Senior IT Systems Administrator Augusta, Georgia, United States, Full-Time, On-Site

Manus works across industries and value chains to accelerate the transition to BioAlternatives – better performing and more sustainable versions of complex molecules traditionally sourced from plants, animals, or fossil fuels. Our platform is proven to work across scales, bridging the Valley of Death between lab and manufacturing more efficiently and more reliably to deliver the benefits of synthetic biology today. We are seeking a self-motivated and highly organized individual for a position that will work with our Information Technology department.

The Senior IT Systems Administrator will play a key role in maintaining and optimizing the organization's core IT infrastructure across both on-premise and cloud environments. This includes responsibilities in Microsoft 365, networking, VMware virtualization, and security systems. A strong focus of this role is on supporting scientific research, lab operations, and AI-driven initiatives—requiring not only deep technical expertise in infrastructure and virtualization, but also an understanding of lab data workflows and the infrastructure needs of AI and data analytics platforms.

Why work at Manus Bio:

• Opportunity: Manus Bio offers growth opportunities for motivated, results-oriented team members, allowing for personal and professional advancement.

• Accountability: Team members are given the resources they need to succeed and the freedom to make it happen, with a culture of holding each other accountable for high expectations.

• Passion: Manus Bio values working with individuals who love what they do and embrace the challenges and hard work that come with working on the cutting edge.

• Impact: Working at Manus Bio is an opportunity to bring state-of-the-art manufacturing back to Augusta, Georgia. The organization is mission-focused, and the people here believe they can make a positive impact on the community and country for generations to come.

Responsibilities:

• Infrastructure Management: Administer, monitor, and maintain on-premises and cloud-based systems including Windows/Linux servers and virtualized infrastructure.
• Microsoft 365 Administration: Manage Microsoft 365 services such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Teams, and Azure Active Directory. Administer licensing, access controls, compliance configurations, and end-user support for 365 services.
• Network Support: Configure and maintain switches, routers, wireless access points, and VPNs. Monitor network performance and troubleshoot latency, connectivity, and bandwidth issues. Ensure network security through VLANs, ACLs, and segmentation best practices.
• Storage Management: Administer NAS/SAN systems and manage high-availability data storage solutions, particularly for large scientific or experimental datasets.
• VMware & Virtualization: Administer VMware vSphere environments, including provisioning and managing virtual machines for lab applications and compute-intensive workloads.
• Firewall and Security Appliance Management: Configure and manage next-generation firewalls (e.g., Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA). Maintain firewall rules, VPN tunnels, and threat prevention policies.
• Cloud Administration: Support compute/storage needs in cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP), including hybrid workloads and AI/ML pipelines.
• Lab Data & AI Systems Support: Collaborate with scientific teams to support the infrastructure behind lab information management systems (LIMS), data acquisition tools, and instrument integrations. Ensure data integrity, structured storage, and secure access for high-throughput lab operations. Support environments and infrastructure used for AI/ML model development, training, and deployment (e.g., GPUs, containers, data lakes).
• Disaster Recovery: Develop and test backup and disaster recovery procedures tailored to critical scientific data.
• Automation & Scripting: Use PowerShell, Bash, or Python to automate administrative and data-handling tasks.
• User Support: Provide comprehensive technical support to users across the organization, including troubleshooting, issue resolution, and guidance for both general and specialized IT needs.
• Documentation: Maintain system architecture diagrams, SOPs, and technical documentation for IT and lab systems.
• Compliance: Ensure all systems meet internal policies and external compliance standards (e.g., HIPAA, GxP, GDPR).
• Project Leadership: Lead infrastructure upgrades, technology rollouts, and cross-functional initiatives supporting R&D and data science.
• Mentorship: Guide junior admins and collaborate closely with IT, data, and lab personnel to ensure cross-functional support.

Desired Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in systems and infrastructure administration, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity.
• Experience supporting lab or research environments, including familiarity with lab software and data management best practices.
• Understanding of basic AI/ML concepts and the infrastructure needs of data-driven teams.
• Strong expertise in Microsoft 365 and Azure AD.
• Hands-on experience with VMware vSphere and server virtualization.
• Proficiency in networking, storage systems, firewall management, and cloud platforms.
• Strong scripting skills (PowerShell, Bash, Python).
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

Working Conditions:

• Based in Augusta, GA, with potential for hybrid flexibility depending on company policy.

• May require on-call rotation and occasional after-hours maintenance for critical systems.