We have ambitious plans, and we know the most critical step is building an incredible team that reflects the diverse fabric of our nation and embodies our values. Our team is made up of people who are equal parts dreamers and doers. We are people who care as much about how we achieve our goals as we do about the goals themselves. Our values drive our team and are instilled in the work this Foundation does every day. We are also committed to creating an anti-racist organization in order to do our part to help combat racism and inequity in all forms, in communities across our nation and around the world. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here.

Purpose of Role

Your primary responsibilities will be to own, administer and maintain Foundation networks and communications systems, both at staff office locations and at the Obama Presidential Center. The ideal candidate will have experience working in a professional network administration role, with a strong technical background, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills in order to thrive in a highly collaborative environment.

As the Network Systems Administrator, you’ll be reporting directly to the Lead Systems Administrator.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Work within the System Administration and IT teams as the primary owner and administrator of all IT network infrastructure across all Foundation offices and the Obama Presidential Center.

• Ensure Obama Presidential Center campus network systems are implemented and configured with industry best practices.

• Troubleshoot and apply break/fix problem-solving across network infrastructure, as needed.

• Maintain network equipment lifecycles and firmware upgrades.

• Coordinate with Foundation IT to implement and maintain new network or systems infrastructure, as needed.

• Implement and maintain IT systems and security policies across campus networks .

• Communicate effectively with IT staff and Foundation partners..

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Integrate with the IT and Systems Administration teams to take on a primary responsibility role for the overall health of the Campus Network at the Obama Presidential Center.

• Provide oversight and monitoring for the campus Wi-Fi systems to ensure a consistent experience for guests and staff.

• Coordinate with Foundation staff and events teams to provide accessible temporary/isolated networks for special events.

• Join the current Systems Administration team as part of an on-call rotation supporting the Obama Presidential Center.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience working in network administration or similar field

• 3+ years of experience working with enterprise networking equipment, including switches, access points, firewalls, and SD-WAN devices.

• Professional knowledge of network concepts relating to LAN, WAN, remote access, VPNs, NAT, firewalls, etc..

• Experience maintaining a geographically large wireless network and the associated access points and network equipment.

• Familiarity with cybersecurity principles and industry best practices, for both end-user devices and internal systems/infrastructure.

• Strong background in troubleshooting for IT and network systems.

Bonus Qualifications

• CCNA or equivalent certifications (we utilize Cisco equipment heavily).

• Familiarity with virtualization systems and hypervisors (VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox etc).

• Familiarity with DNS and DHCP administration and its implementation within a LAN.

• Prior experience implementing and administering LAN in large-scale public spaces (Museums, Cultural Centers, Libraries, etc).

• Experience with High Availability networking and spanning tree best practices.

The salary range for this role is between $68,685 and $85,871.

This is an onsite role based at our Chicago office.

Foundation Values

The Foundation Values are Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Obama Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Foundation is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.