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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Windows System Engineer

💰 $75,000 - $140,000

ITSystems EngineeringInfrastructureWindowsCloudSecurity

🎯 Role Definition

The Windows System Engineer is a hands-on technical role responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of enterprise Windows server and endpoint infrastructure. This role owns Active Directory, Group Policy and identity integration, automation with PowerShell, endpoint management (SCCM/Intune), patching and security hardening, virtualization administration, backup and disaster recovery, and cross-team operational coordination. The ideal candidate balances deep Windows platform knowledge with strong automation, troubleshooting and communication skills to drive reliable, secure and scalable infrastructure.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Desktop Support Technician / Help Desk Analyst
  • Junior Systems Administrator / Windows Administrator
  • Network Technician or Infrastructure Support Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior Windows/System Engineer
  • Infrastructure Architect / Solutions Architect
  • Cloud Infrastructure Engineer / Cloud Architect
  • IT Operations Manager / Lead Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Cloud Systems Engineer (Azure/AWS)
  • Security Engineer / Identity and Access Management (IAM)
  • DevOps / Platform Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, deploy and maintain Microsoft Windows Server infrastructure (2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022), including Active Directory (AD), DNS, DHCP, and Group Policy for multi-site, enterprise-scale environments.
  • Administer and support hybrid identity solutions including Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), Azure AD, Azure AD Connect, single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) configurations.
  • Build, document and optimize Group Policy Objects (GPOs), security baselines and configuration standards that enforce compliance, mitigate risk and reduce support overhead.
  • Implement and manage endpoint management and patching systems using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM/ConfigMgr), Intune, Autopilot and related tooling for Windows 10/11 and server OS lifecycle.
  • Create, maintain and version-control PowerShell scripts, automation workflows and runbooks to automate routine system administration tasks, deployments, and incident response.
  • Plan, build and validate Windows OS images, application packaging and deployment processes (MDT, SCCM, Intune) and execute large-scale OS migrations or refresh projects.
  • Manage and support virtualization platforms (Hyper-V, VMware vSphere/ESXi) including VM provisioning, resource optimization, storage integration and live migration strategies.
  • Design and operate backup, snapshot and disaster recovery solutions (Veeam, Backup Exec, Windows Server Backup, Azure Site Recovery) to meet RTO/RPO SLAs and ensure recoverability of servers and critical data.
  • Monitor server and endpoint health with SCOM, Azure Monitor, or third-party monitoring tools; triage alerts, perform root cause analysis and implement proactive remediation.
  • Configure and maintain Windows-related network services (DNS, DHCP, WINS, VPN termination, IPAM) and collaborate with network teams on routing, firewall and load-balancing requirements.
  • Execute security patch management, vulnerability remediation and compliance tasks; coordinate with security teams to prioritize and deploy mitigations across Windows estates.
  • Manage certificates and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), issue and renew SSL/TLS certificates, and support secure authentication methods (Kerberos, NTLM, smartcard, certificate-based auth).
  • Troubleshoot complex OS, identity and application issues on servers and clients by analyzing logs (Event Viewer, ETW, application logs) and working with vendors or application owners for resolution.
  • Maintain and continuously improve standard operating procedures, runbooks, architecture diagrams, and configuration documentation to support operations and audits.
  • Provide Tier 3 escalated support for server and critical endpoint incidents, participate in incident calls, lead post-incident reviews and recommend long-term fixes.
  • Plan and execute server upgrades, patch windows, migrations and technology refreshes, including test plans, pilots, cutover execution and rollback procedures.
  • Administer file and print services, Distributed File System (DFS), NTFS permissions, access controls and quotas to ensure secure and performant file access across the organization.
  • Integrate on-premises Windows services with cloud platforms (Azure IaaS, Azure AD) for hybrid solutions, enabling cloud backups, cloud-based authentication and containerized workloads where appropriate.
  • Implement, tune and support endpoint security solutions and EDR platforms (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne) and coordinate remediation actions.
  • Manage the user and service account lifecycle, role-based access controls, privileged account management and service principal/service account processes with least-privilege enforcement.
  • Participate in change management processes: prepare impact analyses, change tickets, maintenance windows, pre-checks, and rollback plans; communicate changes to stakeholders.
  • Work with vendors and managed service providers for product licensing, escalated technical support, firmware/driver updates and hardware lifecycle management.
  • Mentor and train junior administrators, run knowledge transfer sessions, and participate in on-call rotations to provide 24/7 operational coverage when required.
  • Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives (IaC, CMDB updates, CI/CD for infra configs), evaluate new Microsoft platform features and recommend architecture improvements to reduce toil.
  • Ensure compliance with corporate policies and regulatory standards (PCI, HIPAA, GDPR as applicable), support audits and implement controls across Windows systems.

Secondary Functions

  • Produce and maintain clear system documentation, runbooks, diagrams and configuration inventories to support team onboarding and audits.
  • Support ad-hoc technical requests, proof-of-concept testing and pilot projects to evaluate new Windows or Microsoft 365 technologies.
  • Collaborate with application teams to onboard server workloads, define runbooks and provide operational readiness checks prior to go-live.
  • Assist in capacity planning, licensing optimization and cost control for on-premises and cloud-hosted Windows infrastructure.
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams, provide technical estimates and contribute to architecture and design reviews.
  • Conduct periodic security reviews, configuration audits and remediation tracking to ensure systems remain secure and compliant.
  • Provide user training materials and sessions for L2 teams and business units on new Windows features, self-service tools and troubleshooting basics.
  • Maintain and update configuration management inventories (CMDB) and ensure accurate asset and dependency mapping for Windows systems.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep expertise in Windows Server administration (2012R2/2016/2019/2022) and Windows 10/11 client management.
  • Strong Active Directory administration: domains, forests, FSMO roles, AD replication, OU design and AD health diagnostics.
  • Group Policy design, testing and troubleshooting; applying security baselines and configuration drift control.
  • PowerShell scripting and automation for configuration management, reporting and incident response.
  • Endpoint management tools: Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM/ConfigMgr), Intune, Autopilot and application packaging.
  • Identity management and federation: Azure AD, Azure AD Connect, ADFS, SSO and MFA integration.
  • Virtualization and hypervisor experience: Microsoft Hyper-V and/or VMware vSphere administration.
  • Backup & DR technologies: Veeam, Azure Site Recovery, and enterprise backup best practices.
  • Networking fundamentals relevant to Windows services: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routing basics and VPN technologies.
  • Security tooling and practices: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, EDR, vulnerability scanning and OS hardening techniques.
  • PKI and certificate management, SSL/TLS configuration and secure authentication mechanisms.
  • Monitoring and observability: SCOM, Azure Monitor, Log Analytics and familiarity with alert tuning and capacity/performance metrics.
  • Experience with Active Directory migrations, domain consolidation, and large-scale server migrations.
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms and hybrid setups: Microsoft Azure (VMs, Storage, Networking) and integration patterns.
  • Configuration management / IaC exposure (ARM templates, PowerShell DSC, Terraform) a strong plus.

Soft Skills

  • Clear, customer-focused communication tailored to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a methodical, evidence-driven troubleshooting approach.
  • Team player who collaborates across networking, security, application and cloud teams.
  • Ability to prioritize under pressure, manage multiple concurrent incidents and meet SLAs.
  • Process-driven mindset: disciplined about change control, documentation and operational standards.
  • Mentoring and knowledge transfer experience to grow junior engineers and reduce team dependencies.
  • Adaptability to evolving technologies and a continuous learning orientation toward Microsoft and cloud platforms.
  • High attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence and security best practices.
  • Professionalism in vendor interactions and the ability to represent IT in cross-departmental projects.
  • Resilience for on-call rotations and incident handling outside normal business hours.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience (typically 3+ years of relevant work).

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity or related field.
  • Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator, Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, Azure Administrator Associate, MCSA/MCSE, or equivalent vendor certifications (VMware VCP, Veeam, CompTIA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science / Computer Engineering
  • Information Technology / Information Systems
  • Cybersecurity / Network Engineering
  • Systems Administration / Software Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years of progressive experience administering Windows Server and endpoint infrastructure in medium to large enterprise environments.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years in Windows server/endpoint engineering with demonstrable experience in Active Directory, Group Policy, SCCM/Intune, PowerShell automation, virtualization and backup/DR.
  • Experience operating in regulated environments (PCI, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR) or supporting 24x7 critical services.
  • Prior project experience leading server migrations, domain consolidations or cloud hybrid integrations.
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