Responsibilities

We are seeking a skilled and motivatedLinux Systems Engineerto help design, operate, automate, and improve our Linux-based infrastructure. This role is responsible for maintaining reliable, secure, and scalable systems across on-premises and/or cloud environments.

The ideal candidate has several years of hands-on Linux administration experience, strong troubleshooting skills, and familiarity with automation, monitoring, networking, and cloud technologies. You will work closely with engineering, security, and operations teams to support production services and continuously improve platform reliability.

Responsibilities

• Administer, maintain, and troubleshoot Linux servers and services in production and non-production environments.
• Perform system provisioning, patching, upgrades, configuration management, and lifecycle maintenance.
• Monitor system performance, capacity, availability, and security; respond to alerts and incidents as needed.
• Investigate and resolve complex operating system, application, storage, networking, and performance issues.
• Develop and maintain automation for repetitive operational tasks using tools such as Ansible, Terraform, Bash, or Python.
• Support cloud and virtualized infrastructure, including environments such as AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, KVM, or similar platforms.
• Manage core Linux services such as DNS, SSH, NTP, LDAP/Active Directory integration, web servers, file systems, and logging.
• Implement and maintain system hardening, access controls, vulnerability remediation, backups, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Partner with security teams to ensure systems meet organizational security and compliance requirements.
• Maintain technical documentation, including system configurations, runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and standard operating procedures.
• Collaborate with software engineering and DevOps teams to improve deployment processes, observability, and platform reliability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience administering Linux systems in an enterprise, cloud, SaaS, or high-availability environment.
• Strong working knowledge of Linux distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, Ubuntu, Debian, or SUSE.
• Experience with Linux system administration concepts, including:
  • User and group management
  • Filesystems, storage, LVM, and permissions
  • Process and service management
  • Package management
  • System logging and troubleshooting
  • Performance tuning and capacity management
• Proficiency with scripting or automation using Bash, Python, or a similar language.
• Experience with configuration management and infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Terraform, or similar.
• Familiarity with networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routing, firewalls, load balancing, and TLS/SSL.
• Experience with monitoring and logging platforms such as Prometheus, Grafana, Nagios, Zabbix, Datadog, Splunk, ELK/OpenSearch, or similar tools.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and services in AWS, Azure, GCP, or another major cloud provider.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional team.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 5 years of relevant experience -OR-
• MS/MA or higher and 3 years of relevant experience -OR-
• PhD and 1 year of relevant experience -OR-
• AA and 14 years of relevant experience -OR-
• HS/GED and 16 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated experience applying theoretical/fundamental computer science concepts through the design, development, configuration, implementation, and maintenance of computer infrastructure and networks

Preferred Qualifications:

• CompTIA Security + Certification.
• Experience with SELinux policy management, troubleshooting, and security context labeling.
• Experience with AIDE for file integrity monitoring, database management, and security auditing.
• Experience with File Access Control Lists (FACLs) for managing granular file and directory permissions on Linux systems.
• Experience working with Docker/Podman.
• Experience working with nVidia/CUDA.
• Experience working with NFS Shares.
• Experience working with CIFS Shares.
• Familiarity with virtualization technologies.
• Familiarity with Tenable Security Center/Nessus.
• Familiarity with configuration baselines (DISA STIGs).

Hazardous Working Conditions/Environment

Not Applicable

Additional Information

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.

A security clearance background investigation includes review of your employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with you and your personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines your foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
• Drug Testing: All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).

Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.

Testing Designated Position

This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). The candidate selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and the PNNL Workplace Substance Abuse Program.

Rockstar Rewards

Employees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance*, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support. Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan* and may enroll in our 401 (k) savings plan with company match*. Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.
* Research Associates excluded.
**All benefits are dependent upon eligibility.

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Notice to Applicants

PNNL lists the full pay range for the position in the job posting. Starting pay is calculated from the minimum of the pay range and actual placement in the range is determined based on an individual's relevant job-related skills, qualifications, and experience. This approach is applicable to all positions, with the exception of positions governed by collective bargaining agreements and certain limited-term positions which have specific pay rules.

As part of our commitment to fair compensation practices, we do not ask for or consider current or past salaries in making compensation offers at hire. Instead, our compensation offers are determined by the specific requirements of the position, prevailing market trends, applicable collective bargaining agreements, pay equity for the position type, and individual qualifications and skills relevant to the performance of the position.

Minimum Salary

USD $122,100.00/Yr.
Maximum Salary

USD $193,000.00/Yr.