Senior Linux Administrator (Senior IT Advisor) (1.0FTE/Open ended) - GCU01965

Glasgow Caledonian University; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Family friendly policies

Cycle to work

Onsite childcare

Job summary

Glasgow Caledonian University is seeking a Senior Linux Administrator to lead the Linux infrastructure within the Information Services Directorate. The role focuses on owning critical systems, maintaining network services, and driving automation across production environments.

The successful candidate will mentor the Linux team, troubleshoot with advanced Linux skills, and contribute to project delivery with careful planning and risk management.

Qualifications

• Senior technical lead with production IT infra support and Linux admin expertise.
• Experience deploying and running enterprise Linux distributions (Red Hat/Ubuntu).
• Administration and optimisation of Linux DNS/DHCP.
• Design observability frameworks using Nagios and Grafana.
• Engineering and lifecycle-management of automation frameworks using Bash, Perl or Python.
• Lead end-to-end Linux server upgrades and deployment planning, with risk mitigation.
• Orchestrate security patching and firewall configurations for a secure prod environment.
• Lead engineering of cloud and on‑prem Linux systems and network topologies.
• Proven track record in a senior infrastructure role delivering complex projects.
• Experience with enterprise VPNs, load balancers, and scalable provisioning.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the University’s Linux infrastructure and core services.
• Manage DNS, DHCP, FreeRADIUS and Linux firewalls, ensuring high availability.
• Develop and implement observability with Nagios and Grafana to monitor system health.
• Lead technical projects and provide expert guidance to the team.
• Automate provisioning and scripting using Bash, Python or Perl to reduce manual overhead.
• Plan and execute enterprise-wide Linux server upgrades and deployments.

Skills

Linux administration

DNS/DHCP

Nagios Grafana

Automation scripting

Python

BASH

Perl

Cloud & on‑prem

Firewall management

Red Hat

Ubuntu

Security patching

Network design

VPNs

Load balancers

Upgrade planning

Education

IT degree

Job description

Advert

Applications are invited for the post of Senior Linux Administrator (Senior IT Advisor) within the infrastructure team in the University's Information Services Directorate.

The successful applicant will join a small team of Linux professionals, taking accountability for the strategic support, maintenance and development of the University's Network and telephony systems.

Advance your career as our new Senior Linux Administrator (Senior IT Advisor). Drive technical excellence within our core University Infrastructure Network and Telecoms team. Own critical systems by supporting, maintaining, and developing the University's Linux infrastructure. Manage vital network services including DNS, DHCP, FreeRADIUS, and Linux firewalls. Collaborate and mentor by sharing your expertise and supporting overall team functions.

Apply your advanced skills in Linux troubleshooting, analytical problem-solving, and precise attention to detail. Contribute as a technical lead on projects, backed by your IT degree or equivalent hands-on experience. Balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while translating user needs into expert advice.

Essential criteria for this role also include the ability to demonstrate:

• Advanced capability to serve as a Senior technical lead, bringing comprehensive production IT infrastructure support experience and senior-level Linux administration expertise.
• Experience and expertise of enterprise Linux systems such as deploy and run enterprise-level Linux distributions, with experience of day-to-day management of Linux servers and storage;
• Administration and optimisation of Linux DNS/DHCP
• Design and implement advanced observability frameworks such as Nagios/Grafana enterprise to proactively detect vulnerabilities and track system metrics
• Engineer and lifecycle-manage robust automation frameworks using BASH, Perl, or Python; troubleshooting and refining complex scripts to optimize infrastructure efficiency and eliminate manual overhead.
• Take ownership of the end-to-end planning and execution of enterprise-wide Linux server upgrades, optimising infrastructure stability and mitigating deployment risks.
• Orchestrate enterprise-wide security patching and network perimeter defence, maintaining robust Linux firewall configurations to guarantee a highly secure production environment.
• Lead the engineering, maintenance, and optimisation of complex cloud and on-premises Linux systems and network topologies to guarantee maximum system reliability, performance, and security.
• Proven track record in a Senior role, steering complex infrastructure projects from conception to deployment while applying rigorous analytical frameworks and precision to ensure flawless delivery.
• Design and deploy robust network and storage topologies, taking senior ownership of Linux firewall configurations, enterprise VPNs, traffic-managing load balancers, and scalable server provisioning.
• Experience with Linux distros such as Redhat Enterprise Level, Ubuntu etc.
• Ability to understand and interpret user requirements and provide appropriate advice and guidance

As the University for the Common Good, we are committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as our values in everything that we do. As such, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who demonstrate the GCU Values.

Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to a fair and transparent recruitment process that is free from bias so that we can attract and retain a high performing workforce which makes a critical contribution to our success .

The University holds the prestigious Athena Swan Silver institution award, which recognises our significant record of activity and achievement in promoting gender equality across different disciplines.

The University holds the Race Equality Charter Bronze award, in recognition of our work to combat racism and support race equality.

As a Disability Confident 'Committed' employer, we are striving to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to disabled people. Although the Disability Confident 'Committed' level does not guarantee an interview for disabled applicants, we will make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants during the recruitment process.

The University also holds the Carer Positive Established' employer award, which recognises our commitment to supporting staff with caring responsibilities. Glasgow Caledonian University are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.

The University offers a range of benefits including opportunities for professional development, family friendly policies, cycle to work scheme and onsite childcare facilities.