Systems Administrator - Fall 2026

Description

Pinnacle Technology Solutions is a "full-stack" Managed Service Provider, meaning that we deploy all types of solutions (wired networking, wireless, software, hardware, cybersecurity, VoIP, servers, cloud services, etc) for our customers. We have a relatively small number of customers to whom we provide "white glove" service. We are a small staff of 5, so the intern will be directly mentored by a systems administrator with many years of experience.

Training depends on the intern's existing knowledge base, but largely consists of shadowing systems administrators, watching a series of short training videos prepared by past interns, and then hands-on "real-world" work, overseen by full-time systems administrators.

Our goal is to complement "book skills" by gaining "hands-on" experience across a wide range of technologies, so that an intern is ready to walk into a full-time jr. systems administrator position (whether here or someplace else) upon graduation.

We are also in a unique position to give the intern the opportunity to learn in depth about the inner-workings of customer businesses in a variety of fields (both via remote access as well as some in person visits).

Preference will be given to May grads and local PFW/Ivy Tech students.

Responsibilities

Interns work on a variety of tasks, including setting up new users and computer, making server/firewall/networking/security/wireless/VoIP/Active Directory/Azure/Microsoft 365 changes, and going on site to assist with on site equipment deployments.

Our goal is to give the intern a wide variety of tasks that help them understand how the myriad components of a network work together in active deployments and learn to troubleshoot them effectively.

Interns communicate with customers, at first by email only and eventually by telephone and in person, in order to understand and resolve users's requests.

Qualifications

Intern must be enrolled in a technology-releated degree program (e.g. IT Systems or Computer Science).

Intern must be able to work in person in our Fort Wayne office.

Interns must be able to communicate professionally and effectively, by telephone, by email, and in person.

Learning Objectives

A first-semester intern should be able to:

Deploy a computer from unboxing to handoff: imaging or OS setup, Driver and Windows updates, joining the domain, installing standard software and confirming the user can log in and work.

Explain how the hardware pieces of a network work together (modem, firewall/router, switches, access points, and endpoints) and trace the path traffic takes from a workstation to the internet.

Describe structured wiring hardware (e.g., cable types, PoE, wall jacks, patch panels, switches) and make and test an Ethernet cable.

Work independently (and carefully) through tickets that follow well-documented processes, such as user onboarding and offboarding, computer setup and deployment, and mailbox or license changes

Document their work carefully and accurately in the ticketing system and asset records, including serial numbers, locations, and what was done.

Contact Information