System / Network Administrator

Job DetailsJob Location: Petaluma, CA 94952Position Type: Full TimeSalary Range: $80,000.00 - $130,000.00 Salary/yearJob Category: Information TechnologySystems Administrator

Hansel Auto Group • Information Technology • North Bay Area, California

Location: Petaluma, CA — on-site, with regular travel between our Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and Napa locations

Department: Information Technology

Reports to: IT Director

Employment Type: Full-time, non-exempt

Pay Range: $80,000 – $130,000 per year, depending on experience

About the Role

Hansel Auto Group is looking for a Systems Administrator to help run and improve the technology that our dealerships depend on every day. Our IT team's mission is to empower Hansel employees to succeed with innovative tools, quality support, and expert leadership — and this role sits right at the center of that.

You will own the day-to-day health of our network, servers, and core systems: keeping them available and secure, spotting problems before our users do, and steadily standardizing how things are built so the environment gets cleaner every quarter. You will also be a technical anchor for our help desk team, stepping in on the harder tickets and mentoring our junior technicians as they grow.

This is a hands-on job with real ownership. If you like fixing root causes instead of symptoms, writing down how things work, and being the person others trust to get it right, you will do well here.

What You'll Do

Maintain and administer our networks, servers, systems, and hardware across all locations.

Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures that protect company data, systems, and devices.

Monitor our infrastructure proactively — find and resolve issues before they become outages.

Troubleshoot and solve problems at the root, and recommend the hardware or software needed to do it properly.

Provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 support to end users by ticket, phone, and in person.

Jump in and help the help desk team clear tickets when the queue gets heavy.

Mentor our junior IT staff — share what you know and help them build real careers in IT.

Create and maintain clear documentation so the next person can pick up where you left off.

Build repeatable processes and standards so IT service is consistent no matter who delivers it.

Lead projects from start to finish, both on your own and as part of the team.

Our Environment

You do not need to have mastered every item on this list, but you should be comfortable in this neighborhood and eager to learn the rest:

Microsoft: Windows 11, Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Teams

Network: Cisco Meraki switching, wireless, and security appliances

Endpoint management: NinjaOne for RMM, patching, and device deployment

Security: Malwarebytes endpoint protection, MFA, and email security tooling

Voice: GoTo cloud-based VoIP phone system

Business systems: CDK Global (dealership management system) and Monday.com for work management

What Makes Someone Successful Here

You are genuinely interested in technology. You are the one who fixes your family's computers, and you probably watch tech videos for fun.

You get real satisfaction out of helping people, including people who are not technical.

You adapt well when technology and priorities shift, which in a dealership group they do.

You take the work seriously without taking yourself too seriously, and you can receive direct feedback.

You can move quickly and keep several things going at once without dropping any of them.

You do what you say you will do — our co-workers trust IT to get it right.

Qualifications

At least four years of related IT experience, including hands-on network and server administration.

High school diploma or equivalent. Relevant certifications (CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco/Meraki) are a plus.

Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot effectively — gathering information, isolating causes, and resolving end-user issues.

Strong written and verbal English communication skills. Spanish is a significant plus, but not required.

Valid California driver's license, a clean driving record, and reliable transportation for travel between locations.

Experience in a multi-site environment is preferred. Automotive or dealership experience is a plus, but we will teach you the industry.

Physical Requirements and Pre-Employment

Able to regularly lift up to 50 pounds to move computers, monitors, and server equipment.

Comfortable standing, bending, kneeling, and working with cabling and hardware in offices and server rooms.

Must pass a pre-employment background check and drug screen in accordance with applicable law.

Pay Defined: The System Administrator Position has a Pay Scale consisting of the following elements and ranges. Wages include a Base Compensation between $80,000 and $130,000 annually.

Why Hansel Auto Group

Hansel has served the North Bay for generations, and our IT department is committed to continuous improvement and standardization. You will have the backing to fix things properly, a director who wants you to grow, and a team that values doing the job right over doing it fast.

We offer competitive pay, medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), paid time off, employee vehicle purchase and service discounts, and support for training and certifications.

How to Apply

Submit your resume along with a short note about the most interesting technical problem you have solved. We read them.

*Hansel Auto Group is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. The posted pay range is what we reasonably expect to pay for this position; actual compensation depends on experience, skills, and qualifications.