Hostmaster Senior

To be considered, a cover letter and resume are required. The cover letter must be the leading page of your resume and should:

• Specifically outline the reasons for your interest in the position.
• Outline your particular skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Starting salaries will vary depending upon the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.

Information and Technology Services (ITS) is looking for a Hostmaster to join the Network Operations team. This role is responsible for the administration and health of the university's DNS, DHCP, and IP Address Management (IPAM) infrastructure. You will manage both vendor-supported appliances and open-source configurations to ensure reliable network naming services for the entire campus community.

This position reports to the Network & Security Operations Manager

This position may work with systems that process sensitive institutional data. Successful candidates must comply with federal, state, and local laws and university policies regarding privacy and security safeguards (e.g., HIPAA, FISMA). You are responsible for protecting data from unauthorized release or loss.

• System Administration: Manage IPAM software (currently BlueCat Integrity) and maintain vendor-supported DNS and DHCP appliances. Maintain BIND DNS configurations on RedHat Linux servers.
• Access & Security: Manage user accounts and group permissions within the vendor software. Review log files and monitor automated alerts to ensure service health.
• Automation & Development: Write and maintain automation scripts using the vendor's REST API. Utilize version control (git/GitHub) for configuration management.
• Operational Support: Update DNS and DHCP records based on user tickets. Troubleshoot complex resolution and connectivity problems.
• Consultation: Act as a subject matter expert in meetings with campus units to explain DNS/DHCP service capabilities and help align them with departmental needs.
• User Enablement: Assist end-users in performing manual record updates and provide guidance on making successful API calls to the IPAM system.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, certification, and experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in network administration or systems programming.
• Proven programming experience in any language (Python preferred).
• Solid understanding of networking fundamentals (switches, routers, NAT, BGP, Anycast).
• Hands-on experience managing DNS and DHCP servers and working within a Linux command-line environment.
• Experience providing technical support to end-users.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and independent problem-solving skills.

• Experience using REST APIs for network automation.
• Familiarity with version control systems (git, GitHub).
• Proficiency with Linux bash scripting.
• Basic understanding of database structures and queries.
• Advanced troubleshooting skills in a large-scale enterprise environment.

Physical Demands / Work Environment

• Average amount of time in a stationary position; average mobility to move around an office environment.
• Able to conduct a normal amount of work at a computer; travel to various locations on and off campus.
• Punctual, regular, and consistent attendance is required.
• Maintenance & On-Call: Requires availability for occasional maintenance during the Saturday 11pm-Sunday 7am window (averaging once a month). Requires occasional off-hours calls for troubleshooting or urgent user changes.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.