How to hire a security systems administrator

How to hire a security systems administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step security systems administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a security systems administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new security systems administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a security systems administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the security systems administrator you need to hire. Certain security systems administrator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A security systems administrator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, security systems administrators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents security systems administrator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Security Systems Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Security Systems Administrator	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$28-49
   LAN Administrator	LAN administrators are responsible for maintaining the local area network of an organization. These administrators manage the server that connects an organization's network to computers and equipment that need them... Show more	$20-41
   Linux Administrator	A Linux administrator is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of Linux operating systems to support business operations and high-quality deliverables. Linux administrators handle the resolution of Linux network issues, maintaining its stability and ensuring its safety and security from unauthorized access and malware threats... Show more	$29-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Security Systems
   • Troubleshoot
   • Linux
   • DOD
   • Database
   • Windows Server
   • IDS
   • Network Security
   • VMware
   • Computer System
   • OS
   • Security Policies
   • DNS
   • SCCM

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage automated security and functional OS and application patches.
   • Lead enterprise-wide virtualization effort, overseeing and personally completing vendor/hardware qualifications, architecture/design, installation, configuration, migration and documentation.
   • Ensure optimal security for multiple network applications, including NFS, DNS, TCP/IP.
   • Work on updating and patching the Linux and windows servers.
   • Provide on-the-job training (OJT) training to military and civilian DOD personnel.
   • Install, upgrade, troubleshot, and configure CISCO switches for worldwide network.

   More security systems administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your security systems administrator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A security systems administrator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, security systems administrators' average salary in alaska is 38% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level security systems administrators earn 42% less than senior-level security systems administrators.
   • Certifications. A security systems administrator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a security systems administrator's salary.

   Average security systems administrator salary

   $79,008yearly

   $37.98 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level security systems administrator salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average security systems administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$100,678	$48
   2	Massachusetts	$91,935	$44
   3	Pennsylvania	$83,644	$40
   4	Maryland	$81,301	$39
   5	Arizona	$79,570	$38
   6	Virginia	$78,884	$38
   7	District of Columbia	$78,488	$38
   8	Minnesota	$76,573	$37
   9	Alabama	$75,737	$36
   10	Georgia	$75,097	$36
   11	Texas	$74,932	$36
   12	Florida	$74,809	$36
   13	Ohio	$74,057	$36
   14	Tennessee	$72,776	$35
   15	New York	$72,046	$35
   16	Oklahoma	$71,166	$34
   17	Colorado	$70,422	$34
   18	Missouri	$69,414	$33
   19	Kansas	$68,179	$33
   20	North Carolina	$67,939	$33

   Average security systems administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Raven Software	$106,636	$51.27
   2	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$103,797	$49.90	8
   3	Sentinel	$96,620	$46.45
   4	San Antonio Water System	$96,205	$46.25	3
   5	Sentinel Technologies	$94,748	$45.55	5
   6	Parsons	$92,301	$44.38	79
   7	DirectViz Solutions	$91,143	$43.82	15
   8	TEKWISSEN	$90,855	$43.68	39
   9	CyberCoders	$90,270	$43.40	1
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$90,267	$43.40	33
   11	Prime Healthcare	$89,827	$43.19	10
   12	Odyssey Systems	$88,984	$42.78	12
   13	Tactical Engineering & Analysis	$88,939	$42.76	3
   14	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$88,700	$42.64	65
   15	Delek US Holdings	$88,235	$42.42
   16	Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation	$88,212	$42.41	8
   17	NCI	$88,021	$42.32
   18	intiGrow	$87,594	$42.11
   19	Jacobs Enterprises	$87,542	$42.09	114
   20	Atlantic Companies Holding Corporation	$87,535	$42.08

4. Writing a security systems administrator job description

   A security systems administrator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a security systems administrator job description:

   Security systems administrator job description example

   • Knowledgeable in the system administration of a multi-site Splunk instance to include index and search head clustering concepts.
   • The onboarding of data from many different platforms (syslog, universal forwarder, heavy forwarders, etc.).
   • Assisting internal and external users in the creation and maintenance of custom dashboards.
   • Ability to troubleshoot data ingest issues and work with other teams to nail down root cause issues and correct as necessary.
   • Knowledge of F5 / Load balancing concepts as related to web services that run Splunk.
   • RHEL 6/7

   Educational Requirements: None

   Certification Requirements:

   • DoDD 8570.01-M IAT II *

   AND

   • Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin

   Experience Requirements:

   • Eight years of intensive and progressive experience in the candidate’s field of study and specialization.

   Salary: $88,000-$93,000

   Attestation Vaccination Status Requirement:

   In accordance with the SOCOM HQ Attestation Guidance, all candidates who are considered for hire must complete Form DD 3150 to report their COVID-19 vaccination status.

   About TSM, Inc.: TSM serves many customers in the Government and private sector. Most of these projects are long-term and involve cutting edge technologies. The prospect of working for reputable client organizations on the latest technologies in a friendly work environment helps us attract and retain top-quality seasoned professionals who are technically strong.

   TSM’s flexible benefits allow staff to choose from a variety of plans to meet their own needs and the needs of their families. Our family-friendly policies and programs help staff balance their personal and professional lives. CareFirst Health Insurance, Companion Vision and Dental Insurance, and Life/Accident/Disability insurance options through Hartford Group give our employees options and comprehensive coverage while keeping out of pocket costs low. TSM offers retirement and savings through the Nationwide 401(k) plan. TSM believes in investing in our employees and offers a tuition reimbursement plan, provides an employee assistance program, and professional development program to help our employees reach the next level.

   Not ready to make a career change just yet, submit your resume to join our talent community. We'll keep you updated occasionally on new job opportunities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right security systems administrator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with security systems administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit security systems administrators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   To find security systems administrator candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit security systems administrators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a security systems administrator applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new security systems administrator

   Once you've selected the best security systems administrator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new security systems administrator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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