Senior System Engineer - New York City

Portfolio BI's flagship platforms - PBI Axiom, PBI Vector, and PBI Stratus - empower alternative asset managers to solve complex data challenges across analytics, workflow, governance, and security. Our Stratus practice delivers fully managed IT and cybersecurity services to hedge funds, private equity firms, and other financial services clients who demand enterprise-grade reliability from a team that understands their business.

We are seeking a seasoned Sr. System Engineer - Onsite to serve as the primary technical presence at a high-profile financial services client. This is not a traditional support role - you will be the trusted technical lead and day-to-day partner to the client's leadership, owning the reliability, security, and continuous improvement of their entire technology environment.

You will bring deep cloud and infrastructure expertise, a strong automation mindset, and the client-facing maturity to translate technical complexity into business outcomes. You will serve as the escalation anchor for all Level 1 and Level 2 issues, partner with our engineering teams on complex initiatives, and ensure the client's environment evolves alongside their business.

Requirements:
• 4 to 8 years of experience in systems engineering, cloud operations, or a closely related role
• Proven track record as a senior technical resource in a dedicated or client-facing environment, ideally within an MSP or financial services firm
• Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure (IaaS, PaaS, hybrid architectures) - Azure Administrator Associate certification preferred
• Deep expertise across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem: Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, Teams Calling
• Solid command of cloud networking: VNets, VPNs, load balancing, DNS, NSGs, ExpressRoute, and hybrid connectivity
• Windows Server administration including Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and DFS
• Scripting and automation proficiency in PowerShell, Python, and Bash - you write code to solve operational problems, not just for documentation
• Hands-on experience with infrastructure-as-code tools: Terraform, ARM templates, or Bicep
• Working knowledge of CI/CD practices and version control (Git, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
• Proficiency with monitoring and observability platforms (Azure Monitor, Datadog, Microsoft Sentinel, or equivalent)
• Solid networking fundamentals: LAN/WAN/DMZ architecture, routing, switching, firewalls, DHCP, and DNS
• Experience supporting market data platforms and vendor integrations common in financial services environments (Bloomberg, Refinitiv/LSEG, CapIQ, Advent, or similar)
• Excellent client-facing communication skills - able to engage confidently with both technical teams and business leadership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in the alternative investment industry (hedge funds, private equity, asset management)
• Microsoft certifications such as Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) or Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
• Experience with cybersecurity tools: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike, or Darktrace
• Familiarity with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (XenApp) or similar application delivery platforms
• Exposure to containerization and orchestration: Docker and Kubernetes
• Experience supporting hybrid cloud and on-premises integrations including VMware or Hyper-V environments
• Working knowledge of Linux server administration
• Familiarity with ITIL practices and ITSM tools such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management

Key Responsibilities:

Client Partnership & Onsite Leadership

• Serve as the senior onsite technical lead and trusted advisor to the client's CTO and senior stakeholders
• Build and maintain a strong client relationship grounded in technical credibility, proactive communication, and follow-through
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions, providing guidance on infrastructure decisions, vendor evaluations, and technology roadmap considerations
• Represent Portfolio BI's standards and quality of service in every client interaction
• Coordinate with internal engineering and delivery teams to align onsite operations with broader platform initiatives

Infrastructure Operations & System Health

• Own the day-to-day health, performance, and availability of the client's cloud and hybrid infrastructure
• Provide hands-on support across end-user systems, server infrastructure, networking, storage, identity, and security layers
• Proactively monitor systems using cloud-native and third-party tools, identifying and resolving risks before they affect operations
• Execute and oversee operational activities including patching cycles, backup validation, disaster recovery readiness, and scheduled maintenance
• Support and administer the full Microsoft 365 ecosystem including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID, and Teams Calling

Incident & Problem Management

• Serve as the primary escalation point for critical incidents, ensuring timely resolution within defined SLA commitments
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and implement durable corrective actions to prevent recurrence
• Coordinate with Level 3 engineers and product teams on high-impact or systemic issues
• Drive continuous improvement of incident response processes, runbooks, and escalation paths
• Maintain clear and timely communication with clients during active incidents, providing status updates and post-incident summaries

Automation, IaC & Cloud Engineering

• Design and maintain infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, ARM templates, Bicep) to ensure consistent, repeatable deployments
• Develop and enhance automation scripts (PowerShell, Python, Bash) to reduce manual operational overhead and improve reliability
• Support cloud deployments, configuration changes, and infrastructure updates under strict change control procedures
• Identify automation opportunities across operational workflows and lead implementation through to production

Security & Compliance

• Enforce security best practices, compliance standards, and patch management policies across all managed environments
• Administer identity and access management (IAM) including Entra ID policy design, conditional access, and privileged access controls
• Ensure proper implementation of logging, monitoring, and audit frameworks using tools such as Microsoft Sentinel, Defender, and Datadog
• Collaborate on security incident response, threat hunting, and remediation efforts in line with client risk posture

Documentation & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain high-quality documentation including system architecture diagrams, operational runbooks, and change records
• Contribute to standardization of processes and best practices across the broader Stratus delivery team
• Participate in regular business reviews and provide technical input on client roadmap discussions

Benefits:
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development, including support for cloud and security certifications