IT Systems Administrator

Background

Prismatic is a technology development company, specialising in the design, manufacture and delivery of innovative, high value aerospace products and systems. Prismatic is a subsidiary of BAE systems, led by a technically and commercially focused team. Our cutting-edge systems (such as the high-altitude PHASA-35) have clear commercial value, are developed at pace and address critical customer needs.

Prismatic is currently developing a High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Platform which operates in the stratosphere. We are a small group of innovators, leading the way in aerospace technology, shaping the skies of tomorrow and making the impossible, possible.

In the role of IT System Administrator, you will be based at our office in Alton, Hants and joining a growing team, giving you the opportunity to introduce, shape and maintain our IT estate, infrastructure and systems.

You will bring your expertise and skills to the IT Team and use your exceptional communication and organisational abilities to work directly with teams across the business to maintain and deliver fit for purpose solutions to enable our goal of operationalising the stratosphere.

You will bring your expertise and skills to the IT Team and use your exceptional communication and organisational abilities to collaborate directly with teams across the business to maintain and deliver fit for purpose solutions to enable our goal of operationalising the stratosphere.

• Manage and maintain our multi-site infrastructure, encompassing both Windows Server and Linux environments, to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our data and intellectual property.
• Administer and support our core virtualised environment, including managing virtual machines, hosts, storage, and software.
• Oversee the health and security of our physical and logical network infrastructure, including firewalls, switches, Wi-Fi, and VPN connectivity.
• Implement, manage, and regularly test our backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions to safeguard company data and systems.
• Provide comprehensive technical support and root cause analysis to our staff, acting as a point of escalation for complex issues (L3) while also addressing day-to-day user needs (L1/L2) and service delivery tasks as required.
• Manage user identity and access control through Active Directory and other systems, ensuring regulatory compliance and adherence to the principle of least privilege.
• Proactively monitor and regularly report on infrastructure capacity, server performance, security logs, and alerts to identify and resolve potential issues before they impact the business.
• Develop and maintain PowerShell scripts, and other automation tools to streamline administrative tasks and improve system reliability.
• Participate in IT projects, including system upgrades, migrations, and the implementation of new technologies across the business.
• Create and maintain clear, comprehensive technical documentation for all systems, processes, and procedures.
• Assist with vulnerability management and remediation to improve and maintain our security posture, ensuring compliance with industry standards such as Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001.
• Identify opportunities for improvement across all areas of responsibility and work with the Business Operations Manager to scope and implement.

Requirements

Demonstrable experience in a Systems Administrator role with broad responsibilities across infrastructure, networking, and user support.

• Expert-level knowledge of Windows and Linux-based server administration, including Active Directory, Group Policy, and DNS, DHCP, CA, NPS, SQL servers.
• Proven experience managing a virtualised environment, using Linux KVM, VMware ESXi, or Citrix XenServer based platforms.
• Strong understanding of networking principles and hands-on experience with firewalls, switches, wireless access points, VPN, VLAN to support connectivity troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Prior experience implementing and managing converged multi-site infrastructure with high-availability and failover mechanisms, including hypervisor, DAS, SAN, NAS, and HPC appliances.
• Proficiency in PowerShell scripting and keen familiarity with Windows and Linux operating systems for automating and validating administrative tasks remotely.
• A logical approach to troubleshooting complex technical issues across the full IT stack.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts and contextualise risks to non-technical colleagues.
• A self-motivated and independent work ethic, with the ability to manage time and priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment, under pressure.
• Familiarity with a major public cloud platform, such as Microsoft Azure or AWS.
• Experience working within an Information Security Management System (ISMS) or framework (Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001), Quality Standards (ISO9001, AS9100), Military Cyber Security Standards (DEF-STD 05-138).
• Familiarity with IT Service Management (ITSM) principles and ticketing systems.

Certifications:

• CompTIA Certifications (Server+, Linux+, Network+, Security+).
• Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-800/801).
• Red Hat Certified (System Administrator (RHCSA), Engineer (RHCE)).
• Nutanix Certified (Associate (NCA), Professional Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI)).
• VMware Certified (Professional (VCP), Advanced Professional (VCAP)).
• ITIL Foundation.

What We Offer

We’re proud to offer a competitive package and a range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing, including:

• Location: Kidlington (Oxfordshire) or Alton (Hampshire), UK.
• Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours per week (excluding breaks).  Hybrid working (where applicable), giving you the flexibility to balance time between home and our offices (norm is 3 days a week).
• Salary: Competitive – dependent on experience.
• Bonus: Non contractual company performance related bonus.
• Pension: 10% company contribution, plus salary exchange options for AVCs.

• Green Benefits: Access to our Green Car/EV scheme via salary exchange.
• Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays (rising to 28 days after 3 years’ service).
• Employee Schemes: Eligibility for the BAE Systems Share Incentive Scheme, Company Performance Free Share awards, Cycle to Work scheme, and a Halfords Trade Discount Card.
• Community & Culture: Social and employee engagement activities through our Prismatic Pulse group.
• Wellbeing: Access to Occupational Health support, including an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a covering email to jobs@prismaticltd.co.uk. In your application, please confirm:

• That you have the right to work in the UK.
• That you have been a UK resident for at least 5 years and can meet any required background checks (or security clearance requirements where applicable).
• Your salary expectations for the role.
• Your availability or current notice period.

Proud to Support the Armed Forces Community
We know that the discipline, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and resilience gained through military life are a huge asset to our organisation. That’s why we encourage applications from veterans, reservists, and the partners and families of those serving. If you’ve served in any capacity, or supported someone who has, we’d love to hear from you.