IT Manager

Efficient is developing the world’s most energy-efficient general-purpose computer processor. Efficient’s patented technology uses 100x less energy than state of the art commercially available ultra-low-power processors and is programmable using standard high-level programming languages and AI/ML frameworks. This level of efficiency makes perpetual, pervasive intelligence possible: run AI/ML continuously on a AA battery for 5-10 years. Our platform’s unprecedented level of efficiency enables IoT devices to intelligently capture and curate first-party data to drive the next major computing revolution

Efficient Computer is looking for an IT Manager to own information technology end to end across a fast-growing, multi-site startup. You will be our sole IT team member, equally comfortable swapping a dock in the office and briefing leadership on our security posture and compliance roadmap.

This is not a junior helpdesk position. Day to day you will keep the employee experience running smoothly, but the reason this role exists is bigger than ticket resolution. You will build and run the systems, policies, and controls that let a company working in and around the defense ecosystem operate securely and pass scrutiny. You will be the first line of defense for the company, and the person thinking two quarters ahead about where our IT and security needs are going.

What You'll Do

Employee experience and IT operations

• Own day-to-day IT support across all offices: hardware, software, accounts, and access. No ask is too small, and you'll build systems so the small asks stay small.
• Run employee onboarding and offboarding end to end: provisioning, deprovisioning, access reviews, and equipment lifecycle.
• Manage laptop fleets and mobile device management (MDM), including configuration baselines, patching, and endpoint security.
• Administer identity and access: SSO via Rippling, Google Workspace, MFA, SCIM provisioning, and role-based access across our SaaS stack.
• Own office IT infrastructure across four sites: networking, Wi-Fi (including RADIUS-authenticated networks), conference rooms and AV, printers, and physical access systems where applicable.
• Manage IT vendors, licensing, and renewals, and keep spend sensible.

AI tooling and governance

• Help shape and administer the company's AI usage policies: which tools are approved, how they're provisioned, and how sensitive data stays out of them.
• Own AI tool spend and seat management, monitoring usage and controlling costs so budget goes where it delivers value.
• Ensure employees are genuinely supported and productive with AI tools while steering usage toward the right tool for the job (not every task needs a frontier model).

Security and compliance

• Serve as the company's first line of defense: monitor for and respond to security events, phishing attempts, and incidents, and run the playbooks you'll write.
• Own compliance with CMMC and other defense-related IT standards (e.g., NIST SP 800-171), including gap assessments, remediation plans, evidence collection, and audit readiness.
• Establish and maintain policies and controls for handling sensitive and controlled information, and train employees on them.
• Get in front of strategic security: build the roadmap for where our security program needs to be as the company scales, and drive it, rather than waiting for requirements to arrive.
• Partner with leadership, legal, and engineering on customer and government security requirements, questionnaires, and audits.

Strategy and scale

• Advise leadership on IT strategy, budget, and build-vs-buy decisions as headcount and office footprint grow.
• Design systems and processes that scale: self-service where it makes sense, automation where it pays off, documentation everywhere.
• Lay the groundwork for a future IT team, and eventually help build it.

What We're Looking For

• 6+ years of progressive IT experience, including experience as the sole or founding IT owner at a startup.
• Hands-on depth with MDM platforms (e.g., Jamf, Kandji, Intune) across macOS and Windows fleets.
• Strong experience administering SSO and identity providers and designing sane access models; we run SSO through Rippling on top of Google Workspace, and experience with either (or comparable platforms like Okta or Entra) translates well.
• Experience with automated user lifecycle management, including SCIM provisioning and deprovisioning across SaaS applications.
• Experience deploying and managing RADIUS servers for network authentication (e.g., certificate-based Wi-Fi auth tied to MDM and identity).
• Working knowledge of CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, or comparable defense and government IT compliance frameworks, ideally having taken a company through an assessment or audit.
• Solid grounding in security operations: endpoint protection, email security, incident response, and security awareness.
• Comfort with office networking (firewalls, VLANs, Wi-Fi) across multiple physical sites.
• A service mindset paired with strategic judgment: you take pride in fast, friendly support and in knowing which problems to solve permanently.
• Clear written communication; you document what you build and can explain security tradeoffs to non-technical audiences.
• Willingness to travel roughly 25% of the time between our offices.
• Due to the nature of our work and applicable regulations, this position requires U.S. person status (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident).

Nice to have

• Experience in a defense, aerospace, or hardware company handling CUI or export-controlled data (ITAR/EAR).
• Security or compliance certifications (e.g., Security+, CISSP, CCP/CCA for CMMC).
• Scripting or automation experience (e.g., Bash, Python, or MDM automation).
• Experience rolling out or governing AI tools in a company setting (usage policies, data handling, spend management).

We offer a competitive base salary for this role, generally ranging from $120,000 to $165,000, plus a 10% annual bonus, meaningful equity, and comprehensive benefits. Final compensation will depend on experience, level, and location, with flexibility for the right candidate.

Why Join Efficient?

Efficient offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including  401K match, company-paid benefits, equity program, paid parental leave, and flexibility. We are committed to personal and professional development and strive to grow together as people and as a company.