Job Summary
Lead Systems Engineer
Purdue University – West Lafayette, Indiana
Power innovation through technology at Purdue.
At Purdue, every system and service is part of something bigger — a world‑class university that drives discovery, learning, and progress. As a Lead Systems Engineer, you’ll shape the infrastructure that empowers thousands of students, faculty, and researchers to make their mark on the world.
What You’ll Do:
- Manage enterprise application systems with limited supervision, ensuring reliability and performance across databases, applications, and virtualization technologies
- Lead the installation, upgrade, and administration of enterprise infrastructure
- Gather, analyze, and maintain data on existing systems and applications to identify and implement functional improvements
- Provide leadership, coaching, and technical guidance to Systems Engineers; support their professional growth and technical development
- Oversee capacity management, forecasting, and service optimization to ensure efficient resource utilization
- Partner with the Architecture team to evaluate, plan, and implement both commercial and Purdue‑developed systems
- Lead integration efforts across major enterprise services and tools, driving standardization and innovation
- Serve as a technical consultant and problem‑solver for complex challenges, collaborating across IT teams to deliver creative, sustainable solutions
What You’ll Bring:
- Advanced technical expertise in enterprise systems administration and infrastructure management
- Strong leadership skills with experience mentoring or directing technical staff
- Strategic mindset with the ability to integrate new technologies into established environments
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across diverse technical teams
Why Purdue?
Your work as a Lead Systems Engineer directly impacts Purdue’s mission — enabling research breakthroughs, powering digital transformation, and ensuring a reliable foundation for innovation. Here, you’ll find a community of experts who share knowledge freely, challenge each other to think bigger, and celebrate progress together. Purdue offers competitive benefits, professional growth opportunities, and the chance to make a lasting difference through technology.
Join the team that builds what’s next for Purdue. Apply today to lead with purpose and power our connected campus.
This is a remote position.
What We're Looking For
Education and Experience Required:
- Bachelor's degree in computer technology, computer science or related technical field preferred
- At least six (6) years in progressively responsible experience in systems, applications, databases, web, or network administration
- Experience with developing, operationalizing, and maintaining infrastructure systems, software, and data structures required to support, manage, monitor, and automate complex applications
- Experience evaluating complex systems and underlying infrastructure at all layers including application, database, server, storage, and networking layers
- Experience managing projects
- Equivalent combination of education and experience will be accepted
Skills Needed:
- Expert knowledge of application functionality, operating systems, and foundational infrastructure architecture
- Ability to:
- understand and support multiple applications across supported areas
- manage multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment
- Understanding of best practices to secure data and processes from unauthorized access
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to:
- administer enterprise level services including version control systems, relational databases, web servers, or other complex applications
- analyze production problems, discover root causes, and implement fixes
- embrace and manage change
- troubleshoot difficult and sometimes complex technical issues
- explain technology issues and work progress to both technical and non-technical staff
- work independently with limited supervision on daily tasks and projects and to coordinate work of others
- interact with and influence a variety of customers, colleagues, and vendors to identify and resolve issues
Additional Information:
- Purdue University will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
- A background check will be required for employment in this position
- FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime)
- Retirement Eligibility: Immediate Defined Contribution by the university
- Benefit Statement: Purdue University offers a substantial Benefit Package including medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous paid time off package for sick and vacation days
Career Stream
Professional 4
- Pay Band S080
- Job Code #20003779
Career path maker: https://www.purdue.edu/hr/careerpathmaker/
Who We Are
Purdue is a community built on collaboration, with global perspectives, Boilermaker pride and endless opportunity to live, learn and grow. Join us and contribute to our culture.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Purdue University is an EOE employer.