Senior Network Administrator

Pixar Animation Studios is an Academy Award ®-winning computer animation studio with the technical, creative and production capabilities to create a new generation of animated feature films, merchandise and other related products. Pixar's objective is to combine proprietary technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable characters and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages.

Pixar’s Network & Server Admin group is a small team of Systems Administrators who are responsible for all aspects of the studio’s network, server and core infrastructure. We work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that all systems and services the Studio relies on to create our movies are fully operational with ample room to grow. From DNS to NTP to BGP (we really know our TLAs!), we are constantly looking for new ways to stay ahead of the curve. We are looking for someone to join our team as a network-centric Senior Network/Sysadmin who is nimble, has a positive attitude, and works well as part of a small team.

Pixar is a dynamic, fast-paced environment and our group thrives on creative thinking, independent initiative, and close collaboration. We interface primarily with other groups within the Systems Department, and the Studio Tools Department, building everything from physical servers to virtual machines to racks to cloud services. We are always looking for new ways to automate processes and make optimal use of the myriad of data sources flowing from our systems and networks. A given problem might entail writing Python or shell scripts, digging into a vendor’s API documentation, or trawling through an SNMP MIB. Some of the stuff we work with every day, in no particular order: Linux/UNIX, DNS, DHCP, Firewalls, AAA servers, Mail servers/appliances, load balancers, routers, switches, wireless LANs, WAN connectivity, and fiber optic networking.

* Deep understanding of IP routing protocols (e.g. OSPF/OSPFv3/BGP/BGP4) * Full understanding of the IP network stack/OSI model * Familiarity with IPv6 and dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 deployments * Solid understanding of DNS, DHCP, NTP, RADIUS protocols * Solid understanding of multiple OS network stacks (UNIX/Linux, Mac OS, Windows) * Ability to dig into tcpdump/wireshark captures to analyze network traffic * Understanding of Certificate-based authentication, PKI * Familiarity with MDM solutions (e.g. ClearPass) * Familiarity with monitoring systems (Zabbix, etc.) * Comfortable working with firewalls, load balancers, WiFi networks, routers, VPN appliances, etc. * Experience working closely with network/security vendors to troubleshoot/debug issues * Strong security background preferred (intrusion prevention/detection, etc.) * Expertise in programming or scripting * Excellent written and oral communications skills, including the ability to effectively communicate highly technical concepts * Ability to work well under pressure * Meticulous attention to detail * Ability to work in a datacenter to manage/install hardware; some heavy lifting (30lbs or less) or use of a “server lift” may be required * Self-starter; motivated; comfortable/willing to ask others for assistance * Ability to prioritize, respond, and follow through on multiple simultaneous requests * Minimum of 5 years in an IS/IT support position