IT Systems Administrator

About Redwood Research

At Redwood Research, we strive to ensure the safe development of artificial intelligence through rigorous technical research, thoughtful analysis, and strategic advising.

About the role

We're looking for an IT Systems Administrator to own day-to-day IT operations, support our staff and collaborators, and improve the systems that keep their work secure and productive.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the primary IT support contact, handling account recovery, access requests, device troubleshooting, and application issues.

• Administer Google Workspace, 1Password, Iru MDM, Slack, and Asana, including users, permissions, security settings, and licenses.

• Purchase, provision, inventory, and maintain MacBooks, Chromebooks, security keys, and other IT equipment.

• Manage onboarding, role changes, and offboarding, keeping access aligned with our centralized Roster, approved permissions, and start and end dates.

• Partner with Engineering/DevOps to implement SSO and SCIM integrations and automate account provisioning, group membership, and access removal.

• Assist Engineering/DevOps with account administration and access support across AWS, GitHub, Tailscale, and AI model and compute platforms.

• Maintain IT security controls, conduct access reviews, and help colleagues resolve device and account security issues.

• Contribute to our SOC 2 effort through Vanta, maintaining evidence and addressing IT-related findings.

• Document systems and support procedures, identify recurring problems, and improve workflows to reduce manual work and interruptions.

Skills and experience

• Approximately 3–5 years of relevant IT or systems administration experience, or equivalent practical experience.

• Strong Google Workspace administration skills and experience managing macOS devices through Iru/Kandji or a comparable MDM.

• Practical experience with SaaS administration, SSO, SAML, and SCIM.

• Ability to automate routine tasks using scripts, APIs, or workflow tools.

• Sound security judgment around access permissions, MFA, account recovery, device security, and confidential information.

• Patience and clear communication when supporting technical and nontechnical colleagues, including routine troubleshooting.

• Ability to work independently, prioritize support alongside improvement projects, and recognize when to escalate.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting researchers or software engineers and administering AI models or compute platforms.

• Familiarity with Linux server administration, AWS IAM Identity Center, Okta, or Tailscale.

• Experience with SOC 2, Vanta, or other security and compliance work.

We welcome candidates from IT, systems administration, and software engineering backgrounds who have relevant operational experience and enjoy hands-on user support. Experience with every listed tool is not required.

Compensation and benefits

The pay range for this role is $250,000-$300,000.

Benefits include:

• Access to our office with an in-office gym and shower; unlimited snacks and drinks.

• Healthy catered lunches and dinners (with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options).

• Generous equipment and software budget. We invest heavily in your productivity.

• Unlimited PTO.

• Flexible hours. We have a daily standup and some fixed meetings, but outside those we trust you to manage your own time.

• 401(k) with employer match.

• High-quality health, dental, and vision insurance.

Location and schedule

This is a full-time, on-site role in our Berkeley office, a short walk from BART and bus stops. On-site parking is available. After an onboarding period of at least three months, working from home a few days per week can be discussed. Relocation bonus may be available.

We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity in all aspects of our hiring process. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We welcome and encourage all qualified candidates to apply for our open positions.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.