SAS Administrator (SAS Enterprise Session Monitor Expert)

Our client, in the financial sector, is deploying SAS Enterprise Session Monitor (ESM) in its SAS Viya environments. The successful candidate will lead the end-to-end implementation, from architecture validation to production deployment, in collaboration with the infrastructure and security teams, and will provide the necessary tools for the internal teams to carry out the next steps.

• Plan and execute the installation and configuration of ESM in development and production environments.
  
• Validate the target architecture, network flows, and security requirements, and support the access activation process.
  
• Prepare the technical prerequisites with the infrastructure teams (servers, virtual machines).
  
• Install and configure the ESM servers and agents, and configure the SAS Viya environments.
  
• Perform technical and functional validations after each installation.
  
• Produce quality reports, document lessons learned, and formulate recommendations.
  
• Support the complete platform upgrade cycle using deployment pipelines.
  
• Ensure knowledge transfer to internal teams.
  

The client is seeking an implementation specialist, not a general SAS administrator. The mandate is limited to a SAS Enterprise Session Monitor deployment project in SAS Viya environments, over approximately 4.5 months, with a clear sequence: architecture validation, infrastructure prerequisite preparation, server and agent installation, development and production validation, pipelined upgrade cycle, and knowledge transfer. 

The recurring terms (network traffic, access control, technical prerequisites, security) indicate that the real challenge lies not in the installation itself, but in navigating the security and infrastructure constraints of a large organization, with the need to engage third-party teams. The explicit mention of knowledge transfer and quality reports signals that the client expects someone capable of documenting and equipping internal teams during the delivery process, with operational autonomy being the ultimate goal. The role is highly specialized: ESM is a niche product within the SAS portfolio, and the pool of candidates who have actually installed it is limited.

Main Responsibilities

• Plan and execute the installation and configuration of SAS Enterprise Session Monitor (ESM) in development and production environments.
  
• Collaborate with infrastructure teams to prepare the servers, virtual machines, and technical prerequisites necessary for deployment.
  
• Validate the target architecture, network flows, and security requirements, and support the responsible teams in granting the necessary access.
  
• Install and configure the ESM servers and necessary agents in each environment.
  
• Configure SAS Viya environments, including shared spaces and SAS environments, according to the chosen architecture.
  
• Perform technical and functional validations following development and production installations.
  
• Produce quality reports, document lessons learned, and formulate improvement recommendations at each stage of deployment.
  
• Support teams throughout the complete platform upgrade cycle using deployment pipelines.
  
• Evaluate deployment quality, identify improvements to pipelines, quality controls, and operational practices (OPS).
  
• Ensure knowledge transfer to internal teams to foster operational autonomy.

Requirements

Requirements Qualification Matrix

• Demonstrated expertise with SAS Enterprise Session Monitor (ESM)
  
• SAS Viya environments
  
• Installation, configuration, administration, and operation of SAS platforms
  
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a similar role
  
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline
  

Desirable

• Linux, virtualized infrastructures, networking, security mechanisms, access management
  
• Validation of technical architectures, network flow configuration, resolution of security-related issues
  
• Automation tools and deployment pipelines (CI/CD), platform upgrade processes
  
• Production of technical documentation, quality reports, and improvement recommendations
  

Asset

• Knowledge transfer to internal teams
  
• Experience in a financial institution or large regulated enterprise
  

Note: ESM and SAS Viya are considered cumulative requirements, not alternatives. The engagement is focused on ESM deployed within a Viya environment. A candidate who knows Viya but lacks ESM expertise does not meet the core requirement.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT

• SAS developer (SAS database, macros, DI Studio) without experience in platform installation and administration.
  
• Analyst or statistician using SAS, even with several years of experience.
  
• SAS 9.4 administrator only, with no Viya experience.
  
• Generalist Linux system administrator with no SAS platform experience.
  
• Candidate who has only used ESM as a monitoring tool, without having installed or configured it.
  
• Candidate lacking the ability to document and transfer knowledge to internal teams.