Linux Systems Administrator

LLNL$146K — $222K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • U.S. citizenship required for security clearance
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, IT, or Engineering, or equivalent experience
  • Extensive experience with Linux command-line administration
  • Strong skills in Linux security troubleshooting and best practices
  • Proficient in Bash or Python for automation tasks
  • Capable of prioritizing work and solving technical problems independently
  • Effective communication skills for collaboration with teams

Responsibilities

  • Support daily operations through troubleshooting and problem resolution
  • Design and manage Red Hat Enterprise Linux lifecycle and integration
  • Implement and validate security benchmarks and compliance automation
  • Maintain SELinux policies for secure operations
  • Develop and manage Ansible roles and playbooks for automation
  • Create RPM packages for software deployment
  • Collaborate with engineers and security teams on various projects

Benefits

  • Career indefinite position with open opportunities
  • On-site presence required, fostering a collaborative work environment
  • Involvement in projects within a highly regulated setting
  • Focus on mission-critical services, enhancing job significance
  • Opportunities for professional development through technical leadership roles
Full Job Description
Job Description

We have an opening for an experienced Linux Systems Administrator to help design, automate, secure, and support enterprise Red Hat Enterprise Linux services in a highly regulated environment. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys combining hands-on operations, platform engineering, and security compliance to support mission-critical computing services. This position is in the Information Technology Solutions (ITSD) Division within the Computing Directorate.

This position requires full-time on-site presence due to the nature of the work.

This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

You will
  • Perform day-to-day operational support functions, including complex problem isolation and remediation, while exercising sound judgment and a moderate degree of independence.
  • Contribute to the design, integration, and lifecycle management of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, including:
    • provisioning workflows, including Kickstart configurations and FIPS mode compatibility
    • integration of core applications and security configurations
    • integration with enterprise identity services, including PAM configuration, authentication, authorization, and access controls
    • integration with the broader IT environment
  • Contribute to the development, implementation, testing, and validation of security benchmarks (DISA STIG), including compliance automation and assessment of operational impact and risk.
  • Troubleshoot, configure, and maintain SELinux policies in support of secure enterprise Linux operations.
  • Develop and maintain moderately complex Ansible roles and playbooks using Ansible Automation Platform.
  • Create and maintain RPM packages for custom software deployment and updates.
  • Develop and maintain scripts in Bash, Python, or similar languages to automate operational and administrative tasks.
  • Maintain and update on-premises Red Hat Satellite services.
  • Develop and maintain clear technical documentation to support system administration, integration, operations, and knowledge sharing.
  • Collaborate with engineers, security teams, and other stakeholders.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.3 level
  • Independently diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex Linux operating system and platform issues in a regulated enterprise environment.
  • Architect, develop, and maintain highly complex Ansible roles, playbooks, and automation workflows.
  • Develop advanced scripts, tools, or small-scale programs to solve complex operational, integration, and security problems.
  • Lead the technical design and implementation of complex Linux platform initiatives, including advising on architecture, security, automation, and operational best practices.
  • Serve as a technical leader in areas of expertise, providing advanced guidance, mentorship, and technical assistance to a range of audiences.


Qualifications
  • Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
  • Bachelor's Degree in a Computer Science, Information Technology, or Engineering related field or equivalent combination of technical training and experience.
  • Comprehensive experience administering Linux systems in command-line environments, including shell navigation, file editing, shell pipelines, SSH, and common text-processing tools such as grep, sed, or awk.
  • Broad experience troubleshooting and configuring Linux security controls and applying computer security concepts and best practices.
  • Proficient experience with Bash or Python scripting for system administration or task automation.
  • Proficient ability to prioritize work, solve moderately complex technical problems, and operate effectively with limited supervision.
  • Proficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to collaborate effectively with engineers, security teams, and other stakeholders.

Additional qualifications at the SES.3 level
  • Advanced experience administering Linux operating systems in complex enterprise environments.
  • Significant experience leading technical projects or initiatives, including independently planning and executing complex technical work, coordinating with stakeholders, guiding others as needed, and driving work to completion.
  • Advanced experience developing Bash or Python scripts, or software tools in higher-level programming languages, to solve complex administrative or operational problems.
  • Significant experience developing complex regular expressions and using advanced text-processing techniques for system administration, automation, or data analysis tasks.

Qualifications We Desire
  • Experience with the broader Red Hat ecosystem of enterprise management tools and services.
  • Experience administering Linux operating systems in disconnected highly secure environments.
  • Experience with infrastructure and operations technologies such as VMware, DNS, Git, firewalld, nftables, iptables, Splunk, Nagios, cloud technologies, or Podman and other container technologies.
  • Advanced experience integrating Linux systems with enterprise identity and authentication services, such as Active Directory, Kerberos, Winbind/Samba, SSSD, or Realm.

Pay Range

$146,340 - $185,544 Yearly at the SES.2 level

$175,530 - $222,564 Yearly at the SES.3 level

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting; pay will not be below any applicable local minimum wage. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Additional Information

#LI-Onsite

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

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