Partner 18, IT Engineer, Washington, D.C.

We’ve established a team that is defined by respect for the entrepreneur and the company-building process; we know what it’s like to be in the founder’s shoes. We’ve invested in companies like Affirm, Airbnb, Coinbase, Databricks, Devoted Health, Insitro, Figma, GitHub, Instacart, OpenSea, Roblox, Stripe, and Substack. Our team is at the forefront of new technology, helping founders and their companies impact and change the world.

The Role

As an IT Engineer, you will provide a full spectrum of IT Support to the firm. Based in our Washington, D.C. office you will serve as the face of the IT team as the primary support contact in the office for a diverse population of end users including the Executive level. You will take point on all IT needs that originate in the D.C. office. When not directly supporting the office, you will contribute to remote supporting the hybrid firm at-large and serve as a third level escalation point for service tickets.

The ideal candidate must have an innate desire to serve and support those around them, taking initiative to offer their services in any situation that may call for it. Low ego and agility are key. You must feel comfortable diving under desks to rig up a clean cable management solution, to supporting C-suite executives in high leverage situations, to coordinating A/V vendors for a live in-office event, to contributing on a complex SaaS system integration project with collaborators spread across the US timezones. 

In this hybrid role, you should feel equally comfortable supporting users via email, chat, video call or in-person. You possess the skill to effectively troubleshoot and diagnose issues, conveying your insights through clear writing in a manner that is both friendly and professional. You carry this same demeanor into a video call or in-person interaction when the situation calls for it. You will work independently on many tasks but understand the importance of constant communication and collaboration to ensure you're in sync with the priorities of the larger team.

You must have deep technical knowledge across various domains including MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Experience with common SaaS applications like Okta, Google Workspace, and Slack are required, as well as advanced networking concepts. You will have experience supporting fleets of endpoints, IT and networking infrastructure, and complex, multi-vendor IT environments. Experience managing integrated A/V systems as well as supporting live event production are preferred. 

This role requires an in-office presence 4-5 days a week in our Washington D.C. office.

To join our team, you should be excited to:

• Deliver a first-class, white-glove customer service experience for everyone who interacts with or within the technical systems of the firm
• Troubleshoot and resolve escalated IT requests from across the entire organization, up to and especially our Executive Suite
• Design, implement, maintain, and secure all IT systems and the entire SaaS software stack in our environment
• Lead IT projects, coordinating cross-functional and distributed teams and ensuring timely and successful delivery
• Uphold, enforce and improve the firm's IT security posture through diligent and rigorous planning and execution of all IT activities
• Seek opportunities for IT automations using workflow builder tools or scripts
• Build and cultivate long-term relationships
• Manage vendor relationships for support and staying abreast of latest developments
• Author and publish high quality documentation and knowledge base articles that serves IT peers and end users
• Ability to stay agile and reprioritize often are critical to succeed in this role
• Drink from the firehose: always learning new technologies, understand new workflows, and always open to feedback to hone your customer service approach and build new technical skills

Minimum Qualifications

• 6+ years experience in systems, networking, or security administration and experience in client-facing IT roles with demonstrated track record of excellence and increasing responsibilities
• Growth mindset, tech-native, resourceful, optimistic and proactive attitude, always willing to serve in any situation
• Strong general troubleshooting skills to diagnose, identify, and resolve technical issues
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to work effectively within the most senior levels of the organization
• Aptness to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
• Strong MacOS and Windows skills are required
• Strong iOS skills are required; Android skills are preferred
• Experience with administering SaaS tools is required (e.g. Okta, JAMF, Google Workspace, etc.)
• Experience with client platform engineering is required (e.g. Jamf, Kandji, Intune, etc.)
• Experience with advanced networking concepts and protocols is required (e.g. switching, routing, DHCP, DNS, RADIUS, etc)
• Experience working with Zoom, Zoom Rooms, and integrated Audio/Visual systems is highly preferred
• Low ego, high empathy, and the capacity to collaborate effectively with diverse teams

The anticipated salary range for this role is between $189,000 - $221,000, actual starting pay may vary based on a range of factors which can include experience, skills, and scope.

This role is eligible to participate in the a16z Carry program and various discretionary bonus programs as well as benefit and perquisite plans including health, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401K plan, vacation, and sick leave.