Salary : $92,412.00 - $108,708.00 Annually
Location : 207 4th Ave. N, Kelso, WA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 2026-030
Department: Information Technology
Opening Date: 10/29/2026
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: 1262
General Position SummaryThe Systems Engineer is a key role at Cowlitz County, responsible for managing and improving the IT infrastructure at Cowlitz County. This includes overseeing servers, storage, backups, operating systems, M365 services, and server applications. As an IT infrastructure expert, the System Engineer has in-depth knowledge of Cloud, Virtualization, Networking, and Security. They anticipate potential impacts, address security threats, develop effective sustainable strategies, troubleshoot complex issues, and review advanced technical configurations. This role involves looking beyond current practices, standards, and procedures to advance the organization's IT infrastructure and application delivery. They use their experience and advanced knowledge to drive innovation and maturity. The System Engineer role prioritizes organizational needs by working closely with end users to understand their requirements, continually enhancing their skills, and making consistent improvements.
This position is open until filled. Please submit a cover letter and resume to be considered.Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Administer and stay current with the Microsoft 365 platform advancements (Exchange Online, Teams, etc.) to maximize the organizations investment and provide modern, efficient, and robust communications and collaboration tools to the organization.
- Plan, execute, and oversee the installations, configuration, patching, and maintenance of hosting infrastructure, operating systems, physical and virtual server infrastructure, server applications.
- Manage and maintain virtual server environments, including adding, moving, and troubleshooting virtual machines and servers.
- Maintain comprehensive infrastructure and software asset inventory while maintaining compliance with vendor agreements and usage policies.
- Manage capacity planning and hardware sizing for cloud and virtualization platforms, servers, storage and backup systems. Evaluate current capacities, forecasts future needs, and upgrades to meet business demands.
- Implement and maintain monitoring and logging tools to proactively identify and mitigate disruptive issues.
- Monitor system metrics, analyze performance issues, and provide solutions to meet objectives.
- Automate repetitive tasks and processes to improve efficiency and productivity.
- Develop and implement backup and disaster recovery strategies to minimize downtime, data loss, and recovery time.
- Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments within areas or responsibility to identify and address potential risks.
- Document system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps for knowledge sharing and training purposes
- Keep team members and other stakeholders informed on system changes and technology updates.
- Manage user accounts, permissions, and access controls for IT infrastructure.
- Collaborate with colleagues, vendors and third-party service providers to resolve issues, procure equipment or services, and implement solutions.
- Develop and maintain systems documentation, including diagrams, configurations, and policies.
- Lead infrastructure projects, including planning, implementation, and post-implementation support.
- Respond to and resolve incidents and service requests in a timely manner.
- Manage the Public Key Infrastructure. Oversee the issuance, renewal, and revocation of certificates to support secure communication and identity verification within the organization.
- Manage and optimize email filtering systems to ensure appropriate filtering of emails. Review logs, update filter rules, and adjust settings to maintain security and efficiency. Address and resolves any issues related to email delivery and spam management.
- Implement security measures to protect systems from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other cyber threats.
- Maintain awareness of potential external threats or risks to the security posture of the systems and application portfolio.
- Perform problem-solving and analysis, including incident and problem management and root cause analysis.
- Utilize project management and change management practices to manage work and priorities.
- Participate in work planning activities and provide status reports
- Stay current with technology, industry standards, and best practices for system administration /engineering by proactively attending training, classes, events, webinars, and reading industry publications to maintain or develop skills.
- Be available for regular, periodic on-call duties and work beyond standard hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to address critical issues and system upgrades.
- Complete other tasks and projects as assigned by IT Department leadership.
Minimum Qualifications - 6 (six) or more years of professional information technology experience such as troubleshooting, installing and maintaining server software or hardware, virtual servers, midrange storage infrastructure or equivalent combination of education, experience and technical certifications.
- Demonstrated education, experience and/or training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to meet or exceed the duties and responsibilities of the position
- Working knowledge of the following:
- Windows Server OS including, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy
- Virtualization or cloud platforms including VMware of Hyper-V or Azure
- Microsoft 365 platform and Azure AD
- Storage and Backup products
- Disaster Recovery methods and products
Preferred Qualifications:
- One year or more of PowerShell Experience
- Microsoft Certifications such as Azure AZ-104, AZ-500, MCSE, MCSA
- VMware Certifications such as VCP-DCV
- ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) Foundation Certification
- CompTIA Certificates such as A+, Network+, Security+, and/or Cloud Essentials.
Required Skills and Abilities - Communication: Clearly convey information and ideas at various levels, both orally and in writing. Prepare clear, concise reports, support documentation, presentations, and user training materials.
- Innovation and Motivation: Exhibit a self-starting attitude and innovative mindset.
- Alignment: Ensure tasks and responsibilities align with departmental operations and strategic goals.
- Ownership and Follow-Through: Take responsibility for assignments, seek guidance as needed, and ensure tasks are completed.
- Time Management: Perform well under tight deadlines and manage time effectively.
- Interpersonal and Customer Service Skills: Build and maintain effective relationships with county employees and other contacts.
- Teamwork and Independence: Collaborate effectively with IT staff, system users, management, and vendors, while excelling in both team and independent settings.
- Stress Management: Handle job-related stress effectively and interact positively with others in the workplace.
- Knowledge Sharing: Share expertise and information with the IT team and clients willingly.
- Analytical Skills: Independently assess and identify problems, develop corrective actions, and implement effective solutions.
- Technical Aptitude: Learn and manage the administrative and functional components of enterprise cyber security, Infrastructure, software applications, and providing comprehensive support and maintenance.
- Continuous Improvement: Continuously upgrade skills through training and other resources.
Cowlitz County offers a competitive benefits package for Full-Time employees, including:
- Health Insurance: Variety of Medical, dental, life, vision, and prescription insurance for employee and family. Employees who are covered under another person's medical plan have the option of an HRA (Health Retirement Account) in lieu of medical insurance. HSA and FSA plans are also available, depending on eligibility.
- 11 Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
- Retirement: All full-time employees must participate in a Washington State Retirement Services plan, and may participate in a Deferred Compensation Plan, if desired.
- Employee Assistance Program employees and family members for help with personal or family issues.
- Group Life Insurance: Basic life and Accident insurance is provided to employee, with additional insurance available to purchase.
