Senior MES Infrastructure & Systems Administrator

Senior MES Infrastructure & Systems Administrator

USDM Life Sciences is a premier consulting company with 20+ years of experience assisting heavily regulated biotech, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies with their GxP technologies to accelerate growth. Our deep domain knowledge and technology expertise in life sciences business processes set us apart. From strategy to implementation and adoption, we have delivered thousands of GxP projects globally.

The Senior Systems Administrator for MES is the technical expert responsible for managing the entire IT infrastructure stack that supports 24/7 manufacturing operations—from the physical hardware (Cisco UCS) and virtualization layer (VMware) to core network services (AD) and application delivery (Citrix). A critical component of this role is the design, implementation, and management of backup and disaster recovery solutions to guarantee data integrity and minimize downtime in a highly regulated environment.

• Backup & Disaster Recovery Management
  • Design, implement, monitor, and manage enterprise backup solutions (e.g., Veeam, Commvault, Dell EMC Avamar) for all virtualized and physical servers supporting the MES environment.
  • Develop, test, and maintain disaster recovery plans and procedures to ensure data recoverability and business continuity objectives (RPO/RTO) are met for all critical MES data and systems.
  • Ensure data integrity and compliance with GxP regulations regarding data archival, retention policies, and audit trails.
• Infrastructure Management (VMware & Cisco UCS)
  • Design, implement, and maintain highly available VMware vSphere infrastructure and Cisco UCS hardware to ensure optimal performance and scalability for MES applications.
• Core Services Administration (Windows Server & AD)
  • Administer Windows Server OS, Active Directory (AD‑DS), GPOs, DNS, and DHCP services, ensuring secure and compliant operations within the manufacturing domain.
• Application Delivery (Citrix)
  • Manage the Citrix environment (Virtual Apps/Desktops) for secure and efficient delivery of the MES application to plant floor workstations and remote users.
• MES Support
  • Provide expert‑level troubleshooting (Tier 3/4) for infrastructure issues impacting the MES platform, collaborating with application owners and vendors.
• Compliance and Documentation
  • Ensure all system changes and operations comply with regulatory standards (FDA, GxP).
  • Maintain detailed technical documentation, including backup configurations, DR plans, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Performs other related duties and assignments as required.

• 5+ years of experience in systems administration within a production/manufacturing environment. Prior experience supporting an MES (e.g., Siemens, Emerson) is highly desirable.
• Expert knowledge of enterprise backup software (e.g., Veeam Backup & Replication, Dell EMC Avamar) and related storage targets (SAN, NAS, Cloud, e.g., Tintri, HP Storage).
• Deep knowledge of vSphere, ESXi, vCenter, and Cisco UCS hardware management.
• Expert knowledge of Windows Server OS, Active Directory, GPO, DNS, and DHCP.
• Proficiency with Citrix Virtual Apps/Desktops and application virtualization technologies.
• Working knowledge of Cisco switches (Layer 2/3 configurations, VLAN management), wireless access points, and basic voice gateway troubleshooting.

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Systems or related field.

Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer in an environmentally controlled home office environment. Operate other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, scanner, or printer. Frequently communicate with stakeholders via telephone, email, or instant message. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

USDM Life Sciences is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a…