Apple Systems Administrator

Benefits

Additional Information

Northeastern offers a rewarding working environment for our students and employees. Our faculty and staff are smart, dedicated people who work to create an excellent urban university experience for bright and motivated students. Job Summary: This position is responsible for the administration, support, and lifecycle management of Apple-based infrastructure, including macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and associated devices, in support of the University's academic, research, and administrative mission. The role leads the planning, design, implementation, maintenance, and upgrade of Apple technology solutions, ensuring secure, reliable, and efficient operations across all campus environments. The position provides technical support and consultation to administrators, faculty, staff, and students, while also directing and coordinating assigned technical staff. In addition to its primary focus on Apple technologies, the role collaborates with system administrators across Windows, Linux, cloud, identity, and network platforms to ensure interoperability, consistent security practices, and alignment with institutional standards. Responsibilities include developing documentation and training materials, delivering user and staff training, and supporting cross-platform initiatives. The position also oversees device lifecycle management, including deployment, monitoring, maintenance, and refresh, utilizing modern endpoint management practices to maintain security, compliance, and an optimal user experience. Job Description: Endpoint Platform Strategy, Engineering, Lifecycle Management & Staff Leadership Serves as the University's primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Apple technologies (macOS, iOS, iPadOS) while contributing to the design and support of a diverse, enterprise endpoint environment that includes Windows, Linux, and cloud-managed devices. Provides strategic, technical, and operational leadership supporting academic, research, and administrative functions. Designs, implements, and maintains secure, scalable endpoint solutions across Apple and other supported platforms. Leads adoption of modern endpoint management solutions (e.g., Jamf Pro, Microsoft Intune, MECM) and Apple Business Manager for automated provisioning and lifecycle management. Establishes and enforces endpoint standards (hardware, OS, security, compliance) across multiple platforms in alignment with university policies and cybersecurity frameworks. Conducts needs assessments and develops cross-platform technical solutions aligned with institutional priorities. Oversees full lifecycle management of endpoint devices, including deployment, configuration, patching, upgrades, and retirement. Evaluates and approves technical specifications, vendor solutions, and procurement recommendations for endpoint technologies. Leads pilot initiatives and enterprise deployments across all campuses and hybrid environments. Supervises and supports technical staff and student employees, including task assignment, mentoring, training, and performance feedback. Endpoint Deployment, Support & Operations Coordinates and supports enterprise deployment and operational management of endpoint devices across multiple platforms. Manages large-scale device refresh programs for student labs and faculty/staff computing environments across Apple and non-Apple platforms. Implements modern provisioning methodologies, replacing legacy imaging with automated, policy-driven configuration and software deployment. Creates, tests, and maintains application packages for macOS and iOS devices (e.g., PKG, scripts, App Store apps), ensuring compatibility with operating systems and institutional standards. Deploys and manages application distribution to Apple endpoints using MDM platforms (e.g., Jamf Pro, Microsoft Intune), including version control, updates, and license management. Develops and maintains automated application deployment workflows, patch management processes, and update strategies to ensure applications remain secure, current, and compliant. Provides Tier 2/3 escalation support for complex endpoint, system, and integration issues across macOS, Windows, and related platforms. Ensures endpoint security, system performance, and compliance with established standards. Collaborates with infrastructure, cloud, and network teams to ensure reliable connectivity, authentication, and system integration. Supports cross-platform solutions including virtualization, VDI, and cloud-based application delivery. Security, Governance, Training & Continuous Improvement Supports secure operations, governance, user enablement, and ongoing service enhancement across endpoint platforms. Implements and maintains endpoint security controls across platforms, including encryption, authentication, and compliance enforcement. Develops and maintains policies, standards, and procedures for endpoint and device management across Apple and non-Apple systems. Participates in IT service lifecycl