Windows System Administrator

Vaco is hiring a Windows System Administrator for a direct hire opportunity in Cincinnati, Ohio, with one of our highly reputable clients.

This is a hands-on, well-rounded infrastructure role supporting a stable, enterprise environment. It offers the opportunity to work across a broad technology stack while partnering closely with an experienced Infrastructure Manager (this role reports directly to that position but does not include management responsibilities).

This is a 100% onsite position in Cincinnati. The role includes participation in an on-call rotation (approximately one week every four weeks), along with occasional after-hours maintenance support.

Role Overview

The System Administrator will support and maintain the organization’s core IT infrastructure, including Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, VMware, and related systems. This person will play a key role in day-to-day operations, troubleshooting, and ongoing infrastructure improvements.

We’re looking for a reliable, hands-on systems administrator who is comfortable working in production environments, can troubleshoot under pressure, and has an interest in improving systems through automation and best practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer and support Windows Server environments and core infrastructure systems to ensure performance, availability, and security
• Manage Active Directory, including users, groups, permissions, Group Policy, and related services
• Support Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Teams, licensing, user administration, troubleshooting)
• Maintain and support identity and access management solutions, including Active Directory, Entra ID, and Okta (SSO, MFA, provisioning)
• Support VMware vSphere environments (VMs, hosts, clusters, monitoring, troubleshooting)
• Assist with virtual desktop environments (VMware Horizon, Azure Virtual Desktop)
• Support backup, recovery, patching, and security processes
• Assist with storage administration, monitoring, and configuration
• Support Azure infrastructure (VMs, storage, networking, RBAC)
• Provide operational support for SQL Server environments (monitoring, job review, backup verification)
• Use PowerShell and automation tools to streamline processes and improve efficiency
• Respond to alerts and incidents, document work, and communicate status clearly
• Partner with vendors and internal teams on system upgrades, projects, and improvements

Required Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of system administration experience in an enterprise environment
• Strong experience with Windows Server and Active Directory
• Experience supporting Microsoft 365 / Office 365
• Hands-on experience with VMware vSphere
• Experience with backup/recovery processes and basic infrastructure security practices
• Experience with PowerShell or scripting for automation
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Willingness to participate in an on-call rotation (approximately one week every four weeks)
• Bachelor’s degree in IT or related field preferred (or equivalent experience)

Preferred Experience

• Identity and access management tools (Okta, SSO, MFA, ADCS, PKI)
• Experience with automation tools, APIs, or configuration management
• Exposure to monitoring/logging tools such as Zabbix or Sumo Logic
• Experience with Azure, AVD, FSLogix, enterprise storage, or SQL Server high availability

Ideal Candidate

This role is best suited for someone who is dependable, hands-on, and comfortable owning infrastructure support from start to finish. The ideal candidate is calm under pressure, communicates clearly, and takes pride in maintaining stable, secure systems while continuously improving the environment.