Okay, I've searched for IT Systems Administrator roles in Boulder, CO, full-time positions requiring 5+ years of experience, focusing on Windows Server administration and network management skills. I have found 73 positions for you.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The IT Systems Administrator III role at CU Boulder’s LASP is designed for a seasoned professional responsible for maintaining and advancing a robust Windows system infrastructure essential to a top-tier research environment. Beyond routine day-to-day operational support, the position demands sophisticated problem-solving skills and deep technical expertise in areas such as Windows server management, networking (LAN/WAN), and security standards, reflecting the complexity and critical nature of supporting a high-stakes space science research community. This role involves leadership and mentorship responsibilities, indicating the need for strong interpersonal skills to guide junior administrators and student employees effectively. Active collaboration with IT leadership to shape future technology roadmaps suggests a strategic dimension where understanding institutional needs and balancing innovation with reliability are key challenges. Success here depends on vigilant maintenance of stable systems, proactive patch and upgrade scheduling, and an ability to quickly diagnose and resolve escalated problems, all while contributing to process documentation and continuous improvement initiatives. Candidates must be comfortable navigating ambiguities and complexities inherent in a research-driven, hybrid work environment, where occasional non-standard hours and physical tasks arise. Technical skills like PowerShell scripting, data center logistics, and knowledge of Microsoft 365, virtualization, and storage systems combine with excellent communication, documentation, and organizational abilities to enable smooth operations and progressive system enhancements. Thus, this position plays a pivotal role straddling hands-on technical execution, project leadership, and cross-team facilitation to sustain and evolve CU Boulder's critical IT infrastructure.

Company Analysis:

CU Boulder, specifically through its Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), occupies a prestigious position at the intersection of academia, research, and government-funded aerospace programs. As a well-established institution receiving substantial NASA funding, it blends scientific innovation with real-world engineering rigor. This creates a stimulating environment where technical excellence is paired with creativity and mentoring opportunities, particularly for students and early-career engineers. The culture appears intellectually ambitious but supportive, fostering productivity and diversity of experience. This dynamic yet structured environment suggests the IT Systems Administrator III role will require adaptability, resilience, and a collaborative mindset to work alongside scientists, engineers, and other IT professionals. The university’s commitment to equal opportunity and respectful, inclusive workplaces also signals an environment where interpersonal skills and cultural fit are priorities. The role likely holds moderate visibility within the IT department, contributing directly to mission-critical operations while supporting broad user communities on campus and in the laboratory. Strategically, this hire seems intended to fortify existing infrastructure resilience and scalability to support LASP’s expanding research ambitions, emphasizing continuous improvement and innovation within a traditional yet evolving academic setting. Therefore, succeeding here not only requires deep technical capabilities but also alignment with CU Boulder’s pioneering spirit and service-driven values.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you led a technical project that involved team members with varying levels of experience. How did you ensure successful collaboration and knowledge transfer?
• Behavioral: Describe an instance where you had to resolve a complex system outage or escalated incident under pressure. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?
• Behavioral: Can you give an example of a situation where you identified a process inefficiency within IT operations and how you drove change to improve it?
• Behavioral: Share how you have managed mentoring junior staff or student employees in a technical environment. What approaches did you find most effective?
• Technical: How would you approach planning and executing a large-scale Windows OS patch deployment across a mixed environment while minimizing downtime?
• Technical: Explain your experience with Microsoft Endpoint Management, including how you have used tools like Intune or MCM for device provisioning and patch management.
• Technical: What strategies do you use to troubleshoot and optimize network-related issues in a LAN/WAN environment supporting sensitive research data?
• Technical: Describe your familiarity with server virtualization and migration of physical servers to virtual machines. What key challenges did you face and how did you address them?
• Situational: Imagine a critical shared storage system goes offline during business hours impacting multiple users. How would you prioritize resolution steps and communicate with stakeholders?
• Situational: You receive conflicting requests from IT leadership and end users about rolling out a new service affecting the system infrastructure. How do you balance these demands and make a decision?
• Situational: A junior administrator escalates an issue you consider minor but affecting user experience. How do you handle the escalation and ensure continuous learning?
• Company Fit: What attracts you to working at CU Boulder's LASP, and how do you see your skills contributing to our mission-driven culture?
• Company Fit: CU Boulder values collaboration between engineers, scientists, and students. How would you cultivate effective communication and cooperation in such a multidisciplinary setting?
• Company Fit: How do your personal values about diversity, equity, and inclusion align with CU Boulder's commitment to creating a respectful workplace?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does the IT Systems Administrator III role contribute to strategic IT initiatives at LASP over the next 3–5 years?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe the typical team structure and the level of cross-department collaboration I would engage in?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are some current or upcoming technology challenges that this position will need to address soon after onboarding?