Enterprise Infrastructure Administration

This area evaluates your ability to design, maintain, and scale the core systems that keep Tucson Electric Power operational.

Be ready to go over:

• Active Directory & Identity – Group Policy Objects (GPOs), active directory replication, DNS integration, and multi-factor authentication.
• Virtualization Management – Host clustering, storage vMotion, virtual switch configuration, and resource pool allocation.
• Backup & Disaster Recovery – Designing backup schedules, testing recovery points, and understanding replication topologies.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Automating infrastructure deployments using Terraform or Ansible, configuring software-defined storage, and managing hybrid cloud integrations.

Example scenarios:

• "Explain how you would design a highly available Active Directory architecture across two geographically separated utility substations."
• "What strategy would you use to patch a cluster of hypervisors without causing downtime for the critical applications running on them?"

Behavioral & Regulatory Alignment

Technical skill alone is not enough; you must demonstrate that you can operate safely and collaboratively within a regulated utility environment.

Be ready to go over:

• Change Control Processes – The importance of documenting changes, creating rollback plans, and securing approvals before modifying production systems.
• Regulatory Frameworks – Understanding the impact of security compliance (such as NERC CIP) on system administration.
• Conflict Resolution – Handling differing technical opinions within an engineering team constructively.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a time when you noticed a security vulnerability in a production system that bypassed standard compliance checks. What actions did you take?"
• "Tell us about a successful system deployment you led, focusing on how you coordinated with other IT and business units."

As a Systems Engineer at Tucson Electric Power, your daily responsibilities are centered around ensuring system integrity, performance, and security. You are responsible for the lifecycle management of all server infrastructure, virtualization platforms, and enterprise storage systems.

Your typical daily activities and long-term projects will include:

• Monitoring system performance, resource utilization, and system logs to proactively identify and resolve potential issues before they impact business operations.
• Administering VMware vSphere or hyper-converged infrastructure, including provisioning virtual machines, managing resource allocations, and performing host updates.
• Maintaining Active Directory, ensuring secure access controls, managing Group Policies, and integrating corporate identity systems.
• Designing, implementing, and testing disaster recovery and backup solutions to guarantee business continuity in the event of hardware failure or natural disasters.
• Deploying security patches, operating system upgrades, and firmware updates in accordance with strict change management policies and regulatory compliance standards.
• Collaborating with network engineers, database administrators, and cybersecurity specialists to design secure, resilient system integrations.
• Documenting system architectures, administrative procedures, and troubleshooting guides to support team knowledge sharing and regulatory audits.

To be competitive for the Systems Engineer position, you must possess a strong foundational background in systems administration, infrastructure design, and structured troubleshooting.

• Must-have skills – Strong proficiency in Windows Server and/or Linux administration, enterprise-level virtualization (specifically VMware vSphere), Active Directory management, and scripting for automation (PowerShell, Bash, or Python).
• Experience level – Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related engineering field, along with 3 to 5 years of hands-on systems engineering experience. Equivalent professional experience is highly valued.
• Soft skills – Excellent analytical problem-solving skills, strong verbal and written communication, and the ability to work effectively within a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.
• Nice-to-have skills – Prior experience working in the utility or energy sector, familiarity with NERC CIP compliance standards, experience managing SAN/NAS storage arrays, and certifications such as VMware VCP, Microsoft MCSE/Role-based certifications, or CompTIA Security+.

Q: How difficult is the technical evaluation for the Systems Engineer role? A: Candidates generally rate the interview process as average to difficult. The difficulty stems from the practical, hands-on troubleshooting tasks and the specific compliance-oriented questions. Rote memorization will not get you through the practical skills test or the live troubleshooting session.

Q: What is the typical preparation time recommended for this interview? A: We recommend dedicating two to three weeks of focused preparation. Spend this time reviewing core virtualization concepts, Active Directory architecture, command-line diagnostic tools, and practicing structured behavioral answers using the STAR method.

Q: Does Tucson Electric Power allow remote or hybrid work for Systems Engineers? A: TEP typically operates on a hybrid schedule for systems engineering roles, requiring some days in the Tucson office and on-site support for critical systems when necessary. Fully remote options are rare due to the hands-on nature of managing local data centers and utility infrastructure.

Q: How can I stand out during the panel interview? A: You can stand out by demonstrating a strong appreciation for change management and operational safety. When answering technical questions, always mention how you would document the change, formulate a rollback plan, and ensure the change does not disrupt critical utility services.

To maximize your chances of securing an offer at Tucson Electric Power, keep these practical tips in mind during your preparation and interviews:

• Prioritize Stability Over Speed: When explaining how you solve problems, always emphasize a cautious, methodical approach. In a utility environment, an engineer who takes their time to ensure a change is safe is highly preferred over one who rushes to deploy a quick fix.
• Master the Command Line: During live troubleshooting, rely on command-line diagnostics. Showing comfort with PowerShell, Bash, and native OS diagnostic utilities demonstrates deep technical competence.
• Use the STAR Method for Behavioral Questions: Structure your behavioral answers by explaining the Situation, the Task you needed to accomplish, the Action you took, and the Result of your actions. Keep your answers concise and focused on your personal contributions.
• Understand the Business Impact: Take the time to research Tucson Electric Power and its parent company, UNS Energy. Understand how the systems you manage support the broader mission of delivering safe, reliable energy to southern Arizona.

The Systems Engineer position at Tucson Electric Power is an exceptional opportunity for an IT professional looking to make a tangible, positive impact on their community. By ensuring the reliability and security of TEP's core systems, you are directly supporting the critical infrastructure that keeps Southern Arizona running.

To prepare effectively, focus your energy on mastering enterprise virtualization, Active Directory administration, and practical systems diagnostics. Approach your interviews with a safety-first mindset, emphasizing structured problem-solving, collaborative communication, and a deep respect for regulatory compliance and change control.

The compensation data shown above represents the competitive market range for engineering roles at this level. Actual offers are determined based on your technical experience, certifications, and performance throughout the practical and panel interviews.

With focused preparation, a methodical approach to the technical challenges, and clear communication of your engineering decisions, you can position yourself as the ideal candidate for this critical role. To explore additional community-sourced interview insights, questions, and preparation resources, visit Dataford. Good luck with your preparation!