Job Description – Windows L3 System Administrator (Terraform & Cloud Automation)
Job Summary
The Windows L3 System Administrator is responsible for advanced administration, engineering, automation, and support of enterprise Windows Server environments across on-premises and cloud platforms. This role serves as the highest technical escalation point for Windows infrastructure, driving automation through Terraform, supporting cloud-native deployments, ensuring platform stability, and leading complex troubleshooting, migration, and modernization initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide L3-level support for Microsoft Windows Server environments (2016, 2019, 2022 and later versions).
- Act as the final escalation point for complex Windows OS, Active Directory, and infrastructure-related incidents.
- Design, deploy, and maintain highly available Windows server infrastructures.
- Develop and manage Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform.
- Create and maintain reusable Terraform modules for cloud and on-premise infrastructure deployments.
- Automate server provisioning, configuration, and infrastructure lifecycle management.
- Support Microsoft Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, DFS, and Windows Failover Clustering.
- Lead Windows OS upgrades, patching, security remediation, and lifecycle management activities.
- Implement and support cloud infrastructure on Azure and AWS using Terraform and automation tools.
- Administer virtualization platforms including VMware and Hyper-V.
- Perform performance tuning, capacity planning, and system optimization.
- Manage enterprise backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions.
- Troubleshoot server, storage, networking, and application-related issues.
- Collaborate with application, database, network, cloud, and security teams on infrastructure solutions.
- Drive security hardening initiatives and ensure compliance with corporate and regulatory requirements.
- Lead Major Incident Management (MIM), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Problem Management activities.
- Develop automation using PowerShell, Terraform, and other enterprise automation tools.
- Mentor L1/L2 engineers and contribute to SOPs, standards, and knowledge management.
- Participate in 24x7 on-call support and planned maintenance activities.
Required Skills & Experience
- 8–10+ years of enterprise Windows Server administration experience.
- Strong expertise in:
- Windows Server 2016/2019/2022
- Active Directory (AD)
- Group Policy (GPO)
- DNS and DHCP
- Windows Failover Clustering
- Hands-on experience with Terraform for Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
- Experience developing and managing Terraform modules, state files, and remote backends.
- Strong PowerShell scripting and automation experience.
- Experience with VMware and/or Hyper-V virtualization platforms.
- Strong troubleshooting skills across server, OS, networking, and storage layers.
- Experience with patch management, vulnerability remediation, and security hardening.
- Knowledge of Azure and AWS infrastructure services.
- Experience with enterprise backup and disaster recovery solutions.
- Hands-on experience with ServiceNow or similar ITSM platforms.
- Strong understanding of networking concepts including TCP/IP, DNS, routing, load balancing, and firewall fundamentals.
- Experience supporting 24x7 mission-critical production environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate.
- HashiCorp Terraform Associate Certification.
- Azure Administrator (AZ-104) or Azure Solutions Architect certification.
- AWS SysOps Administrator certification.
- VMware VCP certification.
- Experience with Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI/CD.
- Experience with Ansible, PowerShell DSC, or other automation frameworks.
- Knowledge of container platforms such as AKS or Windows Containers.
- ITIL Foundation Certification.
Professional Attributes
- Strong ownership and accountability mindset.
- Excellent troubleshooting and analytical abilities.
- Ability to manage critical incidents under pressure.
- Strong verbal, written, and stakeholder communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively across infrastructure, application, and cloud teams.
- Strong documentation and process governance skills.
- Passion for automation, platform modernization, and continuous improvement.
- Team-oriented attitude with mentoring and knowledge-sharing capabilities.