xAI· Information Technology· Palo Alto, CA
Senior IT Systems Engineer
Comp$184,000 – $276,000
Classified Tasks (32)
Automate 3%Augment 69%Human-Only 28%
Automate (1)
Fully handled by AI agents
Monitor applications, systems, and integrations for availability, performance, and security
operational
Augment (22)
AI assists, human decides
Implement core SaaS platforms (Okta, Google Workspace, Slack, Atlassian, and other IT tools)
technical
Administer core SaaS platforms and related IT tools
operational
Optimize performance and configurations of core SaaS platforms
technical
Deploy mission-critical IT systems and integrations end-to-end
technical
Integrate SaaS applications with internal systems and third-party services
technical
Own end-to-end support of applications, systems, and their interconnections
operational
Tune system and application performance to ensure high availability and responsiveness
technical
Ensure security controls and measures are applied across SaaS platforms and integrations
operational
Configure Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions across applications and services
technical
Design and manage user lifecycle processes, including provisioning and deprovisioning
operational
Implement and maintain access governance mechanisms
operational
Enforce access and IAM policies across the environment
operational
Architect scalable, secure SaaS integrations and automation solutions
technical
Drive automation of manual and repetitive IT processes, prioritizing operational efficiency
leadership
Identify gaps, risks, and opportunities in the IT environment proactively
analytical
Evaluate emerging technologies, IAM trends, and automation platforms
analytical
Develop business cases for new technologies and automation initiatives
analytical
Lead proof-of-concepts and pilot projects for technology adoption
leadership
Author comprehensive IT documentation, runbooks, and architecture diagrams
communication
Maintain and update IT documentation, runbooks, and architecture diagrams
administrative
Evolve documentation and runbooks to reflect architectural and operational changes
administrative
Drive cross-functional knowledge sharing of IT processes, architectures, and runbooks
communication
Human-Only (9)
Requires human judgment
Lead the design of core SaaS platform architectures (Okta, Google Workspace, Slack, Atlassian, and other IT tools)
leadership
Troubleshoot complex application and system incidents and interconnection issues
technical
Architect and advance the workforce Identity and Access Management (IAM) program
leadership
Serve as the primary escalation point for complex IT outages and architectural challenges
leadership
Provide strategic technical guidance to support business expansion, system scalability, and infrastructure maturity
leadership
Guide the evolution of hybrid infrastructure to support rapid business growth
leadership
Lead initiatives to enhance security posture, operational efficiency, and resilience
leadership
Mentor junior engineers and provide technical coaching
leadership
Collaborate with IT Services, Information Security, HR, Finance, and Engineering teams to align IT capabilities with organizational goals
communication
Job description
ABOUT xAI xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates. ABOUT THE ROLE: Are you a strategic thinker and proven problem-solver with deep expertise in modern IT ecosystems? We're seeking a Sr. IT Systems Engineer passionate about driving automation, maturing enterprise workforce identity and access management (IAM), and architecting scalable, secure SaaS integrations. This senior individual contributor role serves as a key technical resource, partnering closely with IT Services, Information Security, HR, Finance, and Engineering teams. You'll own the deployment and integration of mission-critical IT systems, act as the primary escalation point for complex IT outages and architectural challenges, and guide the evolution of our hybrid infrastructure to support rapid business growth. RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead the design, implementation, administration, and optimization of core SaaS platforms including Okta, Google Workspace, Slack, Atlassian, and other IT tools. Own end-to-end support, monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance tuning of applications, systems, and their complex interconnections—ensuring high availability, security, and seamless user experience. Help architect and advance our workforce Identity and Access Management program, including configuration of Single Sign-On (SSO), lifecycle management, provisioning/deprovisioning, access governance, and policy enforcement. Serve as the subject matter expert (SME) providing strategic technical guidance to support business expansion, system scalability, and infrastructure maturity. Drive cross-functional knowledge sharing by authoring, maintaining, and evolving comprehensive IT documentation, runbooks, and architecture diagrams. Proactively identify gaps, risks, and opportunities in the environment; lead initiatives to enhance security posture, operational efficiency, and resilience—prioritizing automation of manual/repetitive processes. Evaluate emerging technologies, IAM trends, and automation platforms; develop business cases and lead proof-of-concepts or adoption recommendations. Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with cross-functional teams to align IT capabilities with organizational goals. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 8+ years of hands-on experience administering and optimizing a broad portfolio of SaaS applications in a hybrid and high-growth environment—with advanced proficiency in our core stack: Okta (including Advanced Server Access & Workflows), Google Workspace, Slack Enterprise, Atlassian, etc. 4+ years of deep experience with n8n, Okta Workflows and/or other leading iPaaS/automation platforms (e.g., Workato, Zapier, BetterCloud, custom integrations). Expert-level knowledge of IAM principles