using the appropriate test scenarios to ensure all delivered solutions work as expected and errors are handled in a meaningful way.
May participate in Institutional and Departmental committees and initiatives.


On-Call Requirement

Participation in on-call rotation is required.


Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree
Four years related experience
Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.


Preferred Qualifications
Extensive working experience with Cloud technologies, specifically Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Proficiency in both Windows and Linux operating systems.
Demonstrated ability to gather project requirements and design secure project solutions that align with IT@JH standards.
Proven experience working in multi-layered, complex organizations, demonstrating the ability to navigate organizational structures and collaborate effectively across diverse teams and departments.
Possess the flexibility and willingness to attend infrequent team meetings in Baltimore, MD, as needed to facilitate collaboration and communication among team members.