Systems Engineer - Cloud & Infrastructure

Overview & Benefits

Oakland County is more than just a workplace. It is a place where you can make a real difference. As one of Michigan’s leading public service organizations, we are committed to strengthening communities, delivering essential services, and improving the quality of life for nearly 1.3 million residents.

When you join our team, you become part of a mission-driven workforce guided by integrity, innovation, and a passion for public service. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to do meaningful work that matters. Apply today and help shape the future of Oakland County, where we are All Ways Moving Forward.

For more information about Oakland County benefits and employee perks, please visit:

https://www.oakgov.com/government/human-resources/benefits/new-hire

General Summary

$109,529-$146,747

Hybrid Work Location

Waterford, MI

Ready to design and power modern cloud environments that support an entire community? We’re looking for a Systems Engineer with strong cloud expertise to help lead the evolution of our enterprise infrastructure across County and partner agencies.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement secure cloud and hybrid-cloud solutions across platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Windows Server Hybrid environments.
• Lead cloud migrations, workload modernization, and integration with on-prem systems (Active Directory, backup, monitoring, disaster recovery).
• Build scalable infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC), automation, and DevOps practices to standardize and accelerate deployments.
• Engineer and optimize cloud-based compute, storage, networking, identity, and security services with a focus on performance, cost management, and compliance.
• Conduct proofs-of-concept, evaluate emerging technologies, and influence enterprise standards.
• Strengthen security through audits, patching, system hardening, and collaboration with security teams.
• Provide leadership during projects and incident response—including participation in a shared on-call rotation.

Why You’ll Love It

• Make a real impact. Your cloud designs directly support public services across the County and partner communities.
• Modernize at scale. Drive automation, DevOps maturity, and hybrid-cloud strategy in a complex enterprise environment.
• Lead innovation. Evaluate and implement next-generation technologies—not just maintain legacy systems.
• Collaborate with purpose. Work alongside skilled technical teams, vendors, and leadership on meaningful initiatives.
• Grow your expertise. Expand your influence across cloud architecture, automation, security, and enterprise modernization.

If you're passionate about building resilient, secure, and automated cloud environments that serve an entire region, this is your opportunity to engineer infrastructure that truly matters

Minimum Qualifications

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Required Minimum Qualifications

• a. Possess a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.

b. Have had at least five (5) years of full‑time work experience in one or more of the following areas: Server administration applied to Servers using Microsoft Windows Operating System, server virtualization, and/or server hardware platforms, Software implementation and maintenance using Microsoft or virtualization products and technologies, storage administration, Microsoft Active Directory administration and/or Information Security; OR

• a. Possess an Associate’s degree or equivalent education from an accredited college or university in any major.

b. Have had at least seven (7) years of full-time work experience as specified in "1.b." above: OR

• a. Have had at least ten (10) years of full-time work experience as specified in “1.b.”

NOTE: Possession of the following training certificates will each substitute for six (6) months of the required experience:

• Windows Server Hybrid
• AWS Solutions Architect Associate
• VMware Certified Professional

Additional Desirable Qualifications

• Experience deploying and maintaining IAC, DevOps, and configuration management technologies.
• Considerable knowledge of operating system software and an ability to apply systems analysis and programming techniques to maintain a high level of system performance.
• Considerable ability to exercise mature judgment and initiative in analyzing problems and recommending solutions.
• Considerable ability to coordinate vendor and technical staff efforts in preparation for hardware and software changes.
• Considerable ability to evaluate and report on operating and network system software capabilities, requirements, and potential problems in a timely manner.
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to utilize current word processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail and Internet software.
• Reasonable knowledge of communications software and communications control equipment. Microsoft certification, VMware certification, AWS certification.
• Reasonable knowledge of Active Directory administration, including logging into trusted domains and adding or removing servers from domains, as well as managing internal and external DNS.
• Reasonable knowledge of networking concepts, including OSI layers 2–5 and a general understanding of VLANs, NATs, and Routing.

CLOUD FOCUS

• Designs, implements, and maintains cloud and hybrid-cloud infrastructure solutions in alignment with County standards and security requirements. Applies knowledge of public, private, and hybrid cloud platforms to support scalable, resilient, and secure services. Evaluates cloud services and designs for suitability, cost effectiveness, performance, and compliance.
• Implements and administers cloud-based compute, storage, networking, identity, and security services. Integrates cloud platforms with on-premises infrastructure, including directory services, monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery solutions. Develops and maintains cloud design documentation, standards, and operational procedures.
• Performs migration planning and execution for workloads transitioning to cloud or hybrid environments.
• Monitors cloud resource utilization and performance, identifies optimization opportunities, and recommends improvements related to cost management, scalability, and reliability. Collaborates with security and compliance teams to ensure cloud solutions meet County policies and regulatory requirements.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

On project or incident handling basis, may direct the technical activities of one or more team members. Due to the 24/7 nature of the work, provides System Administration Team supervision in the absence of the Chief or Supervisor of Systems Administration.

Essential Job Functions

• Performs complex installation and configuration of hardware, operating systems, and applications, including new models of existing equipment, and new technologies to the County environment. Develops installation and configuration procedures.
• Thoroughly proficient in system administration for more than one system / technology. Under general direction, performs system administration tasks on one or more systems / technologies.
• Applies in-depth knowledge of many product(s) / technologies to design effective solutions for moderate to complex system needs. Identifies flaws and needs in the current environment and team member plans and designs, and develops solutions. Works with third party vendors to validate plans and designs, which may be reviewed by more senior team members as needed.
• Applies product or environment knowledge to create technical reference documentation to be used by team members. Validates product, procedural, and/or referential documentation for team members. Recommends a product from a group of products within a technology for standards adoption based on knowledge, experience, and evaluation. Evaluates and recommends new technologies for implementation.
• Reports virus and intrusion incidents using the County's forms and procedures. Appropriately classifies data and follows data handling procedures.
• Properly fills out and handles security and system administration forms and/or documentation. Performs audits of systems to validate security controls and procedures. Develops controls and/or security designs for handling sensitive data. Implements appropriate controls for handling sensitive data.
• Provides timely project updates to project manager; including task level information (status, ETC, duration, and start and completion dates), issues, and scope changes. Works with the project manager to estimate task durations and effort for new projects and develops the work breakdown structure by defining tasks, milestones, and dependencies. Uses Clarity to manage project documentation. Appropriately tracks time to tasks. Notifies project manager of issues with time tracking.
• Authors team documentation, including forms, templates, and examples for team members. Develops detailed technical documentation that is clear, concise, and accurate. Develops documents with proper sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. Reviews team member documentation for clarity and quality.
• Develops simple to complex presentations pulling data from multiple sources to communicate information and persuade audience members. Presents materials within and outside of the team. Presents technical information with ease, and includes audience participation, along with question and answer time.
• Contacts vendors to obtain resources, equipment, and/or pricing, as well as initiate or follow-up on incidents.
• Applies patches and upgrades, and performs hardware maintenance on County standard system components.
• Monitors problem management system for assigned incidents. Regularly updates problem management system incidents. Appropriately reassigns problem management system incidents.
• Under general direction or independently, executes test scripts, documents results, and escalates issues as needed. Participates in the development of or independently develops test scripts. Designs, installs, and configures complex infrastructure systems, including operating systems, virtualization, storage, and backup platforms.
• Participates in the development of test plans providing input in at least one of the following categories: test goals, test cases, test environment, test schedule, test resources, test process, and test measurements. With participation from team members, authors test plans covering the following categories: test goals, test cases, test environment, test schedule, test resources, test process, and test measurements.
• Performs problem analysis of identified outages of a routine nature, and usually identifies the root cause, using a variety of diagnostic tools and methods for routine and moderately complex, and problems. Resolves problems by performing established corrective action procedures and resolves problems not correctable by established procedures.
• Evaluates new technologies through research and proofs-of-concept, contributing to standards development and modernization efforts.
• Utilizes performance management tools to analyze data, identify trends, and identify performance problems, and recommend / specify performance thresholds. Identifies, evaluates, and specifies performance management tools for team use. Installs and configures performance management tools for optimal use.
• Leverages Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Desired State Configuration (DSC) to automate and standardize deployment processes. Integrates DevOps practices to improve system reliability and accelerate delivery of infrastructure solutions.
• Utilizes current countywide and/or department specific software to complete assignments.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

• Represents team in cross-team meetings providing input as needed.
• As necessary, contact customers to coordinate project tasks and incident handling.
• Interfaces with management on incidents, projects, and technology topics.
• Using existing training materials and/or developing new materials, mentors team members on many products, and/or procedures.
• Obtains purchasing estimates for services, equipment, and/or staffing for budgeting purposes, following the purchasing processes and chooses the appropriate course of action. May author Requests for Proposals, and may participate in the Request for Proposal process, including vendor selection.

Essential Mental & Physical Requirements

Ability to communicate to accurately convey information.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in a typical office environment.

Responds to urgent outages outside normal business hours as needed; may participate in a scheduled on-call rotation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The primary purpose of this job description is to set a fair and equitable salary range for this job classification. Generally, only those key duties necessary for proper job evaluation and/or labor market analysis have been included. Other duties and responsibilities will be assigned by the supervisor.

Additional Minimum Qualifications

Union*

BU101 - United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 889: Information Technology Non-Supv (UAW)

• If applicable

EEO Statement

We are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Inclusion Statement

Oakland County is committed to welcoming applicants from all backgrounds, including those with prior convictions, as we believe in providing equal opportunities for all. We value the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings to our team and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive, supportive workplace. If you have the skills and qualifications for the position, we encourage you to apply. All candidates are evaluated based on their ability to meet the job requirements, legal obligations and thrive in our organization. All ways, MOVING FORWARD.