Microsoft 365 Exchange & Messaging Architect

   

This position is located in Ithaca, New York. The successful candidate will have the option to perform this role at a location of their choosing within the United States.

The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholdings for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside New York State.

No Visa sponsorship available for this position.

What is Cornell University and what is Information Technology @ Cornell?
Cornell University, unique among peers, is the federal land-grant institution of New York State, a private endowed university, and a member of the Ivy League. Information Technology (IT) is a strategic enabler for many functions at Cornell University, with staff located across colleges, administrative units, and campuses throughout the institution. While comprised of many organizations, IT operates as one partnering closely with faculty, staff, and students to support teaching, research, and business operations. By being embedded where the Cornell community is, IT is well positioned to provide support ranging from day‑to‑day needs to large, complex initiatives that advance major academic, research, and operational objectives across the university. Check out this link to find out more about IT Cornell. 

What will you do:

Reporting to the IT Manager of Email and Collaboration Services, the Microsoft 365 Exchange & Messaging Architect serves as a senior technical resource for Cornell University’s enterprise messaging and collaboration environment. This role designs, secures, automates, and supports Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, Exchange hybrid infrastructure, mail routing, identity integration, and related communication services. The position provides advanced technical guidance, resolves complex service issues, maintains reliable operational practices, and partners with security, legal, vendor, and campus stakeholders to support resilient communication services across the university.

This role is responsible for:

Infrastructure Architecture & Hybrid Coexistence

• Design, maintain, and optimize enterprise messaging architecture, including Exchange Online environments and Exchange hybrid servers, in partnership with platform, identity, security, and infrastructure teams.
• Lead complex messaging migrations, including tenant-to-tenant consolidations and legacy system cutovers using native Microsoft tools and approved third-party solutions.
• Manage hybrid coexistence, ensuring smooth cross-premises mail flow, OAuth authentication, free/busy calendar lookups, and Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW) maintenance.

Mail Flow, Deliverability & Routing

• Architect end-to-end mail routing, managing inbound/outbound connectors, transport rules, smart hosts, and internal SMTP relays.

• Support domain security and deliverability by maintaining configurations for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, ARC, and BIMI across Cornell-managed domains.
• Diagnose critical mail flow issues, performing deep-packet and header analysis, message traces, and resolving severe delivery failures or sender reputation blocks.

Scripting & Process Automation

• Build and maintain automation scripts using Exchange Online PowerShell (V3) and Microsoft Graph API for user lifecycle management, reporting, and bulk administrative tasks.
• Integrate identity workflows with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), Entra Connect/Cloud Sync, and hybrid Active Directory environments.

Security, Compliance & Governance

• Engineer Defender for Office 365 protection, fine-tuning anti-phishing, anti-spam, Safe Links, Safe Attachments, and Zero-Hour Auto Purge (ZAP) policies.
• Collaborate with Security, Legal, Compliance, and service teams to support Microsoft Purview capabilities, including Data Loss Prevention rules, retention policies, sensitivity labels, litigation holds, and eDiscovery processes.
• Establish governance and access control, maintaining Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) frameworks and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for messaging services.

Tier 3/4 Escalation & Technical Leadership

• Serve as the final escalation point for complex messaging disruptions, Outlook client connectivity failures (Modern Auth, Autodiscover), and service outages.
• Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) following major incidents and drive long-term systemic remediation.
• Author technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for lower-tier administration teams.

Note: This position may be required to respond and resolve system outages that occur nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Required qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field and 5 to 8 years of relevant IT infrastructure experience, including experience supporting enterprise Exchange, Microsoft 365, or Exchange Online environments. or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading enterprise Microsoft 365 migration projects, such as cross-tenant migrations or on-premises to cloud transitions.
• Expert-level knowledge of Exchange Online, Exchange Server (2019/2022), and Hybrid deployment models.
• Advanced PowerShell & Microsoft Graph API scripting capability for production automation.
• Deep proficiency in email security standards: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, ARC, and TLS transport configurations.
• Strong understanding of hybrid identity systems: Microsoft Entra ID, Entra Connect, Password Hash Sync (PHS), Passthrough Authentication (PTA), and ADFS.
• Hands-on mastery of Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Microsoft Purview (DLP, eDiscovery, Compliance).
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, with experience partnering across diverse stakeholder groups, including security, legal, compliance, vendors, and business units.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, particularly in high-pressure or service-impacting situations.
• Proven ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities, manage competing demands, and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience developing documentation, procedures, and training materials to support operational consistency and knowledge sharing.
• Strong customer service orientation and commitment to delivering reliable, user-focused technology services.
• Ability to lead initiatives, influence outcomes, and provide technical guidance and mentorship to colleagues and support teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and responsible stewardship of institutional data and resources.
• Willingness and ability to participate in after-hours support activities during critical incidents, maintenance windows, or service outages.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Working knowledge of Google Workspace administration, including Gmail configuration, email routing, user provisioning, compliance settings, and end-user support within an enterprise environment.
• Microsoft Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert (formerly MS-100/MS-101 path)
• Microsoft Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate (Legacy MS-203)
• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300)
• Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert (SC-100)
• Proficiency in C# and the .NET ecosystemPrior use of Kuali Financial System (KFS), PCR-360, OAS/Answers, TDX and Quickbooks preferred.

What we offer:

Great benefits including generous retirement contributions, educational benefits, comprehensive health care options, access to a plethora of wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation, two floating holidays and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. We invite you to follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://jobs.hr.cornell.edu/us/en/total-rewards.

Experience an active and diverse community at Cornell, situated in picturesque Ithaca, New York, the heart of the Finger Lakes. Ithaca is home to two academic institutions, state parks, waterfalls, gorges, and a wide range of art galleries, theaters, eateries, wineries, and breweries. Ithaca has something to suit all ages and interests!

   

University Job Title:

Systems Administrator IV

   

Job Family:

Information Technology

   

Level:

G

   

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

   

Pay Range:

$107,682.00 - $131,611.00

   

Remote Option Availability:

Remote

   

Company:

Endowed

   

Contact Name:

Susie Jackson

   

Contact Email:

[email protected]

   

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

Current Employees:

If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-08-17