IT Principal Systems Engineer - Site Based, Redmond, WA

Role Summary

IT Principal Systems Engineer tasked with leading design, optimization, and strategic direction of the enterprise infrastructure across networking, systems, cloud, and security domains. Serve as a technical authority driving innovation, scalability, reliability, and security of the IT environment. Lead cross-functional collaboration and mentor IT staff while delivering high-impact projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and evolution of enterprise network and systems architecture to support current and future business needs.
• Define and enforce infrastructure standards, policies, and best practices across the organization.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and provide strategic recommendations for adoption and integration.
• Architect and oversee the deployment, performance tuning, and lifecycle management of LAN/WAN infrastructure.
• Lead root cause analysis and remediation strategies for complex network issues; drive automation and orchestration of network operations using modern tools and frameworks.
• Collaborate with security teams to ensure network resilience and compliance.
• Architect and manage enterprise server environments across Windows, Linux, and virtualized platforms.
• Lead initiatives to improve system availability, performance, and disaster recovery capabilities.
• Oversee patching, configuration management, and system health monitoring at scale.
• Champion infrastructure-as-code and automation practices for systems provisioning and maintenance.
• Design and manage hybrid cloud architectures leveraging AWS, Azure, and other platforms.
• Lead cloud migration strategies, cost optimization efforts, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure high availability and performance of cloud-hosted applications and services.
• Partner with cybersecurity teams to architect secure infrastructure solutions.
• Lead vulnerability assessments, remediation planning, and compliance audits.
• Develop and maintain infrastructure security policies and incident response protocols.
• Serve as a technical mentor and advisor to IT staff and cross-functional teams.
• Lead infrastructure-related projects and initiatives with enterprise-wide impact.
• Collaborate with application, DevOps, and business teams to align infrastructure with strategic goals.
• Evaluate and manage relationships with key technology vendors and service providers; lead contract negotiations and ensure alignment with performance and cost objectives.
• Maintain comprehensive architectural documentation, operational procedures, and performance metrics; present infrastructure health, risk assessments, and strategic plans to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in network and systems engineering, including leadership roles.
• Proven experience designing and managing enterprise-scale infrastructure environments.

Skills

• Deep knowledge of networking technologies (Aruba, Fortinet, Cisco), virtualization (VMware), and storage systems (Dell PowerScale, NetApp).
• Expertise in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, Git, Jenkins), and directory services (Active Directory).
• Strong understanding of database platforms (SQL Server, Oracle) and infrastructure security principles.
• Strategic thinking with strong architectural and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• Passion for innovation, continuous learning, and mentoring others.

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.

Additional Requirements

• Working conditions include data center environments and lifting equipment up to 50 lbs.
• Flexible work hours including evenings, weekends, and on-call rotations.