Position Overview
The Systems Administrator III is a senior, hands-on technologist responsible for the availability, security, and performance of the infrastructure that powers our laboratory, corporate, and customer-facing operations. As a global biotechnology company with presence in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, we depend on a high-ownership IT team where every member operates with autonomy and end-to-end accountability. This role has real scope and real impact from day one.
Based in our Houston, Texas headquarters, this role administers servers, cloud services, networking, and end-user systems across all three regions, serving as the senior escalation point for the most complex technical issues, including those affecting laboratory production systems. The right candidate brings urgency and a solutions-first mindset: when systems are down, they move fast, communicate clearly, and drive issues to resolution — then follow through with root-cause fixes and automation so the same problem never surfaces twice.
Accountabilities and Responsibilities
- Infrastructure Operations & Administration
- Administer, patch, and maintain Windows Server environments as the primary focus, with supporting administration of Linux systems, both on-premises and in the cloud (Microsoft 365 and Azure).
- Manage virtualization platforms, storage, Active Directory / Entra ID, and identity and access management across US, UK, and Australia sites.
- Maintain network infrastructure including firewalls, switching, wireless, VPN, and site-to-site connectivity between global offices.
- Monitor system health and capacity proactively, resolving issues before they affect the business rather than waiting for tickets.
- Security, Backup & Compliance
- Implement and maintain security controls: endpoint protection, hardening standards, vulnerability remediation, and least-privilege access.
- Own backup and disaster recovery operations, including regular restore testing and documented recovery procedures.
- Support compliance and audit activities relevant to a regulated genetic testing environment (e.g., HIPAA, CLIA/CAP), providing evidence and remediating findings with urgency.
- Respond to security events as a first line of technical action, escalating and containing quickly per incident procedures.
- Laboratory & End-User Systems Support
- Serve as the senior (Tier 3) escalation point for complex incidents, including laboratory instrument connectivity, LIMS-adjacent infrastructure, and executive support.
- Prioritize laboratory production systems, understanding that instrument and sample-processing downtime carries direct customer and revenue impact.
- Deliver responsive, solutions-first support to employees across all time zones, communicating status clearly and closing the loop every time.
- Manage onboarding/offboarding technology workflows so new hires are productive on day one.
- Automation & Continuous Improvement
- Script and automate repetitive administration tasks (PowerShell, Bash, or similar) — in a lean environment, manual work that can be automated should be.
- Maintain accurate, current documentation of systems, configurations, and runbooks so knowledge is never trapped with one person.
- Identify and champion improvements to reliability, cost efficiency, and user experience, bringing solutions rather than problems.
- Projects & Vendor Management
- Lead and execute infrastructure projects end-to-end: upgrades, migrations, office moves/buildouts, and new-system deployments.
- Manage relationships with managed service providers, telecom carriers, and hardware/software vendors, holding them to committed timelines and service levels.
- Coordinate with UK and Australia teams on global initiatives, ensuring changes land smoothly across regions and time zones.
Position Requirements
- Skills and Knowledge
- Advanced administration of Windows Server
- Working knowledge of Linux administration sufficient to support and troubleshoot Linux-based systems
- Active Directory / Entra ID, Microsoft 365, and cloud platforms (Azure and/or AWS)
- Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V, or equivalent) and enterprise storage
- Networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, VPN, firewalls
- Additional scripting languages and automation a plus (Bash, or Python)
- Backup, disaster recovery, and monitoring tooling
- Strong sense of urgency, ownership, and a solutions-first mindset — comfortable being the person who makes things work in a lean, fast-moving environment
- Clear, proactive communication with technical and non-technical audiences alike
- Experience
- 7+ years of progressive systems administration experience, with demonstrated senior-level (Tier 3) ownership
- Experience supporting multi-site and/or global environments across time zones preferred
- Experience in a regulated environment (healthcare, laboratory, life sciences) strongly preferred
- Track record of leading infrastructure projects from planning through completion
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Relevant Microsoft certifications (e.g., Azure Administrator Associate, Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate) are a plus; Linux (e.g., RHCSA), CompTIA Security+, or ITIL certifications are also valued
- Required Travel
- Travel may be required as needed in the surrounding Houston area. Work is expected to be performed from our Houston HQ.
Key Relationships / Stakeholders
- Internal Stakeholders
- Director, Information Technology and IT team members across all regions
- Laboratory operations and scientific teams (Houston laboratory)
- Software engineering and product teams
- Executive leadership team, including direct support of executive technology needs
- All employees across the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia as end users
- External Stakeholders
- Managed service providers and outsourced support partners
- Hardware, software, and cloud vendors
- Internet, telecom, and connectivity carriers
- Auditors and compliance assessors
- Security partners and incident response resources
Decision Making
- Decisions this role makes alone
- Day-to-day system configuration, maintenance scheduling, and patching within approved change windows
- Troubleshooting approach and technical resolution path for escalated incidents
- Ticket prioritization and workload sequencing based on business impact
- Standard access provisioning and deprovisioning in line with established policy
- Selection of scripting/automation methods for routine administrative tasks
- Decisions this role makes under guidance or escalates
- Major architecture changes or introduction of new platforms (jointly with Director, Information Technology)
- Capital purchases and vendor contracts above approved spending thresholds
- Changes affecting laboratory production systems (jointly with Laboratory Operations)
- Declared security incidents and breach response (escalated per incident response plan)
- Exceptions to security, access, or compliance policy
Why Join Us
At Gene by Gene, you’ll join a mission-driven team advancing the science of genetics and discovery. You’ll have the opportunity to shape meaningful campaigns, tell compelling brand stories, and collaborate with talented professionals who share your passion for creativity, curiosity, and impact.
Comprehensive Benefits
- Medical & Health Savings: Choice of 3 medical tiers generously sponsored by the company, with a monthly $50–$100 employer HSA contribution based on plan type and dependent level.
- 100% Covered Dental & Vision: No premium costs for employees or dependents.
- 401(k) Matching: Generous 50% company match up to 6% of annual base salary.
- Diverse PTO Framework: Structured time off incorporating vacation, sick leave, mental health days, personal days, company holidays, and a flexible floating holiday.
- Income Protection & Family Leave: Full company sponsorship of Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD/LTD) alongside Paid Family Leave offerings.