Technical Engineer - IT Operations

About Pole Star:
As the leader in maritime intelligence, Pole Star empowers better decision-making and protects clients’ business interests, assets, seafarers, vessels, cargo, infrastructure, investments, profitability, and reputation - through provision of high-performance, cyber-secure solutions underpinned by immense service and constant technological innovation. We have offices in London, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong and Panama, alongside presence in Australia. Teams are made up of over 19 nationalities, speaking 25 different languages.

The Opportunity:
As a Technical Engineer, you will be a key part of the IT Operations team and our on-site IT presence at the Panama office. You will demonstrate technical competency by delivering mission critical infrastructure, supporting the full scope of Pole Star's products and systems locally, and acting as the primary point of contact for all IT matters at the Panama site. The ideal candidate will be highly skilled in fixing technical problems, including network configuration and account setup, with additional hands-on experience in local infrastructure management, IT procurement, and end-user support. They will have excellent communication and collaboration skills in both Spanish and English, and will keep up-to-date on the latest developments and trends in the industry. This position will require delivering "best-in-class" service to both internal and external customers ensuring the highest levels of availability, performance, and security.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and monitor all Pole Star systems, networks and infrastructure at the Panama site, ensuring the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability
• Own the day-to-day operation of the local office network - LAN, Wi-Fi, firewalls, switches, and site-to-site VPN connectivity to global infrastructure
• Install, configure, test, and maintain operating systems, application software and system management tools
• Collaborate with vendors and third-party providers, including local ISPs and hardware suppliers, to resolve technical issues and support site operations
• Provide technical and operational support and administration to include AWS cloud services, databases, and Microsoft AD / Entra ID services
• Act as the first point of contact for Panama-based staff on all IT matters - onboarding, offboarding, and day-to-day end-user support
• Manage IT procurement for the Panama site, including sourcing, purchasing, and receiving equipment in line with global standards and budgets
• Maintain an accurate local asset register and manage the equipment lifecycle from procurement through secure disposal
• Identify site-specific gaps and improvement opportunities and propose solutions
• Document local procedures and infrastructure in the internal knowledge base

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot difficult technical issues
• Understanding of remote administration via SSH, SNMP, WMI, and PowerShell
• Experienced T1 and T2 technical support (3+ years)
• Experienced with Windows and Apple systems administration
• Working knowledge of enterprise networking - TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, VLANs, VPN (site-to-site and remote access), Wi-Fi design, and common firewall platforms
• Fluent Spanish and strong English (both written and spoken)
• Eligible to work in Panama and able to work on-site at our Panama City office

Additional Skills:

• Networking certifications – Palo Alto (entry or mid-level)
• Microsoft 365 certifications (MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator or similar)
• Experience with endpoint management tools (Action1, Intune, Jamf)
• Experience in one or more scripting languages: Python, PowerShell, Bash
• Experience with relational databases (e.g. MySQL, Oracle, MSSQL, PostgreSQL)
• Vendor management and procurement experience in Latin America

Education/Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or related field or equivalent working experience
• CompTIA Security+ (or equivalent)
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (may be required to obtain upon hire)

Travel Requirements

Ability for up to 10% travel, primarily regional (Latin America) with occasional visits to other Pole Star sites for training, projects, or team collaboration.

Employee Benefits:

• Competitive Salary
• Health Insurance
• Life assurance, funded to 3x salary & EAP programme
• Private pension scheme
• 30 days annual leave
• 5 wellness days
• Refer-a-friend recruitment bonus
• Unlimited learning and development opportunities