Senior Systems Administrator

About the role

Varda is looking for a Senior Systems Administrator who is equal parts identity architect and cloud operator. This isn't just about keeping the lights on: you'll architect zero-trust access policies, drive lifecycle identity automation, integrate device compliance into conditional access, and ensure our platforms are audit-ready in an ITAR-regulated environment.

• Work directly with Engineering, Security, Manufacturing, and Business Operations teams
• Your decisions will directly shape how securely and efficiently a fast-growing space company operates

Responsibilities

• Architect and administer the Okta tenant end-to-end — SSO application integrations, MFA policies, lifecycle management (joiner/mover/leaver), Okta Workflows, and Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) features, including access certifications and entitlement management.
• Own Microsoft 365 GCC High and Azure/Entra ID — Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, conditional access policies, and tenant security configuration tuned for ITAR compliance boundaries.
• Design and maintain hybrid identity infrastructure, including Active Directory, Entra Connect synchronization, and federation trust relationships.
• Architect and administer endpoint management across all platforms — JAMF Pro for macOS, Microsoft Intune for Windows, and supplemental MDM tooling for Linux — including device enrollment, configuration profiles, compliance policies, application deployment, and OS patch management.
• Bridge device compliance and identity: integrate JAMF and Intune compliance signals into Okta and Entra ID conditional access policies so device trust is a hard requirement for resource access.
• Develop and enforce conditional access and zero-trust policies across Okta and Entra ID to protect sensitive resources in an ITAR-regulated environment.
• Create and maintain SCIM provisioning between Okta and downstream SaaS applications — Google Workspace, Jira, Confluence, Slack, Smartsheet, 1Password, and others.
• Monitor and respond to identity-related security events — such as suspicious sign-ins, token abuse, and privilege escalation — using Okta System Log, Entra ID audit logs, and CrowdStrike telemetry.
• Partner with the Security team on compliance efforts tied to Vanta, NIST 800-171, CMMC, and ITAR, with direct ownership of access control, audit logging, and least-privilege enforcement.
• Manage certificate lifecycles, SAML/OIDC trust configurations, and API token governance across the SaaS portfolio.
• Create and maintain runbooks, architecture diagrams, and knowledge base articles in Confluence — leaving documentation better than you found it.
• Mentor junior IT team members on identity, cloud platform, and endpoint management best practices.
• Drive scripting and automation (PowerShell, Python, Bash) to streamline administration, reporting, and incident response across identity, cloud, and MDM systems.
• Lead special projects from kickoff to completion, with full accountability for outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience that speaks for itself.
• 5+ years in systems administration, with at least 3 years focused on identity platforms (Okta, Entra ID/Azure AD) and Microsoft 365 administration.
• Proficiency with Okta administration — application integration (SAML, OIDC, SCIM), MFA enrollment policies, group rules, and lifecycle management.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 administration — Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, Entra ID conditional access, and Azure AD Connect.
• Experience administering MDM platforms across macOS, Windows, and Linux — including JAMF Pro and Microsoft Intune — with a solid understanding of device enrollment, compliance policies, and configuration management at scale.
• Experience with Active Directory — GPO management, OU design, replication troubleshooting, and hybrid join scenarios.
• Proficiency with PowerShell for Microsoft Graph API, Exchange Online, and Entra ID automation.
• Self-directed and calm under pressure, with a track record of delivering complex identity and cloud infrastructure projects.
• Clear communicator who can engage effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• Microsoft certifications: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Administrator), or MD-102 (Endpoint Administrator).
• Okta Certified Professional or Okta Certified Administrator certification.
• Experience operating Microsoft 365 GCC High or GCC tenants with a clear understanding of the compliance boundary differences from commercial M365.
• Hands-on experience with Okta Workflows, Okta Identity Governance (OIG), or Okta Privileged Access.
• Advanced JAMF Pro administration: Prestage Enrollments, smart groups, extension attributes, and JAMF-to-Okta/Entra device compliance integration.
• Experience with Microsoft Intune Autopilot, compliance policies, and co-management scenarios in hybrid AD/Entra environments.
• Familiarity with Linux endpoint management solutions (Landscape, Fleet, CHEF, Ansible, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with SIEM/SOAR integration for identity event correlation (PagerDuty, Snowflake, or equivalent).
• Experience supporting NIST 800-171, CMMC, and ITAR compliance with direct responsibility for access control and endpoint compliance implementation.
• Prior experience in a high-growth startup or aerospace environment is highly desirable.