IT Systems Support Engineer

Job Description

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

We are seeking a highly motivated IT Systems Support Engineer to be based at our New Jersey headquarters. As our second IT hire, you will be a key bridge between hands-on user support and deep-tier systems engineering, reporting directly to and collaborating closely with Thea Energy's Director - IT across all things infrastructure, security, and support. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role for someone who enjoys building robust systems from the ground up. You'll ensure our scientists, engineers, and executives have a frictionless path to the tools they need - with a leading role in shaping how the Company's digital foundation is built.

Key Responsibility Areas

This role spans both strategic and operational IT, from supporting our scientists and engineers day-to-day to building the systems and automation that scale with the Company.

• Own day-to-day IT operations as a primary point of contact for user support, while continuously building and improving the underlying infrastructure.
• Design and deploy automated workflows to ensure smooth employee onboarding, offboarding, and lifecycle transitions.
• Manage physical and virtual server environments, ensuring high availability, consistent patching, and strong security practices.
• Optimize cloud environments, manage identity and access, and maintain a strong security posture across the organization.
• Maintain office and lab network infrastructure - including VPNs, firewalls, switches, and Wi-Fi - ensuring reliable, low-latency connectivity.
• Build and maintain a thorough knowledge base: clear documentation and infrastructure diagrams that the whole team can rely on.
• Manage hardware and software lifecycles, including inventory, procurement, and vendor relationships.
• Administer and maintain our MDM environment: managing device enrollment, compliance policies, and configuration profiles across Windows and macOS.
• Implement and uphold security best practices to protect mission-critical intellectual property and research data.
• Proactively identify and reduce technical debt through automation and process improvement.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets

• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering and desktop support across Windows and macOS.
• Proficiency in PowerShell, Python, or similar scripting/automation tools.
• Experience managing network infrastructure, including firewalls, switches, and access points.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform (Azure, GCP, AWS, or Google Workspace/O365).
• Experience with modern IT ticketing systems (e.g., ServiceNow, Zendesk, Freshdesk) and structured support workflows.
• Strong documentation skills - able to translate complex systems into clear diagrams and written guides.
• Excellent communication skills - comfortable explaining technical issues to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders.
• A collaborative, low-ego approach: equally comfortable supporting a user with a hardware issue and leading a server migration.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where priorities can shift quickly.
• Experience across multiple cloud platforms (Azure, GCP, AWS, Google Workspace/O365).
• Background working in a startup, research, or scientific/engineering environment.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks or security standards (SOC 2, NIST, etc.).
• Experience with email security platforms (e.g. Barracuda, Proofpoint, Mimecast).
• Familiarity with Security Awareness Training tools (e.g. NINJIO, KnowBe4, Proofpoint).

Company Benefits

• Salary range $85,000-$145,000
• Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)
• Employee equity stock options
• 20 days PTO

It's not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.

Diversity and Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world's hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran's status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.