Senior Systems Administrator at benchsci

BenchSci is looking for a Senior Systems Administrator who combines strong technical depth with a genuine passion for delivering a great employee technology experience. You’ll help design, improve, and secure the systems that support our global workforce, and take equal pride in ensuring they're reliable and practical for people to use every day. This role is well-suited for someone who is ready to take on broader technical ownership while continuing to deepen their architectural and leadership skills. You’ll partner closely with IT leadership and the business to scale our evolving environment thoughtfully while remaining visible, approachable, and engaged in day-to-day support where it matters most. This is a hands-on senior role for someone who enjoys solving complex technical problems, improving systems at scale, and showing up for employees when they need help. We are welcoming applicants in the GTA for this position. Please note that this role will require a minimum of 2 days in-office at BenchSci’s Toronto headquarters office, with some flexibility required based on business needs. How We Work: AI-First by Design BenchSci is an AI-first organization, and this mindset shapes how we build systems, solve problems, and scale our operations. Within IT, we actively use AI to improve diagnostics, automate workflows, enhance documentation, and make better technical decisions faster. In this role, you’ll be expected to thoughtfully leverage AI tools as part of your daily work, from troubleshooting and scripting to system design and process improvement, and to help identify new ways AI can improve reliability, service quality, and employee experience across our environment. We’re not just experimenting with AI; we’re operationalizing it. Candidates who are curious, pragmatic, and excited about using AI to level up how IT works will thrive here. Pay range: $100,000 - 115,000 We know compensation is an important part of choosing your next role. The range shown reflects our target hiring range, informed by market data, internal equity, and the role’s current scope. Often the mid-range is where we tend to fall, but individual offers may vary based on experience, skills, and the role scope. What You’ll Do: • Technical Leadership & Growth • Act as a senior technical escalation point for complex systems, identity, and infrastructure issues • Partner with IT leadership on infrastructure planning, tool selection, and architecture decisions • Mentor and support other IT team members, helping raise the overall technical bar • Balance hands-on execution with forward-looking improvements, automation, and reliability initiatives • System Design & Automation • Use AI-assisted tools and workflows to accelerate automation, improve reliability, and reduce manual operational effort • Design and implement automation for user provisioning, device setup, patching, and compliance reporting • Build and maintain integrations between SaaS tools using APIs, scripting, and workflow automation platforms (e.g., Okta Workflows, Zapier, etc). • Improve self-service and ticketing workflows (Foqal) to reduce manual effort and increase reliability • Manage endpoint lifecycle and configuration using tools like JAMF and Microsoft In tune • Identity, Security & Compliance • Help evolve our identity and access management environment (Okta, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Entra) with a focus on automation, security, and scalability • Strengthen authentication and authorization practices, including SAML, SCIM, and OIDC integrations • Contribute to endpoint security, vulnerability remediation, and systems hardening efforts using CrowdStrike, threat detection, and event monitoring and alerting • Partner with Security and Compliance teams on audits, evidence collection, and control implementation • Networking & Infrastructure • Support and troubleshoot Meraki network infrastructure, VPNs, VLANs, and firewall configurations • Monitor performance and reliability across various systems, addressing issues proactively • Participate in cloud and hybrid infrastructure initiatives as the environment grows • Employee IT Experience & Support • Stay actively involved in IT support tickets, providing high-quality, timely support and setting the standard for service excellence • Support employees in the office with hardware setup, troubleshooting, and day-to-day technology needs • Maintain and manage office hardware, conference room AV, and live stage production equipment to ensure a reliable in-office experience • Handle laptop provisioning, replacements, repairs, and inventory as part of a well-run hardware lifecycle program • Look for patterns in support issues and translate them into automation, documentation, or system improvements • Projects, Documentation & Operational Excellence • Lead IT projects from discovery through deployment, ensuring clear documentation and change management • Maintain accurate system documentation, runbooks/SOPs, and disaster recovery plans • Use metrics and post-incident reviews to continuously improve reliability, service quality, and employee experience What We’re Looking For: • You have: • 4+ years of experience in systems administration, IT infrastructure, or a related role • Experience with identity and access management (Okta or similar) • Basic scripting or automation skills (Bash, PowerShell, Python, etc.) • Experience supporting macOS and Windows environments at scale • Familiarity with MDM tools (JAMF, Intune), SaaS integrations, and endpoint security • A solid understanding of networking fundamentals • Comfort working in regulated or compliance-aware environments (SOC 2, ISO, etc.) • You’re someone who: • Takes pride in delivering a great employee support experience, not just closing tickets • Enjoys being visible and helpful to the people you support, especially in the office • Thinks in systems, but cares deeply about the human impact of technology • Communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical partners Uses AI tools thoughtfully to improve troubleshooting, automation, and decision-making • Is excited to grow into broader technical leadership and architectural responsibility Why Join the IT Team @ BenchSci • At BenchSci, IT is a strategic partner, and also a human one. You’ll help shape how systems are built and how employees experience technology every day. You’ll join a collaborative, high-trust team that values automation, documentation, security, and service in equal measure, and you’ll have meaningful ownership from day one. Benefits and Perks:  * A great compensation package that includes BenchSci equity options * A robust  vacation policy plus an additional vacation day every year * Company closures for 14 more days throughout the year * Flex time for sick days, personal days, and religious holidays * Comprehensive health and dental benefits * Annual learning & development budget * A one-time home office set-up budget to use upon joining BenchSci * An annual lifestyle spending account allowance * Generous parental leave benefits with a top-up plan or paid time off options * The ability to save for your retirement coupled with a company match! About BenchSci: BenchSci's mission is to exponentially increase the speed and quality of life-saving research and development. We empower scientists to run more successful experiments with the world's most advanced, biomedical artificial intelligence software platform.  Backed by Generation Investment Management, TCV, Inovia, F-Prime, Golden Ventures, and Google's AI fund, Gradient Ventures, we provide an indispensable tool for scientists that accelerates research at top pharmaceutical companies and leading academic centers. Our Culture: Our culture fosters transparency, collaboration, and continuous learning.  We value each other's differences and always look for opportunities to embed equity into the fabric of our work. We foster diversity, autonomy, and personal growth, and provide resources to support motivated self-leaders in continuous improvement.  You will work with high-impact, highly skilled, and intelligent experts motivated to drive impact and fulfill a meaningful mission. We empower you to unleash your full potential, do your best work, and thrive. Here you will be challenged to stretch yourself to achieve the seemingly impossible.  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: We're committed to creating an inclusive environment where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We believe that improving diversity, equity and inclusion is our collective responsibility, and this belief guides our DEI journey.  Learn more about our DEI initiatives. Accessibility Accommodations: Should you require any accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs. Please reach out to [Upgrade to PRO to see contact].