Senior Network & Systems Engineer

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Department: IT & Security Operations

Utilidata is a fast-growing NVIDIA-backed AI company enabling AI data centers to dynamically orchestrate power and unlock more compute capacity from existing energy infrastructure. For over a decade, we have applied AI to the electric grid — bringing real-time visibility and power-flow control to complex energy infrastructure. Our Karman platform, built on a custom NVIDIA module, brings that same capability to AI data centers, giving operators a way to better use the power already available to them.

The Senior Network & Systems Engineer is responsible for owning Tier 3 IT support, network infrastructure, and systems administration across Utilidata’s Ann Arbor headquarters and remote environments. This is a hands-on senior individual contributor role—not an architecture position—focused on resolving complex technical issues, maintaining reliable network and systems infrastructure, and supporting the security posture of the organization. This role enables the Director of IT & Security Operations to focus on strategic planning, policy implementation, and security governance, and ensures that R&D engineers can dedicate their time fully to product development. This position is based onsite at our company headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with flexibility for occasional remote work. Candidates will be expected to collaborate cross-functionally with remote teams based across the country.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Tier 3 escalation point for complex IT issues across networking, servers, endpoints, and identity systems
• Design, implement, and maintain LAN/WAN, wireless, firewall, and VPN infrastructure
• Manage network segmentation, VLAN configuration, routing protocols, and SD-WAN solutions
• Monitor network performance and system availability; proactively identify and resolve issues before they cause impact
• Troubleshoot and resolve advanced operating system, application, and infrastructure incidents
• Manage and maintain on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including servers, switches, and access control systems
• Provide on-site support for the Ann Arbor Innovation Lab, including rack-and-stack, cabling, and low-level hardware configuration
• Support data center operations including server provisioning, storage, and compute resource management relevant to Karman platform deployments
• Support security monitoring, incident detection, and alert triage in coordination with the Director of IT & Security Operations
• Assist with endpoint detection, log review, and vulnerability management within established security tooling
• Contribute to the development and enforcement of IT security policies and access control standards
• Support SOC coordination on security incident triage and response as needed
• Manage user onboarding and offboarding workflows including identity provisioning, access management, and device setup
• Absorb IT and administrative tasks currently managed by R&D engineers
• Support procurement, hardware asset lifecycle management, and inventory tracking
• Contribute to documentation of operational runbooks, network diagrams, troubleshooting guides, and system procedures
• Support change management processes, coordinating on network, firewall, and access control changes

Minimum Qualifications 

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in network engineering, IT infrastructure, or systems administration in production environments
• Deep networking expertise, including routing, switching, firewalls, VLANs, and network security
• Proven ability to resolve Tier 3 issues independently across network, server, and endpoint environments
• Experience supporting physical data center or lab environments, including low-level hardware support
• Solid understanding of system monitoring, log management, and troubleshooting methodologies
• Experience with identity and access management platforms (JumpCloud preferred)
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, small-team environment where scope evolves and self-direction is expected

Enhanced Qualifications (Nice to Have) 

• Security background or SOC familiarity; relevant certifications such as CCNA, CompTIA Security+, or CISSP are a plus
• Familiarity with security frameworks such as NIST, CIS benchmarks, or SOC 2 controls
• Experience with SIEM platforms (Splunk, Sentinel, or similar)
• Exposure to high-performance computing, AI infrastructure, or GPU-based systems
• Experience with configuration management or automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, or similar)
• Experience administering developer and infrastructure platforms such as GitHub, Tailscale, or NetBox

Salary Range: $125,000 to $155,000 base compensation depending on experience plus stock options. Salary will be commensurate with an individual's skills, training, years of experience, and in line with internal compensation bands.

Location: This position is based onsite at our company headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with flexibility for occasional remote work.

Our Commitments:
Utilidata values the diversity of our team. We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or childbirth, sexual orientation, genetics, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.

We are committed to:

• Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is welcoming, supportive, affirming and respectful
• Empowering employees to solve problems and work together to make a difference
• Providing mentorship and growth opportunities as part of a collaborative team
• A flexible work environment with flexible paid time off
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including health, dental, vision, and employer-match 401k