diff --git a/.zuul.yaml b/.zuul.yaml
index e80c8ad..ec07681 100644
--- a/.zuul.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.yaml
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
 ---
 - job:
-    name: ansible-role-zookeeper
+    name: ansible-role-zookeeper-base
     run: tests/playbooks/run.yaml
     roles:
       - zuul: windmill/ansible-role-zookeeper
 
+- job:
+    name: ansible-role-zookeeper-tarball
+    parent: ansible-role-zookeeper-base
+    nodeset: ubuntu-bionic
+    vars:
+      zookeeper_install_method: tarball
+      zookeeper_tarball_version: 3.5.9
+
 - job:
     name: ansible-role-zookeeper-ubuntu-bionic
-    parent: ansible-role-zookeeper
+    parent: ansible-role-zookeeper-base
     nodeset: ubuntu-bionic
 
 - project:
@@ -15,9 +23,11 @@
       - windmill-jobs-bionic
     check:
       jobs:
+        - ansible-role-zookeeper-tarball
         - ansible-role-zookeeper-ubuntu-bionic
         - tox-linters
     gate:
       jobs:
+        - ansible-role-zookeeper-tarball
         - ansible-role-zookeeper-ubuntu-bionic
         - tox-linters
diff --git a/defaults/main.yaml b/defaults/main.yaml
index 7a50b83..2fcd4b6 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -14,11 +14,18 @@
 ---
 # tasks/main.yaml
 zookeeper_task_manager:
+  - pre
   - install
   - config
   - service
 
 # tasks/config.yaml
+zookeeper_user_name: zookeeper
+zookeeper_user_group: zookeeper
+zookeeper_user_home: /var/lib/zookeeper
+zookeeper_user_home_mode: 0750
+# zookeeper_user_shell:
+
 zookeeper_file_myid_group: zookeeper
 zookeeper_file_myid_mode: 0644
 zookeeper_file_myid_owner: zookeeper
@@ -32,7 +39,29 @@ zookeeper_package_state: present
 
 zookeeper_install_method: package
 
+zookeeper_tarball_creates: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_dest }}/apache-zookeeper-{{ zookeeper_tarball_version }}-bin"
+zookeeper_tarball_dest: "/opt/tarballs"
+zookeeper_tarball_remote_src: true
+zookeeper_tarball_src: "https://archive.apache.org/dist/zookeeper/zookeeper-{{ zookeeper_tarball_version }}/apache-zookeeper-{{ zookeeper_tarball_version }}-bin.tar.gz"
+zookeeper_tarball_symlink: /opt/zookeeper
+zookeeper_tarball_version:
+
 # tasks/service.yaml
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_dest: /etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_group: root
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_manage: true
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_mode: 0644
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_owner: root
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_src: etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service
+
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_dest: /etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service.d/override.conf
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_group: root
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_manage: true
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_mode: 0644
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_owner: root
+zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_src: etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service.d/override.conf
+
+zookeeper_service_zookeeper_daemon_reload: true
 zookeeper_service_zookeeper_enabled: yes
 zookeeper_service_zookeeper_manage: true
 zookeeper_service_zookeeper_name: zookeeper
diff --git a/tasks/config.yaml b/tasks/config.yaml
index 3a2ebd8..fbc2098 100644
--- a/tasks/config.yaml
+++ b/tasks/config.yaml
@@ -32,6 +32,18 @@
     zookeeper_file_zoo_conf_src: "{{ __zookeeper_file_zoo_conf_src }}"
   when: zookeeper_file_zoo_conf_src is not defined
 
+- name: Create required directories
+  become: true
+  file:
+    group: "{{ zookeeper_user_group }}"
+    owner: "{{ zookeeper_user_name }}"
+    path: "{{ item }}"
+    state: directory
+  with_items:
+    - /etc/zookeeper
+    - /etc/zookeeper/conf
+    - /var/log/zookeeper
+
 - name: Install zookeeper myid
   become: yes
   template:
diff --git a/tasks/install/tarball.yaml b/tasks/install/tarball.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b65ce8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/install/tarball.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Copyright 2021 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+---
+- name: Ensure java is present
+  become: true
+  package:
+    name: default-jre-headless
+    state: present
+
+- name: Create required directory
+  become: true
+  file:
+    path: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_dest }}"
+    state: directory
+
+- name: Ensure zookeeper is present
+  become: true
+  unarchive:
+    creates: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_creates }}"
+    dest: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_dest }}"
+    remote_src: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_remote_src }}"
+    src: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_src }}"
+
+- name: Stat zookeeper_tarball_symlink
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_symlink | dirname }}"
+  register: r
+  no_log: true
+  when: zookeeper_tarball_symlink is defined
+
+- name: Create zookeeper_tarball_symlink directory
+  become: true
+  file:
+    state: directory
+    path: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_symlink | dirname }}"
+  when:
+    - zookeeper_tarball_symlink is defined
+    - not r.stat.exists
+
+- name: Symlink zookeeper tarball
+  become: true
+  file:
+    dest: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_symlink }}"
+    src: "{{ zookeeper_tarball_creates }}"
+    state: link
+  when:
+    - zookeeper_tarball_creates is defined
+    - zookeeper_tarball_symlink is defined
+    - zookeeper_tarball_creates != zookeeper_tarball_symlink
diff --git a/tasks/pre.yaml b/tasks/pre.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72ca84f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/pre.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Copyright 2021 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+---
+- name: Create zookeeper user / group
+  block:
+    - name: Create group account
+      become: true
+      group:
+        name: "{{ zookeeper_user_group }}"
+
+    - name: Create user account
+      become: true
+      user:
+        createhome: true
+        group: "{{ zookeeper_user_group }}"
+        home: "{{ zookeeper_user_home }}"
+        name: "{{ zookeeper_user_name }}"
+        shell: "{{ zookeeper_user_shell|default(omit) }}"
+
+    - name: Set permissions on home directory
+      become: true
+      file:
+        path: "{{ zookeeper_user_home }}"
+        mode: "{{ zookeeper_user_home_mode }}"
+  when: zookeeper_install_method != 'package'
diff --git a/tasks/service.yaml b/tasks/service.yaml
index e1ae709..972bf0a 100644
--- a/tasks/service.yaml
+++ b/tasks/service.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,40 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 ---
+- name: Install systemd files
+  block:
+    - name: Install zookeeper service script into place
+      become: true
+      template:
+        dest: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_dest }}"
+        group: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_group }}"
+        mode: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_mode }}"
+        owner: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_owner }}"
+        src: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_src }}"
+      register: zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service
+      when: zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_manage
+
+    - name: Create zookeeper service config directory
+      become: true
+      file:
+        group: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_group }}"
+        owner: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_owner }}"
+        path: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_dest }}.d"
+        state: directory
+      when: zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_manage
+
+    - name: Install zookeeper service config into place
+      become: true
+      template:
+        dest: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_dest  }}"
+        group: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_group  }}"
+        mode: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_mode  }}"
+        owner: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_owner  }}"
+        src: "{{ zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_src  }}"
+      register: zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config
+      when: zookeeper_file_zookeeper_service_config_manage
+  when: zookeeper_install_method != 'package'
+
 - name: Enable zookeeper service
   become: yes
   service:
@@ -20,3 +54,14 @@
     state: "{{ zookeeper_service_zookeeper_state }}"
   register: zookeeper_service_zookeeper
   when: zookeeper_service_zookeeper_manage
+
+- name: Set zookeeper service state
+  become: true
+  systemd:
+    daemon_reload: "{{ zookeeper_service_zookeeper_daemon_reload }}"
+    name: "{{ zookeeper_service_zookeeper_name }}"
+    state: "{{ zookeeper_service_zookeeper_state }}"
+  register: zookeeper_service_zookeeper_state_info
+  when:
+    - zookeeper_service_zookeeper_manage
+    - zookeeper_service_zookeeper_state in ['reloaded', 'restarted', 'started', 'stopped']
diff --git a/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service b/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df23b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=ZooKeeper Service
+Documentation=http://zookeeper.apache.org
+Requires=network.target
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=forking
+User=zookeeper
+Group=zookeeper
+Environment=ZOO_LOG_DIR=/var/log/zookeeper
+ExecStart=/opt/zookeeper/bin/zkServer.sh --config /etc/zookeeper/conf start
+ExecStop=/opt/zookeeper/bin/zkServer.sh --config /etc/zookeeper/conf stop
+ExecReload=/opt/zookeeper/bin/zkServer.sh --config /etc/zookeeper/conf restart
+WorkingDirectory=/opt/zookeeper
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=default.target
diff --git a/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service.d/override.conf b/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service.d/override.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..602ac8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/etc/systemd/system/zookeeper.service.d/override.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# This file is generated by Ansible
+#  DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE BY HAND -- YOUR CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN
+#