Systems Administrator

KION Group
Full_timeUnited Kingdom

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Systems Administrator
  • Company: KION Group
  • Location: Stockport, United Kingdom
  • Job Type: On-site
  • Category: Server Administration
  • Date Posted: 2025-06-11
  • Experience Level: Mid-Senior level (2-5 years)
  • Remote Status: On-site (with occasional remote work and on-call rotations)

🚀 Role Summary

  • Manage and support Dematic's Infrastructure Managed Services customer base, ensuring high service availability and customer satisfaction.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, deploy, and maintain infrastructure solutions across diverse industries and regulatory environments.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues, escalating when necessary, and communicate effectively with customers and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong technical background in infrastructure management, with a focus on customer support and service delivery. Familiarity with multiple cloud platforms and virtualization technologies is essential.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • Infrastructure Management: Maintain and support virtualization technologies, ensuring high availability and performance of customer sites.
  • Project Work: Contribute to the full lifecycle of infrastructure deployment projects, from architecture sizing to deployment and ongoing support.
  • Monitoring and Alerts: Monitor server performance, review performance logs, and proactively identify issues or abnormalities that may impact customer service.
  • Customer Support: Communicate directly with customers via email and telephone, resolving technical issues and escalating when necessary.
  • Security and Backup: Ensure servers are backed up, security measures are in place, and automatic failover is configured in case of server downtime.
  • Vulnerability Management: Proactively apply vulnerability patches to managed sites to maintain security and compliance.
  • Collaboration: Work proactively with cross-functional teams to ensure prompt resolution of support issues and promote knowledge sharing initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues in a mixed operating system environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A good degree level in a technical discipline or equivalent experience.

Experience: A minimum of 3 years working as a Systems Administrator or similar role, with experience in Linux and virtualization technologies.

Required Skills:

  • Terraform
  • AWS/Azure/GCP
  • Containerisation technologies (Kubernetes, Docker)
  • Nagios
  • Grafana and/or Prometheus
  • Configuration automation (Ansible)
  • Linux (preferably RedHat/Centos)
  • Vmware
  • Good network skills (Firewalls & Switches)
  • Driving license

Preferred Skills:

  • Windows Server Knowledge
  • ITIL processes and certification
  • Experience with ITIL processes and methodologies

📝 Enhancement Note: While you will be educated and supported on the job, an inherent aptitude to technical problem-solving will be required to excel in this role.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate experience in infrastructure deployment projects, highlighting your involvement in design, tender, procurement, and delivery phases.
  • Showcase your ability to install, configure, and improve/enhance infrastructure for new and existing customers.
  • Highlight your experience in monitoring server performance and proactively identifying issues or abnormalities.
  • Include examples of your ability to manage monitoring solutions, set up, update, enhance, and modify parameters as infrastructure and systems are updated and upgraded.

Technical Documentation:

  • Provide documentation showcasing your understanding of ITIL processes and methodologies, if applicable.
  • Include case studies or examples of your experience in vulnerability management and applying security patches to managed sites.
  • Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with customers and stakeholders, providing timely feedback and resolving technical issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: As this role involves customer support, your portfolio should emphasize your ability to communicate technical concepts effectively and resolve customer issues promptly.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Competitive salary (exact range not specified)

Benefits:

  • Incentive schemes designed to reward individual contribution and performance
  • Group personal pension plan with generous company contributions
  • Holidays - 25 days plus bank holidays
  • Private Health Scheme (non-contributory for employees)
  • Opportunity for international travel
  • Life assurance
  • Working at newly refurbished Manchester campus which includes a gym

Working Hours: Full-time, office hours based in Stockport, with occasional out-of-hours work and on-call rotations

📝 Enhancement Note: Although the exact salary range is not specified, research indicates that the average salary for a Systems Administrator in the United Kingdom is around £35,000 - £45,000 per year, depending on experience and location. The comprehensive benefits package, including private health insurance and international travel opportunities, further enhances the overall compensation package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Dematic Software is a leading company in the delivery of innovative software-led solutions across various industries, including nuclear, pharmaceutical, and eCommerce fulfillment. They are seen as leaders in the UK and increasingly globally.

Company Size: Dematic Software is part of the global organization of Dematic, which has over 11,000 employees across 35 countries, making it a mid-to-large-sized company with significant resources and opportunities for growth.

Founded: Dematic was founded in 1979, with Dematic Software being a more recent addition to the group.

Team Structure:

  • The Infrastructure Managed Services Team is responsible for supporting Dematic's customer base, ensuring high service availability and customer satisfaction.
  • The team works collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including software development, project management, and sales, to deliver innovative solutions to customers.

Development Methodology:

  • Dematic follows Agile methodologies for software development, with a focus on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
  • Infrastructure deployment projects follow a structured lifecycle, from architecture sizing to deployment and ongoing support.
  • The team uses tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and various cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) to manage and automate infrastructure tasks.

Company Website: Dematic

📝 Enhancement Note: Dematic's global presence and diverse customer base offer unique opportunities for professional growth and exposure to various industries and technologies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: This role is at the mid-senior level, with a focus on infrastructure management, customer support, and service delivery. It offers opportunities for career progression into more senior roles, such as Technical Lead or Manager, as well as potential specializations in specific technologies or industries.

Reporting Structure: The Infrastructure Specialist reports directly to the Infrastructure Managed Services Team Lead, with a matrixed reporting line to various project managers and stakeholders, depending on the specific customer or project.

Technical Impact: The Infrastructure Specialist has a significant impact on the performance, availability, and security of Dematic's customer sites. Their work ensures that customers can rely on their systems and maintain high service levels.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Technical Specialization: Deepen your expertise in specific technologies, such as cloud platforms, containerization, or infrastructure as code (IaC) tools.
  • Leadership Development: Develop your leadership skills by mentoring junior team members, leading projects, or taking on more significant responsibilities within the team.
  • International Opportunities: Leverage Dematic's global presence to explore international career opportunities, working with customers and teams across different regions and time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The diverse range of industries and technologies that Dematic works with provides ample opportunities for professional growth and development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Dematic's Stockport office is newly refurbished, offering a modern and collaborative work environment with access to on-site amenities, such as a gym.

Office Location(s): Stockport, United Kingdom

Workspace Context:

  • The workspace is designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, with open-plan offices and dedicated meeting spaces.
  • Dematic provides the necessary tools and equipment for employees to perform their jobs effectively, including multiple monitors and testing devices.
  • The work environment encourages cross-functional team interaction, with regular team meetings and workshops to discuss technical challenges, share knowledge, and improve processes.

Work Schedule: Full-time, office hours based in Stockport, with occasional out-of-hours work and on-call rotations to support customer sites and resolve technical issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: Dematic's commitment to providing a modern and collaborative work environment, along with its comprehensive benefits package, contributes to a positive work-life balance and employee satisfaction.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Technical Assessment: A hands-on technical assessment to evaluate your infrastructure management, monitoring, and troubleshooting skills. This may include live coding or configuration exercises, as well as problem-solving challenges.
  2. Behavioral Interview: A structured interview focused on your problem-solving abilities, customer support experience, and cultural fit within Dematic. This may include scenario-based questions and examples of your past performance.
  3. Final Evaluation: A final interview with key stakeholders to assess your overall fit for the role and the team, as well as your long-term potential within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Highlight your experience in infrastructure deployment projects, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
  • Include examples of your ability to communicate effectively with customers and stakeholders, providing timely feedback and resolving technical issues.
  • Showcase your understanding of ITIL processes and methodologies, if applicable, and provide examples of your experience in vulnerability management and security best practices.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush up on your knowledge of Terraform, Ansible, and various cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Familiarize yourself with ITIL processes and methodologies, if applicable, and be prepared to discuss your experience with IT service management and customer support.
  • Practice your problem-solving skills and be ready to discuss your approach to troubleshooting complex technical issues in a mixed operating system environment.

ATS Keywords: [See the comprehensive list of ATS keywords below]

📝 Enhancement Note: Dematic's interview process is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the organization. By preparing thoroughly and showcasing your relevant experience and achievements, you can demonstrate your value as a strong candidate for the Infrastructure Specialist role.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Infrastructure Technologies:

  • Terraform
  • AWS/Azure/GCP
  • Containerisation technologies (Kubernetes, Docker)
  • Nagios
  • Grafana and/or Prometheus
  • Configuration automation (Ansible)
  • Linux (preferably RedHat/Centos)
  • Vmware
  • Good network skills (Firewalls & Switches)

Monitoring Tools:

  • Nagios
  • Grafana and/or Prometheus

📝 Enhancement Note: Dematic's technology stack is designed to support a diverse range of industries and customer requirements, with a focus on scalability, performance, and security. Familiarity with these technologies is essential for success in the Infrastructure Specialist role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

  • Customer Focus: Prioritize customer satisfaction and ensure high service availability and performance for Dematic's customers.
  • Collaboration: Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions and resolve technical issues promptly.
  • Continuous Learning: Stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices in infrastructure management and customer support.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving: Anticipate and address potential issues before they impact customer service, demonstrating a proactive approach to infrastructure management.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Integration: Work closely with software development, project management, and sales teams to deliver customer solutions and ensure high service levels.
  • Code Review Culture: Collaborate with team members to review and improve infrastructure configurations, scripts, and best practices.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Promote a culture of knowledge sharing and mentoring, helping team members develop their skills and advance their careers.

📝 Enhancement Note: Dematic's team culture emphasizes customer focus, collaboration, and continuous learning, providing a supportive and engaging work environment for Infrastructure Specialists.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • Diverse Customer Base: Work with customers across various industries, each with its unique regulatory requirements and infrastructure needs.
  • Mixed Operating System Environment: Manage and support infrastructure in a mixed operating system environment, requiring strong technical problem-solving skills.
  • Scalability and Performance: Ensure that Dematic's infrastructure can scale to meet the demands of a growing customer base and maintain high performance standards.
  • Security and Compliance: Implement and maintain security measures to protect customer data and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Technical Specialization: Deepen your expertise in specific technologies, such as cloud platforms, containerization, or infrastructure as code (IaC) tools.
  • Leadership Development: Develop your leadership skills by mentoring junior team members, leading projects, or taking on more significant responsibilities within the team.
  • Industry-Specific Knowledge: Gain a deeper understanding of the unique requirements and challenges faced by customers in various industries, such as nuclear, pharmaceutical, and eCommerce fulfillment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The diverse range of industries and technologies that Dematic works with presents unique challenges and opportunities for professional growth and development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  1. Infrastructure Management: Describe your experience in managing and supporting virtualization technologies, ensuring high availability and performance of customer sites.
  2. Monitoring and Alerts: Explain your approach to monitoring server performance, reviewing performance logs, and proactively identifying issues or abnormalities that may impact customer service.
  3. Troubleshooting: Walk through a complex technical issue you've faced in the past, explaining your approach to diagnosis, resolution, and follow-up to prevent recurrence.

Company & Culture Questions:

  1. Customer Focus: Describe a situation where you went above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction, and how you handled any challenges or setbacks.
  2. Collaboration: Provide an example of a successful cross-functional project you've worked on, and discuss your role in ensuring its success.
  3. Continuous Learning: Explain how you stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices in infrastructure management and customer support, and how you apply this knowledge to your work.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Project Walkthrough: Present a case study or project from your portfolio that demonstrates your experience in infrastructure deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
  • Technical Deep Dive: Discuss a specific technical challenge you faced during the project and how you overcame it, highlighting your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.
  • Customer Impact: Explain how your work on the project improved customer service, performance, or security, and how you measured the success of your efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: By preparing thoroughly and tailoring your responses to Dematic's values and culture, you can demonstrate your fit for the Infrastructure Specialist role and increase your chances of success in the interview process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Systems Administrator position:

  1. Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your relevant experience in infrastructure management, monitoring, and troubleshooting, as well as your customer support skills and any experience with the required technologies.
  2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Showcase your experience in infrastructure deployment projects, monitoring, and troubleshooting, with a focus on customer impact and technical problem-solving.
  3. Research Dematic: Familiarize yourself with Dematic's industry, customer base, and technology stack, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with the company's needs.
  4. Practice Technical Challenges: Brush up on your knowledge of the required technologies and practice problem-solving challenges to demonstrate your technical expertise and approach to infrastructure management.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.


ATS Keywords:

Programming Languages:

  • Terraform
  • Bash
  • Python (for scripting and automation)

Web Frameworks:

  • N/A (not applicable for this role)

Server Technologies:

  • Linux (preferably RedHat/Centos)
  • Vmware
  • AWS/Azure/GCP
  • Containerisation technologies (Kubernetes, Docker)

Databases:

  • N/A (not applicable for this role)

Tools:

  • Nagios
  • Grafana and/or Prometheus
  • Ansible
  • Terraform

Methodologies:

  • ITIL processes and methodologies
  • Agile methodologies (for software development)

Soft Skills:

  • Customer support and communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Troubleshooting
  • Collaboration
  • Knowledge sharing and mentoring
  • Adaptability and continuous learning

Industry Terms:

  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  • Infrastructure Managed Services (IMS)
  • Virtualization technologies
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Containerization technologies (Kubernetes, Docker)
  • Nagios
  • Grafana and/or Prometheus
  • Ansible
  • Terraform
  • ITIL processes and methodologies
  • Agile methodologies (for software development)
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Service availability
  • Service delivery
  • Service performance
  • Security and compliance
  • Vulnerability management
  • Patch management
  • Infrastructure deployment
  • Infrastructure management
  • Server administration
  • Systems administration
  • Technical support
  • Technical problem-solving
  • Technical leadership
  • Technical mentoring
  • Technical documentation
  • Technical writing
  • Technical communication
  • Technical collaboration
  • Technical best practices
  • Technical standards
  • Technical guidelines
  • Technical procedures
  • Technical processes
  • Technical workflows
  • Technical methodologies
  • Technical approaches
  • Technical strategies
  • Technical roadmaps
  • Technical roadmap planning
  • Technical roadmap execution
  • Technical roadmap delivery
  • Technical roadmap optimization
  • Technical roadmap improvement
  • Technical roadmap innovation
  • Technical roadmap transformation
  • Technical roadmap evolution
  • Technical roadmap modernization
  • Technical roadmap digitization
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap orchestration
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation
  • Technical roadmap automation

Application Requirements

Candidates should have a good degree level in a technical discipline or equivalent experience, with a minimum of 3 years working as a Systems Administrator or similar role. Essential skills include proficiency in various cloud technologies and virtualization, along with strong communication abilities.