Roles & Responsibilities:MITRE's AI and Mission Enablement Department is seeking an Associate System Administrator to join the Lab Services group and provide hands-on IT support for MITRE's lab environments. Working alongside senior system administrators, lab users, and technical teams, the Associate System Administrator will help deploy, configure, patch, monitor, troubleshoot, and sustain Windows and Linux systems, virtual machines, user access, hardware, and supporting lab infrastructure. This role offers an opportunity to build technical expertise while helping maintain reliable, secure, and compliant environments that support mission-focused research and engineering. Roles and responsibilities include:
- Provide day-to-day Windows and Linux system administration support for MITRE R&D lab environments.
- Deploy, configure, patch, monitor, and troubleshoot lab workstations, servers, and virtual machines.
- Support user account and access requests, including local and centralized identities, permissions, and basic access troubleshooting.
- Perform basic Windows and Linux support, including user environments, SSH, package installs and updates, logs, and common configuration issues.
- Acknowledge, categorize, triage, and document incoming tickets and requests; escalate complex issues to senior staff as needed.
- Support lab and data center activities, including rack and console setup, KVM support, cable management, inventory updates, and hardware troubleshooting.
- Monitor system health, backups, and operational status; perform basic troubleshooting and communicate issues, risks, and status clearly.
Basic Qualifications:- Typically requires less than 1 year of related experience with a related Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
- Experience with one or more of the following: Windows operating systems, Linux such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CentOS, Rocky Linux, or Ubuntu, general system administration tasks, shell scripting, PowerShell, Python or other.
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and provide hands-on support in lab and data center environments.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Secret U.S Government issued Security Clearance within one year of hire. Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
- Ability to work a minimum of 4 days per week on-site in McLean, VA or Bedford, MA.
Preferred Qualifications: - 1-2 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
- Experience administering or supporting virtualized Windows and Linux systems; VMware ESX/ESXi
- Experience supporting lab, research, engineering, or other dynamic technical environments.
- Familiarity with patching, system monitoring, backup and restore operations, ticketing, asset inventory, and operational documentation.
- Basic scripting or automation experience using Bash, PowerShell, Python, or similar tools.
- Familiarity with Veeam or other backup tools, centralized identity/access environments, or configuration management practices.
- Knowledge of FIPS-199, NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, DISA STIGs, CMMC, or related security/compliance frameworks is a plus.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team, communicate clearly with users and senior technical staff, and support occasional travel if needed.
This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):None
This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):Secret
Salary compensation range and midpoint:$79,200 - $99,000 - $118,800 Annual
Work Location Type:Onsite
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
