Company Description
Customized Energy Solutions (CES) is a global energy services and technology company that helps market participants operate, comply, and compete in deregulated electricity and natural gas markets. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Philadelphia, CES works with utilities, independent power producers, energy suppliers, developers, asset owners, and investors across North America and globally.
CES delivers market intelligence, regulatory and market design support, asset and portfolio management, retail market operations, and energy technology solutions. Our teams track and interpret ISO/RTO rules and policy developments, support resource planning and market participation, manage operational and settlement processes, and develop proprietary software platforms—including CES BLUE, GOLD, RED, GRIDBOOST, and CoMETS—that help clients manage risk, optimize performance, and respond effectively to market change.
CES is committed to advancing transparent, efficient, and non-discriminatory energy markets while delivering practical, high-quality solutions marked by integrity, rigor, and long-term client value.
CES has been nationally and regionally recognized for sustained growth and innovation, including listings on the Inc. 500|5000 and Philadelphia Business Journal’s Top 100 Companies, as well as a Best Places to Work designation with Hall of Fame status for five or more consecutive years.
With headquarters in Philadelphia and offices across the U.S., Canada, Japan, India, and Vietnam, CES offers a collaborative, flexible, and globally connected work environment for professionals passionate about the future of energy.
Job Description
We have an immediate opening for a results-driven, customer-service-oriented Windows Server Administrator to join our Infrastructure Services (IS) team. To thrive in this role, you should be a natural problem solver with a strong sense of ownership, a hands-on implementation mindset, and excellent communication skills. The candidate filling this role will share on-call duties with other members of the team.
Position Overview
The Windows Server Administrator is an enterprise-level position responsible for the implementation, management, maintenance, and lifecycle of CES's fleet of Windows Server systems spanning on-premises virtual environments and cloud-hosted workloads. This is not a monitoring-and-maintenance role. It requires demonstrated hands-on proficiency in implementing, troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving complex issues across hybrid infrastructure, including physical and virtualized on-premises environments and Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure cloud platforms.
This individual ensures servers operate efficiently by executing upgrade and maintenance tasks, resolving technical problems at Tier 2 and above, overseeing performance, enforcing security standards, and implementing new system structures as business requirements evolve. The Windows Server Administrator works collaboratively with IS team members, application teams, and business stakeholders to ensure reliable, secure, and well-documented infrastructure operations.
The candidate must demonstrate advanced knowledge and hands-on expertise in Internet Information Services (IIS), including the ability to architect and implement advanced IIS configurations in support of complex enterprise web hosting environments. This role requires proven experience installing, configuring, and troubleshooting Windows Server systems within a complex enterprise environment running Active Directory, and strong implementation, remote management, and automation capabilities that enable efficient support of an enterprise-scale server fleet.
Responsibilities
Enterprise Server Operations
- Lead the planning, hands-on implementation, and lifecycle management of Windows Server environments across the enterprise fleet, spanning multiple OS versions (Windows Server 2012 R2 through 2022 and beyond).
- Install, test, configure, and maintain server operating systems, software, patches, upgrades, applications, tools, and hardware, ensuring optimal performance, security, and reliability.
- Serve as the primary escalation point for Windows Server infrastructure issues; provide Tier 2 and above technical support for issues elevated from the Helpdesk and other IS groups.
- Diagnose and resolve complex hardware, software, network, and application issues on servers and related devices with minimal guidance.
- Manage and maintain backup and restore solutions, ensuring data integrity and disaster recovery readiness.
- Set up and manage file sharing services, permissions, and Access Control Lists (ACLs) to ensure efficient and secure data storage and access.
- Participate in on-call rotation for after-hours support and emergencies, including 24/7 operational support, server troubleshooting, and routine maintenance tasks.
Active Directory and Identity Services
- Administer and manage Active Directory environments including domain controllers, Group Policy Objects (GPO), DNS, DHCP, and related directory services in a complex, multi-domain enterprise setting.
- Implement security best practices and compliance policies to protect server infrastructure and sensitive data; support patch management processes to maintain currency with security updates.
- Administer and maintain system and service accounts in alignment with least-privilege and access control standards.
IIS and Web Hosting
- Design, configure, and manage advanced Internet Information Services (IIS) deployments, including application pool configuration, SSL/TLS certificate management, URL rewrite rules, reverse proxying, load balancing, and performance tuning.
- Implement and troubleshoot complex enterprise web hosting environments requiring advanced IIS configurations.
Hybrid Infrastructure - On-Premises and Cloud
- Manage and maintain virtualization environments, including VMware vSphere/ESXi and/or Microsoft Hyper-V, ensuring optimal performance, availability, and capacity planning for virtual server workloads.
- Implement, configure, and manage server workloads in hybrid cloud environments spanning Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, including deployment, integration, and ongoing operational support.
- Troubleshoot and diagnose issues across hybrid infrastructure, including on-premises virtual environments, AWS EC2 and related services, and Azure compute and identity services.
- Support cloud infrastructure implementations and integrations in partnership with IS team members responsible for network and cloud architecture.
Automation, Monitoring, Documentation, and CMDB
- Develop and maintain automation scripts and workflows using PowerShell and other scripting technologies to streamline administrative tasks, enforce configuration consistency, and reduce manual overhead.
- Implement remote server management strategies utilizing tools such as Windows Admin Center, Remote Desktop Services (RDS), PowerShell remoting, and other enterprise remote management platforms.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve system and application performance, including automated monitoring and alerting solutions.
- Create and maintain documentation including project plans, installation procedures, troubleshooting guides, and technical topology diagrams.
- Maintain accurate and current Configuration Management Database (CMDB) records for all server infrastructure assets under this role's ownership, including hardware, software, and configuration item (CI) attributes; contribute to the development and upkeep of IS-wide CMDB standards, naming conventions, and data quality practices.
- Implement IT infrastructure projects in partnership with IS team members and internal application teams; communicate proactively on project status and issues.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on professional experience.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Windows Server Administrator in a complex corporate or enterprise environment.
- Proven track record of leading server implementation, management, maintenance, and upgrade processes across a diverse fleet of Windows Server operating systems.
Core Technical Skills
- In-depth, hands-on knowledge of Windows Server operating systems, including Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, and 2022, with demonstrated experience implementing and troubleshooting across versions.
- Demonstrated expertise in Active Directory administration, including Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and directory services in a multi-domain enterprise environment.
- Advanced, hands-on experience with Internet Information Services (IIS), including the ability to architect, implement, and troubleshoot advanced IIS configurations.
- Proficiency in remote management tools and protocols, including PowerShell remoting, Windows Admin Center, Remote Desktop Services, and RSAT.
- Strong scripting and automation skills, with demonstrated ability to develop PowerShell scripts and automated workflows supporting enterprise server fleet management.
- Solid understanding of backup and restore solutions (such as Veeam, Commvault, or Backup Exec) and disaster recovery methodologies.
Hybrid Infrastructure Experience (Required)
- Proven, hands-on experience with enterprise virtualization platforms, including VMware vSphere/ESXi and/or Microsoft Hyper-V, with ability to implement, configure, and troubleshoot virtual server environments.
- Demonstrated, hands-on experience with cloud server platforms, including deployment, configuration, management, and troubleshooting of workloads in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and/or Microsoft Azure.
- Working knowledge of hybrid connectivity and infrastructure patterns spanning on-premises virtual environments and cloud-hosted workloads.
Additional Qualifications
- Excellent problem-solving, diagnostics, and troubleshooting skills with the ability to work effectively in high-pressure, time-sensitive operational situations.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work independently and across technical and non-technical teams in a distributed, global organization.
- Industry certifications such as MCSE, AWS SysOps Administrator, Azure Administrator (AZ-104), VMware VCP, or equivalent are highly desirable.
Additional Information
CES offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, a performance-based annual bonus, a year-end bonus in accordance with company policy, premium health insurance for associates and eligible family members, and statutory insurance and benefits in accordance with Vietnamese law. Associates also receive applicable allowances, 12 days of annual leave, paid sick leave, public holidays, additional company-designated leave, and access to professional development and unlimited online training opportunities.
Beyond the benefits package, here’s what you can expect at CES:
- Meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to make a real impact in dynamic energy markets.
- The chance to learn from and collaborate with experienced professionals across our teams in Vietnam, India, and the United States.
- Ongoing opportunities to strengthen your technical, analytical, and leadership skills.
- Annual performance evaluations and clear opportunities for professional and career development.
- A supportive culture that values initiative, accountability, collaboration, and continuous growth.
- Team-building activities, employee engagement events, and company celebrations.
Customized Energy Solutions provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.