Classified System Administrator - Red Hat, VMware, and Windows Thick Client Support

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in national security solutions is seeking a Classified System Administrator to manage RHEL systems and VMware infrastructure. This role requires strong technical skills and a commitment to maintaining security in a classified environment. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree, relevant certifications, and experience in system administration, particularly in classified settings.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of system administration experience.
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or RHCE.
• Active DoD Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, and harden RHEL systems.
• Manage VMware ESXi and vCenter environments.
• Provide mentorship to junior system administrators.

Skills

System Administration

Problem Solving

Customer Support

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology

Tools

VMware

RHEL

Active Directory

Job description

Classified System Administrator - Red Hat, VMware, and Windows Thick Client Support

Job Locations

US-VA-Alexandria | US-DC

ID

2025-19955

Category

Information Technology

Security Clearance Requirement

Secret

Type

Regular Full-Time

Level

Senior

Overview

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

The Classified Operations team under SPA's Information Technology Department establishes and maintains the security posture of classified infrastructure required by our analysts to deliver timely, objective, and cost-effective analysis.

SPA has an immediate need for a Classified System Administrator to lead the implementation, configuration, and sustainment of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems alongside VMware-based virtual infrastructure and hardened Windows endpoints. The role is essential to a secure, air-gapped lab environment supporting classified analytics, engineering, and software development activities.

Responsibilities

The System Administrator install, configure, and harden RHEL 8/9 systems in alignment with DoD STIGs and CIS Benchmarks. Maintain system patching, package repositories, SELinux policies, and firewalld configurations. Support services, including SSSD integration, systemd configuration, file server management (NFS/SMB), and log forwarding. Develop and maintain baseline hardened images and automation scripts (e.g., Bash, Ansible). The System Administrator will also deploy and manage VMware ESXi, vCenter, and virtual machine templates for both RHEL and Windows systems. Ensure secure resource allocation, network segmentation, and snapshot control across enclaves. Work with network and security engineers to maintain compliant virtual environments (vLAN tagging, vSwitch configuration). The System Administrator is also responsible for providing mentorship and guidance for junior system administrators troubleshooting and performing end-user support services for classified systems. In this role, you will report to the Operations Manager while designing, building, installing and configuring physical and virtual servers/systems, virus updates, patching, maintenance, and performance tuning. As the System Administrator, you will be expected to collaborate with team members to develop creative, secure, and innovative solutions for complex technical issues. You will also support Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Technical Reviews and Command Cybersecurity Readiness Inspections (CCRI) as the subject matter expert for systems administration.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in an Information Technology related field or equivalent work experience and certifications.
• Minimum of five (5) years system administration experience with two (2) or more years direct experience administrating networked classified systems in a Windows / Active Directory environment.
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or RHCE.
• Experience using VMWare virtualization technologies including ESXi, vCenter, and vSphere.
• Must meet Department of Defense 8140 certification requirements at IAT Level II. Acceptable certifications include Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+, GISCP, and GSEC.
• Experience configuring systems for compliance using Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and STIG Viewer.
• Expertise managing Microsoft Domains and Domain Services (AD, DNS, DHCP, File Services, GPOs, etc.).
• Experience managing Microsoft Exchange 2016/2019 including system configuration, hardening, and patching.
• Experience administering and patching RHEL 9 syslog servers.
• Experience evaluating Information System security posture by evaluating STIGs and identifying and remediating vulnerabilities.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and manage a team of up to six (6) system administrators with varying levels of expertise.
• Superior problem solving and time management capabilities.
• Excellent customer relations and customer support skills.
• Active DoD Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience validating system compliance using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) Validation Tool and Evaluate STIG (E-STIG).
• Experience using WSUS / IVANTI to manage updates and patches.