What does a System Administrator do?

System Administrators organize, install and support an organization's computer systems. These include local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and other data communication systems such as intranets or internet cafes within their company.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a Systems Administrators?

System Administrators are responsible for managing, troubleshooting and proactively updating hardware and software assets to prevent downtime or zero-day exploits from occurring.

What makes a good Systems Administrators?

A good System Administrator must have excellent communication skills since they work directly with employees across an organization to understand their needs and ensure all employees can work as efficiently as possible. They also need a strong technical understanding of information systems to address issues that arise across the organization.

Who does a System Administrator work with?

Though firms in the computer industry employ many System Administrators, they also work across all industries. Some may work for financial companies, while others work in hospitals or local government offices. System Administrators work alongside IT Analysts to further understand the technology they manage.

System Administrator job description

A System Administrator is a professional who plays an integral role in maintaining organizational policies to ensure the integrity of their network and computer systems.

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Nikoletta Bika

Nikoletta holds an MSc in HR management and has written extensively about all things HR and recruiting.

Refreshed on

February 5, 2022

Reviewed by

Eftychia Karavelaki

Senior Recruitment Manager

This System Administrator job description template is optimized for posting to online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company.

System Administrator responsibilities include:

Installing and configuring software, hardware and networks
Monitoring system performance and troubleshooting issues
Ensuring security and efficiency of IT infrastructure

system administrator job description

Job brief

We are looking for a System Administrator to maintain, upgrade and manage our software, hardware and networks.

Resourcefulness is a necessary skill in this role. You should be able to diagnose and resolve problems quickly. You should also have the patience to communicate with a variety of interdisciplinary teams and users.

Your goal will be to ensure that our technology infrastructure runs smoothly and efficiently.

Responsibilities

Install and configure software and hardware
Manage network servers and technology tools
Set up accounts and workstations
Monitor performance and maintain systems according to requirements
Troubleshoot issues and outages
Ensure security through access controls, backups and firewalls
Upgrade systems with new releases and models
Develop expertise to train staff on new technologies
Build an internal wiki with technical documentation, manuals and IT policies

Requirements and skills

Proven experience as a System Administrator, Network Administrator or similar role
Experience with databases, networks (LAN, WAN) and patch management
Knowledge of system security (e.g. intrusion detection systems) and data backup/recovery
Ability to create scripts in Python, Perl or other language
Familiarity with various operating systems and platforms
Resourcefulness and problem-solving aptitude
Excellent communication skills
BSc/Ba in Information Technology, Computer Science or a related discipline; professional certification (e.g. Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)) is a plus

Frequently asked questions

What does a System Administrator do?: System Administrators organize, install and support an organization's computer systems. These include local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and other data communication systems such as intranets or internet cafes within their company.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a Systems Administrators?: System Administrators are responsible for managing, troubleshooting and proactively updating hardware and software assets to prevent downtime or zero-day exploits from occurring.

What makes a good Systems Administrators?: A good System Administrator must have excellent communication skills since they work directly with employees across an organization to understand their needs and ensure all employees can work as efficiently as possible. They also need a strong technical understanding of information systems to address issues that arise across the organization.

Who does a System Administrator work with?: Though firms in the computer industry employ many System Administrators, they also work across all industries. Some may work for financial companies, while others work in hospitals or local government offices. System Administrators work alongside IT Analysts to further understand the technology they manage.

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