Senior Systems Administrator Jobs in South Carolina
Senior Systems Administrator jobs in South Carolina are in steady demand, concentrated in government contracting, financial services, healthcare, and defense-adjacent industries that anchor the state's technology workforce. Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville are the primary hiring centers, with major employers like SCANA Energy, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and Booz Allen Hamilton maintaining deep technical teams across the state. The most sought-after specialties are virtualization and cloud infrastructure, Active Directory and identity management, and network security hardening. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 9+ Senior Systems Administrator jobs
The client you will be working for is a Fortune 500 Energy and Industrial Technology Company. This opportunity will give you experience in the energy transition sector with a company that is a globally recognized leader in power generation, wind energy, electrification, and grid solutions — and one of the most storied industrial brands in the world.
LOCATION
Greenville, South Carolina, 29615
COMPENSATION
$52.00–$58.00 per hour
SCHEDULE
Monday-Friday, 40 hours
Onsite
CONTRACT TERM
1 year contract with a high likelihood of extension or conversion to full time
POSITION OVERVIEW – Application Engineer II - HPC Systems & Scheduler Administrator
You'll keep the Linux servers behind a large high-performance computing platform running well, and you'll be the expert on Slurm, the software that decides which simulation jobs run, where, and when. You'll set up and tune the scheduler, so jobs spend less time waiting in line, manage the software environments engineers run their simulations in, and look after the Linux virtual desktops that engineers use. You'll also set up monitoring and alerts, track down performance bottlenecks in the network and storage, and handle Linux user accounts and access, working closely with the DT team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage OS-level configuration, patching, and hardening of HPC compute nodes, login nodes, and head nodes, ensuring stability and security compliance in coordination with the DT team's cybersecurity policies
- Serve as the primary subject matter expert for the Slurm workload manager, managing partition configurations, node scheduling policies, fairshare/priority weighting, reservation management, and Quality of Service (QoS) tiers
- Manage environment module frameworks (e.g., Lmod/Environment Modules), compiler toolchains, MPI libraries, and application runtime environments in support of engineering simulation codes
- Administer and maintain the Linux virtual desktop (VDI) environment, including image lifecycle, user session management, OS configuration standardization, and application delivery to Linux desktop users
- Deploy and maintain comprehensive system monitoring (e.g., Ganglia, Grafana/Prometheus, CloudWatch) for compute, scheduler, and Linux VDI environments, and establish alerting thresholds and on-call response protocols with the DT team
- Design and tune scheduling configurations to maximize throughput and minimize queue latency, and develop a strategy to prioritize HPC usage across the user community and reduce queue times
- Profile and tune system-level performance bottlenecks, including network fabric (e.g., EFA/InfiniBand), I/O subsystems, and memory bandwidth, and collaborate with the HPC Performance Engineer on application-level profiling
- Support Linux-side user provisioning, group management, SSH key governance, and sudo/privilege management in collaboration with the DT team's identity management processes
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
- Since this role involves access to U.S. export-controlled information, candidates must be able to obtain authorization for that access from the U.S. Government. Final offers are contingent on receiving this authorization.
The client you will be working for is a Fortune 500 Energy and Industrial Technology Company. This opportunity will give you experience in the energy transition sector with a company that is a globally recognized leader in power generation, wind energy, electrification, and grid solutions — and one of the most storied industrial brands in the world.
LOCATION
Greenville, South Carolina, 29615
COMPENSATION
$52.00–$58.00 per hour
SCHEDULE
Monday-Friday, 40 hours
Onsite
CONTRACT TERM
1 year contract with a high likelihood of extension or conversion to full time
POSITION OVERVIEW – Application Engineer II - HPC Systems & Scheduler Administrator
You'll keep the Linux servers behind a large high-performance computing platform running well, and you'll be the expert on Slurm, the software that decides which simulation jobs run, where, and when. You'll set up and tune the scheduler, so jobs spend less time waiting in line, manage the software environments engineers run their simulations in, and look after the Linux virtual desktops that engineers use. You'll also set up monitoring and alerts, track down performance bottlenecks in the network and storage, and handle Linux user accounts and access, working closely with the DT team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage OS-level configuration, patching, and hardening of HPC compute nodes, login nodes, and head nodes, ensuring stability and security compliance in coordination with the DT team's cybersecurity policies
- Serve as the primary subject matter expert for the Slurm workload manager, managing partition configurations, node scheduling policies, fairshare/priority weighting, reservation management, and Quality of Service (QoS) tiers
- Manage environment module frameworks (e.g., Lmod/Environment Modules), compiler toolchains, MPI libraries, and application runtime environments in support of engineering simulation codes
- Administer and maintain the Linux virtual desktop (VDI) environment, including image lifecycle, user session management, OS configuration standardization, and application delivery to Linux desktop users
- Deploy and maintain comprehensive system monitoring (e.g., Ganglia, Grafana/Prometheus, CloudWatch) for compute, scheduler, and Linux VDI environments, and establish alerting thresholds and on-call response protocols with the DT team
- Design and tune scheduling configurations to maximize throughput and minimize queue latency, and develop a strategy to prioritize HPC usage across the user community and reduce queue times
- Profile and tune system-level performance bottlenecks, including network fabric (e.g., EFA/InfiniBand), I/O subsystems, and memory bandwidth, and collaborate with the HPC Performance Engineer on application-level profiling
- Support Linux-side user provisioning, group management, SSH key governance, and sudo/privilege management in collaboration with the DT team's identity management processes
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
- Since this role involves access to U.S. export-controlled information, candidates must be able to obtain authorization for that access from the U.S. Government. Final offers are contingent on receiving this authorization.
See All 9 Senior Systems Administrator Jobs in South Carolina
Find roles in South Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Systems Administrator Jobs by City in South Carolina
Where South Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Systems Administrator Job Market in South Carolina
A snapshot from current South Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What South Carolina Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior systems administrator jobs across South Carolina.
- Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or a related technical field
- Industry certifications such as Microsoft MCSE, CompTIA Security+, or VMware VCP strongly preferred
- Minimum five to seven years of hands-on systems administration experience in enterprise environments
- Demonstrated expertise in Windows Server, Active Directory, and virtualization platforms like VMware or Hyper-V
- Experience supporting federal or state government contracts, often requiring eligibility for a security clearance
- Proven ability to lead infrastructure projects, mentor junior administrators, and document system configurations
Senior Systems Administrator Jobs in South Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior systems administrator in South Carolina?
Senior systems administrator roles in South Carolina do not require a state-issued license, but most employers expect a bachelor's degree in information technology or computer science alongside several years of hands-on infrastructure experience. Earning vendor-neutral certifications such as CompTIA Security+ or vendor-specific credentials like Microsoft's server administration certifications strengthens candidacy considerably. Many South Carolina employers, particularly those in government contracting and healthcare, also expect candidates to hold or qualify for a federal security clearance before being considered for senior-level positions.
How much do senior systems administrators make in South Carolina?
Senior systems administrators in South Carolina earn a median of about $92,520 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $63,310 for the lowest 10% to over $151,210 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior systems administrators in South Carolina?
South Carolina senior systems administrator roles are posted by nLogic, Lockheed Martin, and Marolina Outdoor and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The state's concentration of defense contractors, large hospital networks, and state government agencies means senior systems administrator demand stays consistent across Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville year-round.
Which South Carolina cities have the most senior systems administrator jobs?
Charleston, Greenville, and Richland County account for the most senior systems administrator openings in South Carolina. Columbia leads because of state government agencies and university health systems headquartered there, while Charleston's growth in defense contracting and financial technology drives strong demand, and Greenville's expanding manufacturing and corporate headquarters base has steadily added enterprise IT teams needing experienced administrators.
Are there remote senior systems administrator jobs in South Carolina?
Yes, though they are less common than in purely software-focused roles because senior systems administrators frequently need physical access to servers, data centers, and on-premises infrastructure. About 0% of senior systems administrator openings tied to South Carolina are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of much of the work. Tasks like cloud infrastructure management, monitoring, and documentation are the functions most likely to be performed remotely.
How can I get hired as a senior systems administrator in South Carolina with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is starting as a help desk technician or junior systems administrator, roles that large South Carolina employers like BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and state government agencies in Columbia post regularly. Building a home lab, earning CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, and demonstrating hands-on familiarity with Windows Server or Linux environments gives candidates a concrete edge. Many South Carolina healthcare systems and government contractors also hire IT generalists who can grow into administration responsibilities over time.
Where can I find and apply to senior systems administrator jobs in South Carolina?
You can find and apply to senior systems administrator jobs in South Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and the South Carolina area you want to work in, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 9 Senior Systems Administrator Jobs in South Carolina
Find roles in South Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs