Systems Specialist III

Systems Specialist III Proven IT is hiring a Systems Specialist III for its internal IT team. You will be a senior technical escalation point for issues that cross systems, networks, identity, security, and business applications. You will stabilize complex incidents, make sound changes to production systems, and help other specialists grow their troubleshooting skills. This role combines hands-on support with engineering judgment. You will look beyond a single ticket to identify recurring causes, strengthen monitoring and recovery, and work with project, security, automation, and application teams to make our environment more reliable. What you will do • Lead investigation and resolution of complex or high-impact incidents across servers, cloud services, identity, endpoints, networking, and critical applications. Keep stakeholders informed and coordinate clean handoffs. • Administer and improve Windows server, virtualization, storage, backup, and recovery systems. Validate restores and address risks identified through monitoring, patching, and capacity reviews. • Diagnose and implement network changes involving switching, wireless, firewalls, VPN, routing, VLANs, and connectivity between company locations. Work with carriers and vendors when needed. • Support hybrid identity and Microsoft 365, including Active Directory, Entra ID, Exchange Online, access policies, integrations, and advanced account or mail-flow issues. • Lead technical response to security alerts and suspected compromise in partnership with security staff. Use endpoint and log data to determine scope, contain risk, and document remediation. • Design or improve endpoint-management and deployment processes, including Intune, Autopilot, application delivery, configuration, and patching. • Build and maintain scripts or automations that remove repeat work, improve accuracy, and include appropriate testing, documentation, and change control. • Contribute technical expertise to office openings, acquisitions, platform migrations, and application integrations while coordinating with the teams that own those programs. • Set practical technical standards, maintain runbooks and diagrams, review significant changes, and mentor Systems Specialist I and II teammates through escalations and knowledge sharing. Requirements What you bring • At least five years of progressive experience supporting and administering business IT infrastructure, with substantial hands-on work in both server and network environments. • Advanced troubleshooting ability across Windows Server, Microsoft 365, Active Directory or Entra ID, virtualization, backup and recovery, and enterprise networking. • Experience using PowerShell or another scripting language to automate repeatable administration and troubleshoot complex problems. • Sound judgment during incidents and production changes, including risk assessment, communication, rollback planning, and escalation. • A record of mentoring other technicians and producing documentation others can use. Helpful experience: Fortinet firewalls or SD-WAN; Ruckus switching and wireless; Intune and Autopilot; CrowdStrike or similar security tools; cloud infrastructure; business-application integrations; and multi-site environments. Relevant Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, security, or vendor certifications are welcome. Equivalent hands-on experience is valued. Work arrangement This role participates in scheduled support coverage and may require occasional after-hours or weekend work for incidents and planned changes. Travel to other Proven IT locations may be needed. Benefits GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE: After a 30-day waiting period, full-time employees (who work at least 30 hours per week) and their dependents, are eligible to enroll in health benefits utilizing the Cigna network. Health options include a choice of 2 PPO plans or a High Deductible Health Plan with employer contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA). In addition, Dental benefits are available through Mutual of Omaha as well as a Vision PPO plan utilizing the EyeMed network. Proven also offers voluntary worksite benefits including critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident coverage, short-term disability insurance, supplemental life and pet insurance. Additional offerings include an employee discount program, home and auto insurance services and commuter/transit FSA. EMPLOYER PROVIDED LIFE/AD&D INSURANCE: After a 30-day waiting period, Proven IT provides a flat $25,000 Life Insurance benefit, administered by Mutual of Omaha, to all full-time employees (who work at least 30 hours per week). Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit payments are determined based on the type of loss incurred and are payable up to the full Life Insurance benefit amount. Life and AD&D Insurance coverage amounts are reduced at ages 65, 70 and 75. EMPLOYER PROVIDED LTD: Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance is an employer-provided benefit and provides protection from loss of income in the event that an employee is unable to work due to illness, injury, or accident for a long period of time. The elimination period is 90-days, and the maximum benefit is 60% of covered payroll up to $6000/month. This benefit is paid entirely by Proven IT and has no cost to the employee. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: All employees may utilize the Disability Resource Services through Mutual of Omaha to assist themselves and their immediate family with convenient resources to help address emotional, legal and financial issues. Telephonic counseling and web-based services are available as well as a limited number of geographically accessible face-to-face sessions. 401K PLAN: All employees are eligible after 120 days of service to contribute on either a pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) basis to the 401K plan, administered by Principal Financial Services. Proven offers an employer match equal to 100% of the first 3% of deferrals plus 50% of the next 2% of deferrals. FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES: Proven IT partners with Merrill Lynch to offer financial advisement to all employees. Merrill Lynch financial advisors are available to assist employees at no cost, with their 401k and retirement questions. PERMISSIVE TIME OFF POLICY: Proven provides a competitive paid time off policy for all full-time regular employees after a 90-day waiting period. Proven IT empowers their employees to work with their managers and team to coordinate all time off. Managers may impose a limit to requests for time off based on performance and tenure. PARENTAL LEAVE: Proven IT offers a generous parental leave policy for new parents. After 24-months of employment, Proven provides full-time regular employees with 90-days of paid Maternity leave and 10-days of paid Paternity leave. Employees with less than 24-months of service may take the same amount of unpaid time off. FITNESS CENTER: Proven IT offers a free on-site fitness center at the Tinley Park headquarters office location to all employees 24/7 Monday through Sunday. Employees utilize the gym equipment at their own risk. This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Salary Description $95,000-$140,000/yearly