Senior Identity and Microsoft 365 Systems Engineer

Senior Identity and Microsoft 365 Systems Engineer Type: Contract, W2 (approximately 6 months) Location: San Jose, CA (Onsite) Salary: $85 – $105 per hour, DOE

About the Role This Senior Identity and Microsoft 365 Systems Engineer role runs identity, access, and collaboration platforms for a regulated utility's enterprise IT team, onsite in San Jose, CA.

We are partnered with California's largest regulated water utility to staff a senior engineer for an approximately six-month assignment. The focus is identity and access management across Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, and Okta, plus Microsoft 365 administration, with Azure, virtualization, storage, and backup as secondary scope.

The ideal candidate has run enterprise identity and Microsoft 365 environments end to end, works well in an audit-conscious setting, and can mentor other administrators. This is a W2 contract position, placed on assignment with our client. Relocation required if not within commuting distance of San Jose.

Key Responsibilities

Identity and Access Management

• Administer Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, and Okta Identity Cloud, including user lifecycle management, access controls, Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), identity governance, privileged access management, and authentication policies.
• Configure and maintain identity federation and directory integrations between Active Directory, Entra ID, Okta, and third-party applications using SAML, OAuth, OIDC, and SCIM.
• Implement and maintain identity security controls aligned with Zero Trust Architecture, cybersecurity standards, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Monitor identity, authentication, and access activity; investigate incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Lead IAM initiatives, including application onboarding, access modernization, authentication enhancements, and identity lifecycle automation.

Microsoft 365 Administration

• Administer and support Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, and related collaboration technologies.
• Manage Microsoft 365 security, compliance, mail flow, collaboration, and governance configurations.
• Integrate Microsoft 365 with Entra ID, Okta, and other enterprise applications, and optimize the environment for availability, performance, security, and user experience.

Azure Cloud Infrastructure

• Design, implement, and support Azure and hybrid cloud infrastructure, including networking, compute, storage, identity, security, and connectivity services.
• Monitor and optimize cloud resources for performance, availability, security, and cost, and support cloud migrations, modernization, and infrastructure automation.

Servers, Storage, and Backup

• Administer and support VMware and virtual server environments, Storage Area Network (SAN) infrastructure, and backup and recovery systems.
• Support business continuity and disaster recovery, including Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, recovery testing, and disaster recovery planning.
• Install, maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize server, storage, virtualization, networking, and security infrastructure.

General

• Document identity, Microsoft 365, cloud, server, and infrastructure configurations and procedures.
• Research emerging technologies, recommend enhancements, and lead infrastructure projects of moderate complexity and scope.
• Support compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), cybersecurity, and other regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and operational guidance to Network Administrators and other IT staff, and participate in Continuous Improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Five years of experience administering enterprise identity management, Microsoft 365 services, and infrastructure platforms.
• Strong experience with Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, IAM solutions, MFA, SSO, identity governance, and directory services.
• Experience administering Microsoft 365 services, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Teams.
• Experience supporting Microsoft Azure and hybrid cloud environments.
• Experience supporting virtual server, backup, storage, and disaster recovery technologies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Valid California Driver's License.

Preferred

• Relevant Microsoft, Okta, Azure, and identity or security certifications; Azure Administrator (AZ-104), Network Engineer (AZ-700), or Security Engineer (AZ-500) Associate desired.
• Networking and security certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, CISSP, or PCNSE.
• Experience with network monitoring tools and software.
• Knowledge of cloud networking and security.

Compensation & Employment Employment Type: Contract, W2, placed on assignment with our client. Salary: $85 – $105 per hour, DOE Estimated Duration: Approximately 6 months Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) with employer match. Work Model: 100% onsite at our client's San Jose office; not eligible for remote or hybrid work.

Innovation Consulting LLC is an equal opportunity employer and recruiter. We review candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.