IT System Administration - Senior/Specialist

Salary : $94,620.00 - $127,248.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Lacey, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2026-ITSO1193-07303
Department: Dept. of Ecology
Division: Information Technology Services
Opening Date: 09/02/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is hiring an IT System Administration - Senior/Specialistwithin the Information Technology Security Services Office.
Location:

• Headquarters Office in
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• You may telework most of your work time with occasional in-person meetings and activities.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by September 09, 2026
• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

Duties
In this role, you will be the senior Identity and Access Management Administrator, with responsibilities for Windows Domain Controllers and cloud-based identity management platform, including Azure. You will be responsible for architecting and modernizing Ecology's Identity and Access Management strategy through the adoption of cloud-native technologies.

What you will do:

• Mentor and guide other Domain Administrators.
• Provide excellent customer service and collaborate with other teams to improve the security posture of Ecology's Identity and Access Management strategy.
• Communicate effectively with Management to articulate Ecology's strategy for modernizing Identity and Access Management.
• Assess the current Windows Domain Controller architecture and health and identify optimization opportunities.
• Assess the current Group Policy Objects architecture and health and identify opportunities to streamline.
• Assess and identify opportunities to improve the security posture of Ecology's Identity and Access Management strategy and infrastructure.
• Assess and plan the adoption of Intune based policy management.

• Design and plan the use of Azure technologies for cloud native Identity and Access Management.

Qualifications
For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our
Required Qualifications:

• Seven years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which must include the following:
  
  • Critical Thinking & Decision-Making - Proven track record evaluating risks, analyzing complex IAM, AD, DNS, and GPO issues, and making informed decisions to maintain secure and stable operations.
  • Security & Compliance - Demonstrated ability to apply and uphold security policies, governance requirements, and best practices to maintain compliant and secure identity, directory, and DNS environments.
  • Identity & Access Management Administration - Demonstrated ability to manage identity lifecycles, authentication, permissions, and roles to ensure secure and efficient access control.
  • Active Directory & Entra ID Management - Proven track record configuring, maintaining, modernizing, and troubleshooting Active Directory and Azure Entra ID to ensure reliable identity and directory services.
  • Group Policy Architecture & Management - Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot GPOs to enforce secure configurations and agency-wide standards. Ability to translate GPO's to Intune and Azure Policies.
  • DNS Administration & Architecture - Proven track record designing, implementing, securing, and troubleshooting on-premise and cloud DNS services to ensure accurate and reliable name resolution.
  • System Maintenance & Continuity Planning - Demonstrated ability to apply updates, monitor performance, and implement disaster recovery strategies to maintain secure and resilient IAM, AD, and DNS operations.
• Education involving a major study in Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), or closely related field.

This position does not require formal education. Instead, applicants may meet the qualification requirement through experience alone or through any combination of experience and education totaling seven years. Education in a related field may be applied year-for-year toward the seven-year requirement, as long as the applicant has at least three years of directly related experience and meets all the required competencies listed above. The examples listed below illustrate acceptable combinations of experience and education that satisfy this requirement.
Examples of how to qualify:

• 7 years of experience.
• 6 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate's degree).
• 4 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 3 years of experience AND a Bachelor's degree or higher.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to provide transportation to and from office or offsite trainings or assignments.
• This position requires training to keep consistent with industry best practices. Leadership works with industry leaders to forecast changes in information technology and lists required training in this position's yearly Performance Development Plan (PDP). Staff within this division are provided two (2) hours per week for training. It is expected that this position will take what is learned in their training and apply it to their daily work.

Desired Qualifications:

• Cloud Infrastructure Familiarity - Ability to understand and work with broader Azure services (beyond Entra ID and DNS) to support identity integrations across cloud environments.
• Scripting & Automation - Ability to use tools like PowerShell to automate identity, AD, DNS, and GPO tasks to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Identity Governance & Administration (IGA) Tools - Ability to work with identity governance platforms and workflows to support lifecycle automation, attestation, and compliance.
• Hybrid Identity Architecture - Ability to design and support hybrid identity environments that integrate on-premise AD with cloud identity platforms.
• Network Infrastructure Awareness - Ability to understand related network components (firewalls, VLANs, routing) that affect IAM and DNS performance and security.

If you are excited about this role and meet the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Desired qualifications reflect additional knowledge, skills, or experience that are nice to have but not required. Studies have shown that some applicants, especially women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging, and we welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and unique perspectives.
Supplemental Information
Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit
Our Commitment to DEIR

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology's work.
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Application Process

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply

Click "Apply" at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:

• Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• Resume

Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see resume" may be considered incomplete.
For detailed application information, please visit our
Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Need an Accommodation?

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:

• Please contact us at or
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Senthil Masilamani at
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at

About the Information Technology Security Services Office

The Information Technology Services Office's (ITSO) mission is to create and support useful technology services that adapt for the future and support Ecology's mission.

The Security Team's mission is to guide Ecology in securing evolving technologies to meet business needs in an increasingly dynamic threat landscape. We accomplish this by utilizing a risk-based and proactive approach in a collaborative environment.

Team values:

• Expertise/Excellence: Encompasses the team's commitment to high standards in cybersecurity knowledge and practice.
• Innovative and Forward-Thinking: Combining innovation with a forward-thinking approach to stay at the forefront of security concepts.
• Risk-Based and Proactive Strategy: Reflects a focus on identifying and managing risks proactively.
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning: Emphasizing the importance of evolving and learning in a rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape.
• Transparency and Customer Focus: Underscores the importance of being transparent in operations and centered on customer needs.
• Collaboration: Emphasizes the importance of working together within the team and with customers to achieve more comprehensive and effective cybersecurity outcomes.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington's environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington's environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following: , , *, *, , , & , , , , , , , *Click here for more information
To learn more about Ecology, please visit our , explore , check out our , and connect with us on , , , , or our
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.
#LI-DNP

#LI-Hybrid
More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in , an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026
01

How did you hear about this job?

• Community Based Organization
• Community / Technical College
• Ecology Employee
• Ecology Recruiter
• Ecology Jobs Page
• Facebook
• Job Board
• Job Fair
• LinkedIn
• Newspaper
• Other State Agency
• Other Website
• Professional Association
• Twitter
• University Job Board
• WorkSource
• Other

02

If you selected Community Based Organization, Community / Technical College, Job Board, Job Fair, LinkedIn Group, Newspaper, Other State Agency, Other Website, Professional Association, University Job Board, WorkSource, or Other, please share which one.
03

Have you ever worked for the Department of Ecology in any capacity including: Permanent, Non-Permanent, Project, Intern, or Volunteer?

• Yes
• No

04

How many years of experience do you have related to the duties of this position? Please include any experience gained through employment, internships, and/or volunteer positions. Note that experience gained from academic coursework, class projects, or other degree requirements is assessed in later questions.

• One year
• Two years
• Three years
• Four years
• Five years
• Six years
• Seven or more years
• None of the above

05

What is your level of education?

• 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits
• 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate's degree)
• 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Ph.D.
• None of the above

06

If you have college credits or a degree, please list your major(s) or field(s) of study and any degree(s) earned. If you don't have this education, put N/A.
07

Please provide an example of a time you identified and analyzed a complex identity, directory, or DNS-related issue. What steps did you take to evaluate risks and determine a solution? If you do not have direct experience, enter N/A, or describe a similar analytical decision you've made in another technical area.
08

Please describe your ability to apply and enforce security policies, governance requirements, and best practices in identity, directory, or DNS environments.

• None - No experience applying security or governance requirements.
• Foundational - I understand basic security concepts and can follow documented policies.
• Intermediate - I regularly apply and uphold security requirements in technical tasks.
• Advanced - I interpret policies, implement controls, and ensure compliance across systems.
• Expert - I develop, refine, or advise on security policies and translate them into operational practices.

09

Please rate your experience managing identity lifecycles, authentication methods, and permission structures.

• None - No experience with access-control or identity processes.
• Foundational - I can perform basic provisioning/deprovisioning with guidance.
• Intermediate - I manage identity lifecycles and permissions independently.
• Advanced - I design or refine role structures and ensure secure, efficient access control.
• Expert - I implement or oversee complex IAM frameworks involving multiple authentication and authorization models.

10

Please provide an example of a time you configured, maintained, or modernized an Active Directory or cloud directory. Describe the challenge, your approach, and the outcome. If you have not done this directly, describe a similar experience in another directory or large-scale identity system. If you do not have this experience, please enter N/A.
11

Please describe your experience designing, implementing, or troubleshooting system-wide policy configurations such as GPOs or comparable configuration-management tools.

• None - No experience with GPOs or policy automation tools.
• Foundational - I can apply basic GPOs or follow existing templates.
• Intermediate - I create and troubleshoot GPOs to support standard configurations.
• Advanced - I design and maintain complex GPO architectures across diverse environments.
• Expert - I architect enterprise-wide policy frameworks and resolve high-impact GPO conflicts or failures.

12

Please describe your proficiency with DNS administration and architecture.

• None - No DNS experience.
• Foundational - I understand DNS basics and can make simple changes.
• Intermediate - I manage DNS zones and troubleshoot common issues.
• Advanced - I design, secure, and maintain DNS infrastructure across multiple environments.
• Expert - I architect complex DNS environments and resolve high-impact or systemic DNS failures.

13

Please describe your experience maintaining system reliability through patching, performance monitoring, or disaster recovery planning.

• None - No experience maintaining or monitoring systems.
• Foundational - I can install updates and follow basic maintenance procedures.
• Intermediate - I independently maintain systems and address routine issues.
• Advanced - I implement monitoring, plan continuity strategies, and address complex operational risks.
• Expert - I design and oversee disaster recovery, continuity plans, or large-scale maintenance strategies for critical systems.

14

If you feel you have not already demonstrated your proficiency in the required competencies elsewhere in your application, you are encouraged to use this space to provide any additional details that help illustrate your experience and capabilities in the areas listed below. While this question is optional, providing clear evidence of your competence in these fields will strengthen your application.Please share any additional information that further demonstrates your proficiency in the following required competencies:1. Critical Thinking & Decision-Making - Proven track record evaluating risks, analyzing complex IAM, AD, DNS, and GPO issues, and making informed decisions to maintain secure and stable operations.2. Security & Compliance - Demonstrated ability to apply and uphold security policies, governance requirements, and best practices to maintain compliant and secure identity, directory, and DNS environments.3. Identity & Access Management Administration - Demonstrated ability to manage identity lifecycles, authentication, permissions, and roles to ensure secure and efficient access control.4. Active Directory & Entra ID Management - Proven track record configuring, maintaining, modernizing, and troubleshooting AD and Azure Entra ID to ensure reliable identity and directory services.5. Group Policy Architecture & Management - Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot GPOs to enforce secure configurations and agency-wide standards.6. DNS Administration & Architecture - Proven track record designing, implementing, securing, and troubleshooting on-premise and cloud DNS services to ensure accurate and reliable name resolution.7. System Maintenance & Continuity Planning - Demonstrated ability to apply updates, monitor performance, and implement disaster recovery strategies to maintain secure and resilient IAM, AD, and DNS operations.
15

The State of Washington and the Department of Ecology, play a vital role in fostering a Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive, and Respectful (DEIR) workplace and contributing to equitable outcomes for the communities we serve. We view DEIR through a broad lens including: race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. We believe it is everyone's job to contribute to a DEIR workplace. What experiences have you had working with people whose backgrounds are very different from your own? What impact did those experiences have on how you worked?
16

I understand that Ecology does not use the E-Verify system and is unable to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT).

• Yes
• No

Required Question