Job SummaryThe IT Manager at AVT Simulation is a hands-on technical leader responsible for keeping the company's IT infrastructure operational, reliable, and performing efficiently. The core mission of this role is to ensure continuous availability and uptime of the network, servers, storage, virtualization, cloud, and end-user computing environments that power AVT's day-to-day business.
Responsibilities/Duties/Functions/Tasks- Oversee and manage the IT Staff.
- Develop, manage, and defend the annual IT operating and capital budget, including forecasting for tech refresh cycles, licensing, and infrastructure upgrades.
- Lead strategic purchasing and vendor negotiations for hardware, software, and service contracts; manage relationships with OEMs, VARs, MSPs, and ISPs.
- Serve as the IT representative on the Facilities & Infrastructure Working Group (FIWG), aligning IT capacity planning (power, cooling, rack space, fiber, ISP lead times) with company growth and facility expansion.
- Develop, publish, and maintain IT operational policies, procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Provide status, risk, and project updates to executive management.
- Administer and optimize the VMware vSphere virtualization environment (ESXi hosts, vCenter, clusters).
- Manage Synology SAN/NAS storage - capacity planning, snapshots, replication, and health monitoring.
- Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot complex network environments, including:
- o Cisco Firepower (FTD) / ASA firewalls
- o Cisco Catalyst switches (Layer 2/3, VLANs, trunking, QoS)
- o Point-to-point MPLS / WAN circuits between HQ, remote sites, and colocation facilities
- o LAN/WLAN infrastructure and site-to-site VPNs
- Administer the M365 GCC High tenant, including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Purview, Power Automate and licensing.
- Administer Autodesk Vault and other business-critical repositories, ensuring availability and access controls.
- Maintain robust hot, warm, and long-term archival/backup processes, tested regularly for business continuity and disaster recovery readiness.
- Support the company's CMMC Level 2 / NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 compliance efforts by implementing, configuring, and hardening technical controls across the environment as directed by the compliance/security lead.
- Execute technical remediation items identified in the Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) and provide artifacts/evidence as requested for the System Security Plan (SSP) and C3PAO assessments.
- Implement and maintain Zero Trust tooling such as ThreatLocker (application allowlisting, ringfencing, storage control).
- Administer endpoint protection and detection platforms including Huntress EDR/SIEM, Bitdefender GravityZone, and BitLocker (FIPS 140-2 validated) encryption.
- Manage Cisco DUO MFA, Azure AD / Entra ID Conditional Access policies, and technical identity controls across all systems.
- Perform vulnerability patching and provide logs, telemetry, and technical support for incident response activities directed by the cybersecurity/compliance lead.
- Provide Tier 1 through Tier 3 support to employees, contractors, and subcontractors - on-site, remote, and by phone.
- Perform system imaging, re-imaging, and deployment using PDQ SmartDeploy and PDQ Connect for rapid, standardized rollouts that meet the approved "gold image" baseline.
- Install, configure, and support end-user hardware (workstations, laptops, monitors, printers, peripherals) and software.
- Coordinate hardware lifecycle management, including procurement, asset tagging, secure media sanitization, and decommissioning per NIST 800-171 guidelines.
- Manage e-mail administration, anti-virus/anti-malware systems, and general help-desk ticket flow.
- Escalate major hardware failures to OEM service personnel and manage warranty/RMA processes.
- Provide technical artifacts and evidence to the compliance function to support CMMC/DFARS audit readiness.
- Stay current on emerging technologies and DoD/DIB technical requirements; recommend and implement improvements that enhance system reliability, performance, and user productivity.
- Contribute to the continuity of computer services by providing technical leadership, project coordination, and mentorship to junior staff.
Other DutiesThis job description is not designed to be a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice, based on business needs and emerging technology requirements.
Required Technical Stack ExperienceDomainTechnologiesNetworkCisco FTD/ASA firewalls, Cisco Catalyst switches, MPLS/WAN, VPN, LAN/WLAN, OSPF
Virtualization/StorageVMware vSphere 6.x/7.x/8.x, Synology SAN/NAS
Cloud & IdentityM365 GCC High, Azure AD / Entra ID, Conditional Access, Cisco DUO
Security ToolsThreatLocker, Huntress EDR/SIEM, Bitdefender GravityZone, BitLocker (FIPS)
Endpoint/DeploymentPDQ Connect, PDQ SmartDeploy, Windows 10/11, Linux
MonitoringPRTG (or equivalent)
ApplicationsMS Office suite, Visio, Project, Autodesk, VS Pro, Adobe Suite
Compliance FamiliarityWorking knowledge of NIST SP 800-171 / CMMC Level 2 technical controls
QualificationsMinimum Requirements- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field from an accredited institution.
- 7-10+ years of progressive IT experience, with at least 3 years in a lead or management capacity, preferably within a Defense Industrial Base (DIB) or federally regulated environment.
- Proven experience administering VMware vSphere, Microsoft Active Directory / Entra ID, and enterprise LAN/WAN environments.
- Familiarity with implementing technical controls aligned to NIST 800-171 / CMMC requirements.
Preferred Certifications- Network: Cisco CCNA / CCNP (Security or Enterprise)
- Virtualization: VMware VCP-DCV
- Microsoft: MCSE / MCSA, Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
Essential Mental Requirements- Strong problem-solving, analytical, and root-cause investigation skills.
- Excellent time-management, multi-tasking, organizational, and planning abilities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills - able to translate complex technical issues for non-technical stakeholders.
- High personal integrity for handling sensitive, proprietary, and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
Essential Physical RequirementsWhile performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger/handle/feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift or move office products, IT equipment, and supplies up to 50 pounds (racking servers, network gear, UPS units). 
