Position Overview

Our Senior IT / System Administrators & Network Engineers hold a wealth of knowledge regarding complex LAN and WAN network infrastructure. They are able to provide the highest level of network system maintenance and support and are expected to have leading-class knowledge of hardware, software, networking, and security. A Senior Systems & Network Engineer should have years of experience working in the field and should have a strong background in customer service and team leadership. Individuals must possess excellent technical and troubleshooting skills and must also have outstanding personal skills as working closely with customers is imperative.

*Note: This position is generally not remote. We may consider select remote candidates who are located within Iowa. Candidates outside of Iowa will be required to relocate to the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Qualified Candidates Must:

Communicate effectively with customers on both a technical and non-technical level.
Work as part of a team as well as work unsupervised.
Strive to constantly learn new technology and devices.
Be motivated and self-managed.
Often travel to customer locations to directly work with customers and resolve issues on-site.

Common Duties and Tasks:

Identify, propose, design, and deliver appropriate infrastructure upgrades/projects for customers to enable a more productive, secure, and stable environment in line with best-in-class IT practices.
Meet with new customers to discuss their challenges and goals, and work with them to develop plans to address those challenges and to reach their goals, while still maintaining secure baselines and adhering to best practices.
Design complex LAN and WAN infrastructure
Install, configure, repair, maintain, troubleshoot, and diagnose PCs, servers, virtualization infrastructure, network switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, network software, VLANs, VPNs, and nearly any high-level issue that may occur in the enterprise.
Respond to network alerts and customer issues to remediate issues in an efficient manner.
Expediently answer customer calls, diagnose issues, respond quickly, and complete the service loop.
Work with Level 2 Computer Network Technician to determine server and other equipment specifications for customer projects.
Specify accurate time and material requirements for large-scale customer projects such as facility expansions and virtualization implementations.
Design and implementation of new Windows Server-based infrastructure
Management, deployment, and troubleshooting of Active Directory and Group Policies.
Management, deployment, and troubleshooting of varied email systems, such as Office 365.
Detailed troubleshooting of email flow issues, where a strong knowledge of DNS is required.
Carefully organize customer documentation through project lifecycles.
Service auditing, for example:
- Periodically validating backups are configured to back up all data on all volumes, at specified intervals, and to all appropriate media.
- Periodically validating firewall rules do not allow unnecessary traffic inbound or outbound.
- Periodically validating that all machines on the network meet the specified baseline security settings.
Test and implement new technologies for in-house as well as customer facilities.
Implement monitoring and automation for various systems using in-house and third-party platforms.
LAN and WAN design, including implementation of VLANs and VPNs.

Required Competencies:

Server operating systems, up to Windows Server 2025
Microsoft Active Directory, including group policies
DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, as well as other protocols
DNSSEC, SPF, DMARC, DKIM
Ethernet, VLANs, VPNs, switching, and routing
Wireless networking 802.11ac/ax/be
Server virtualization using VMWare, vCenter, and ESXi
NAS devices, security, and configuration
Physical network infrastructure, including cabling standards

Helpful Competencies:

Thorough understanding of Microsoft SQL, Microsoft Exchange / Office 365, Microsoft Teams
SAN (Storage Area Networks), iSCSI, SAN management, LUN configuration & management (Dell PowerStore / HPE Alletra)
Scripting for the purposes of automation, such as through PowerShell, batch files, VBScript
Knowledge of RMM products such as ConnectWise and Kaseya
Exposure to containerization Docker, Portainer, Kubernetes, or LXC
Other tier-1 hypervisors such as Hyper-V, Proxmox, etc.
Backup platforms such as Veeam or Datto

Helpful Certifications:

Cisco CCNA/CCNP/CCDA/CCSP/CCIE
CompTIA Net+
CompTIA Security+
Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert
Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate
VMware Certified Professional

Perks Include:

Work in a fun, team environment
Professional development and training opportunities
Gain crucial experience with a variety of real-world projects
Learn from respected industry experts on best practices
Unlimited Coffee
Conveniently located near Highway 71

Extensive Benefits:

Employer-paid health insurance contribution
Medical (cafeteria) plan
Paid Individual Life, Dental, Vision, and Long-Term Disability coverage
Paid Vacation time
Paid Holidays
Paid Time Off (PTO) sick days and personal days
Jury duty and bereavement benefits
Allowance for use of personal cell phone.
Performance-based bonuses
401K Match
Health savings and flexing spending options
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Coverage
Voluntary Life Insurance (Additional Coverage Options)
Additional coverage options to include spouses and families

About Us:

R & D Industries, Inc. (RDI) is a 41-year-old Iowa technology corporation. RDI has been previously honored with the Iowa Small Business Excellence Award and twice in Inc Magazine’s Inc-5000 as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the US.

RDI continues to be nationally and globally recognized for technology excellence.

In 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 RDI was recognized as one of the Top 500 MSPs in the US by CRN®. 2025 placed RDI in the Pioneer 250 for the third time and 2024's placement recognized RDI for the second time in the Security 100.
In 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 RDI was recognized in the MSP 501 – the IT channel's most prestigious global ranking of managed service and technology providers.

RDI delivers a wide range of technology-driven solutions, focusing on delivering exceptional value to its customers. 2024 marked the 40th Anniversary of RDI, this important milestone underscored RDI's steadfast commitment to its foundational principles: to Research, to Develop, and to Innovate (RDI). These principles guide the creation of highly effective solutions grounded in integrity and trust. RDI takes pride in its unwavering commitment to always 'Do the Right Thing' for our customers, employees, vendors, and resellers.

RDI is comprised of four primary corporate divisions:

Thinix® (Thinix.com) provides best-in-class managed technology solutions; Thinix furnishes a worldwide customer base with distinct business advantages by making technology simple, safe, and secure. Thinix specializes in deploying and managing FamilySafe® Guest WiFi networks, kiosks, and guest-use computers, Thinix AssuredSecurity® endpoint management, network monitoring and security, and high-availability Internet connectivity solutions coupled with a world-class, 24/7 technical support team and nationwide onsite installation and service team.

Akative® (Akative.com) Akative provides 4G LTE/5G data connectivity solutions, patented iStatus® monitoring, and multi-carrier services to customers throughout the United States and has over 55 million hours of connectivity uptime. Our mission is to help businesses stay online by delivering simple, robust Autonomous Connectivity™ solutions. Akative products are designed to help businesses work toward ZeroDowntime®.

RDIWorks® (RDIWorks.com) is a regional leader in the Midwest United States, providing IT consulting, network architecture/engineering, and managed services to businesses, government, healthcare, and education. RDIworks bolsters highly trained technicians and valued technology partners, such as Aruba Networks, Cisco, HPE, Dell, Nutanix, VMware, Microsoft, WatchGuard, and Datto.

Audio Engineering (AudioEngineering.com) is a professional audiovisual systems integration company with complete design, installation, and maintenance services. For over 40 years, we have provided award-winning A/V Systems in over 5,000 successful projects, 400 years of combined experience, 100+ certifications, and partnerships with the world's best equipment manufacturers. Our staff works directly with managers, end users, and architectural teams to engineer and install professional A/V systems for churches, performing arts, education, business, healthcare, government, and more.

RDI provides competitive pay, paid vacations, paid holidays, paid personal days, group health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, 401k retirement plan, and other benefits. RDI has offices in Milford and Ames. This is an excellent opportunity for the right individual to work in a growing, fun environment within one of the top technology companies in the region.

Join us and be a part of a special team right here in Iowa!

R & D Industries, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and proud supporter of the Home Base Iowa Initiative. For more details, see: HomeBaseIowa.gov

About Okoboji, IA:

R & D Industries (RDI) in Milford is located just minutes south of Okoboji and the Iowa Lakes Corridor — a place that allows for a balance in life. Living within the communities of the Iowa Lakes Corridor allows you to have it all. This area provides you with the ability to spend quality time with your friends and family while meeting your career objectives. Enjoy easy and scenic commutes, excellent schools with small class sizes, safe communities to live in, and endless recreational and cultural opportunities year-round.

Within the Iowa Lakes Corridor, there are progressive and distinctive communities each with its own history, character, and lifestyle. Find affordable housing in a variety of beautiful communities and neighborhoods.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor’s award-winning, highly-rated schools produce exceptionally educated students. Our higher education system, including Buena Vista University, Iowa Lakes Community College, and Iowa Central Community College, is a valued partner in the lifelong learning of our residents, advanced education, high-tech training, and job retraining of our workforce. Within the Iowa Lakes Corridor, there is a great diversification of professional healthcare services with caring family doctors and surgeons along with state-of-the-art hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor…the Good Life.

Learn more at https://www.okoboji.com, https://vacationokoboji.com, and https://www.lakescorridor.com