Senior Physical Security Systems Engineer - Data Center Operations

The Security Devops team within Data Center Operations - Security and EHS; designs, builds and operates the physical security platform protecting TikTok’s global datacenter fleet – the virtualization, storage, network, identity and application stack behind CCTV/VMS, access control and IoT systems across AMER, EMEA and APAC. The team runs as an internal platform provider: a single global architecture, deployed from one automation pipeline, operated to one standard. By joining this team you will own a production security estate end-to-end at datacenter scale, work hands-on with VMware Cloud Foundation, Dell PowerScale, Arista networking, Genetec and Lenel, and be part of a multi-region buildout spanning new datacenters in Europe, APAC and the Americas. We are looking for a Senior System Administrator to own the operation of the physical security infrastructure in their region. As the regional service owner, your responsibilities will include: - Own the day-to-day operation of regional physical security systems across virtualization (VMware VCF/vSphere), storage (vSAN, Dell PowerScale), network (Arista) and Windows/Linux server platforms. - Act as the regional privileged-access custodian – holding administrative rights across servers, directory, PKI, virtualization and security applications – and approve all changes within the region. - Support physical security applications and their dependencies (Genetec Security Center, Lenel, Active Directory, PKI, DNS/DHCP, monitoring), providing Tier 2 troubleshooting and escalating to global engineering for Tier 3. - Enforce SOPs, runbooks and patching cycles across all regional sites; maintain compliance evidence and operational documentation. - Monitor system health and alerts, manage the regional incident lifecycle, and coordinate vendor support engagements for hardware, software and circuit faults. - Lead and direct the regional BPO/contract engineers – task allocation, quality review, onboarding and performance feedback – and ensure procedure-based work is executed to standard. - Support new site commissioning, migrations and platform upgrades delivered by global engineering, and take operational handover. - Travel requirement: regular travel to datacenter sites within the region, with occasional international travel for site commissioning and team collaboration. Candidates must hold a valid passport and be able to obtain necessary visas. Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. - Hands-on experience administering enterprise Windows and Linux server environments, including VMware vSphere and enterprise storage. - Working knowledge of enterprise networking (VLANs, routing, switching) and Active Directory, PKI and DNS/DHCP fundamentals. - Experience supporting physical security platforms (Genetec Security Center, Lenel or equivalent VMS/access control) and networked IoT devices. - Demonstrated incident, change and vendor-escalation discipline with strong documentation practices. - Experience directing contractors or junior engineers in an operational or support function. - Eligible to hold privileged access to security-critical systems as a full-time employee. Preferred Qualifications - 5 years of experience in system administration or datacenter infrastructure operations, including at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity. - 3 years of experience operating VMware-based platforms (vSphere/VCF, vSAN) and enterprise storage in production. - Relevant certifications such as VMware VCP/VCAP, RHCSA, Genetec or Lenel vendor certifications. - Scripting and automation experience (PowerShell, Python, Ansible) for operational tasks. - Experience working in multi-region or follow-the-sun operating models with outsourced/BPO teams.