Senior Linux Administrator

Overview

SMS is looking to for a Sr. Linux Administrator to work on our Air Force Research Laboratory Phillips Research Site (AFRL PRS) at Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM. The Sr. Linux Administrator/Engineer will be responsible for supporting and maintaining custom enterprise applications on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems, focusing on both current Red Hat 8 environments and the upcoming Red Hat 9 migration. This role will involve troubleshooting, managing, and optimizing Linux-based systems while ensuring security and compliance standards. The candidate will work in close coordination with other IT teams to support the organization’s high-performance computing (HPC) environments, including job schedulers, PXE booting, and image management.

As a dynamic systems integrator, SMS offers proven solutions in engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. With expertise in modernizing and optimizing legacy infrastructure and systems, ensuring operational efficiency, and designing, implementing, and managing secure environments, SMS supports business and mission goals with proficiency, quality, and integrity.

SMS has been serving the advanced information technology needs of the federal government since 1976, delivering talented teams and innovative, cost-effective solutions and services to support our customers’ missions for more than 45 years. SMS is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with offices and on-site operations at customer locations throughout the United States. For additional information on SMS, visit www.sms.com.

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Responsibilities

Linux System Administration:

• Install, configure, and maintain Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) environments (currently RHEL 8, with plans to upgrade to RHEL 9).
• Manage server hardware, virtualized environments, and basic storage systems.
• Perform system monitoring to ensure optimal performance, availability, and system integrity.
• Provide backup operations and disaster recovery planning as needed.
• Develop, implement, and maintain security standards following DoD regulations.

Automation and Scripting:

• Leverage automation tools like Ansible or Puppet for configuration management, orchestration, and deployment tasks.
• Develop and maintain shell scripts (Bash) or Python scripts to automate repetitive tasks and improve system efficiency.

HPC Support:

• Support HPC environments, including managing booting processes, networking, image management, and job schedulers (e.g., Slurm, PBS).
• Assist in the troubleshooting and optimization of HPC performance.

Red Hat Satellite and Capsule Management:

• Configure and manage Red Hat Satellite and Capsule servers to automate patching, software distribution, and configuration management.
• Oversee PXE booting and kickstart installations for bare-metal provisioning.

Network and Storage Management:

• Understand basic networking tasks, including network configuration, troubleshooting, and ensuring network security in Linux environments.
• Understand storage administration tasks on NAS/SAN and perform routine maintenance and upgrades.

Logging and Documentation:

• Configure, monitor, and review system and security logs to identify and resolve issues.
• Create and maintain system documentation, including configuration details, procedures, diagrams, and rack layouts.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, providing clear documentation and reports.

Security and Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards, including the use of ACAS, HBSS, and other security tools.
• Work with cybersecurity teams to harden systems and mitigate vulnerabilities.

Qualifications

Required:

• 5 years of experience administering Linux systems in an enterprise or DoD environment.
• Experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL 8) and/or upcoming RHEL 9 upgrades.
• Experience with automation tools such as Ansible and Puppet.
• Shell scripting (Bash) and/or Python programming.
• Familiarity with system monitoring, log management, and security best practices.
• Basic networking and storage management experience.
• High-performance computing (HPC) support experience, including booting, networking, and job scheduling.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to acquire the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) within 6 months of hire
• DoD 8570 IAT-II (CompTIA Sec CE) certification.
• DoD Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain on required

Preferred:

• Experience with Red Hat Satellite, Capsule, and PXE booting.
• Familiarity with ACAS and HBSS.
• Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA)
• Proven experience in a government consulting services environment.

Key Attributes:

• Self-starter with refined critical thinking skills and the ability to handle dynamic environments.
• Excellent customer-facing skills and a team player with strong collaboration capabilities.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

SMS is a dynamic systems integrator established in 1976, delivering talented teams and innovative, cost-effective solutions and services to support our customers’ missions for more than 47 years. Our ability to hire and retain quality people in a rapidly evolving IT market is proven through our employee retention rate averaging over 3 years. At SMS, we place a high value on quality of service, customer satisfaction, and best-of-breed policies and practices, resulting in CMMI Level 3 certification and ISO registrations including 9001:2015, 20000-1:2018, and ISO/IEC 27001:2013. SMS is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with offices and on-site operations at customer locations throughout the United States. 

SMS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.