Cloud Systems Engineer - Oak Brook

We are Ace Hardware Corporation, and we are hiring a Systems Engineer I to help design and support secure, scalable Azure cloud platforms that power important business initiatives. This individual contributor role offers the chance to collaborate with senior engineers and cross-functional teams while also leading smaller efforts or defined components of larger projects. We offer a values-driven culture built on W.E.L.I.G.H.T. — Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork — along with competitive compensation, a strong benefits package, retirement savings support, health and insurance coverage, generous vacation time, tuition assistance, development opportunities, employee discounts, wellness perks, and community-focused programs. We are committed to inclusion and equal opportunity, and we provide a workplace where our people can grow while helping locally owned businesses and their communities thrive.

- We require a bachelors degree in computer science or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- We look for at least 3 years of engineering experience supporting Azure solutions in hybrid cloud and on-premises Windows Server environments.
- We need strong hands-on expertise with Microsoft Azure and Entra ID.
- We value working knowledge of VMware ESXi and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization platforms.
- Experience with Active Directory administration is an advantage.
- Automation or scripting experience with Terraform or Bicep is preferred, and PowerShell knowledge is a plus.
- Familiarity with platform monitoring, management, and alerting tools is important.
- Azure or identity-focused certifications are preferred.
- We expect strong verbal and written communication skills.
- We need someone who is self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.

- We design, implement, and maintain cloud platform systems that support critical business priorities.
- We support hybrid cloud and on-premises architectures that align with business and security requirements.
- We design, implement, and support Azure and Entra ID infrastructure at enterprise scale.
- We contribute to platform upgrades, lifecycle management, and standardization initiatives.
- We assist with VMware ESXi, Microsoft Windows Server, Active Directory, and general system maintenance activities.
- We help maintain platform stability through monitoring, patching, tuning, and incident response.
- We participate in an on-call rotation and support root cause analysis and remediation efforts.
- We follow engineering standards and look for opportunities to improve operational processes.
- We maintain system documentation, diagrams, and runbooks.
- We review environments for security, policy compliance, and operational readiness.
- We serve as a technical contributor across multiple initiatives.
- We work with engineers and leaders to deliver solutions on schedule and within scope.
- We provide estimates, identify risks, and communicate progress clearly.
- We stay current on infrastructure technologies and apply new knowledge to improve reliability, efficiency, and scalability.