Lead Systems Administrator

Rincon-Research-Corporation; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid premiums for family

401(k) Plan

ESOP

Employer matching 401(k)

Job summary

Rincon Research Corporation in Tucson, AZ is seeking an experienced Lead Systems Administrator to own the program's computing environment from build to operations. The role emphasizes Linux systems, OpenShift, and security compliance, with leadership responsibilities for a team over time.

You will coordinate with the ETO and customer stakeholders, manage patch cycles, and ensure system reliability in a mission-critical setting.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• US citizenship required.
• Bachelor's degree or 8 years of equivalent hands-on experience.
• Security certifications (DoD 8570) required within 90 days; RHCSA/RHCE within 1 year.

Responsibilities

• Translate program requirements into a working technical design and implement it.
• Lead design and build of the program's systems, including servers, network, and platform services.
• Monitor and respond to operational and cybersecurity alerts, addressing availability, disaster recovery, and performance.
• Manage platform services and developer tooling such as OpenShift, identity management, logging, GitLab, Harbor.
• Lead patch cycles and hardware lifecycle management for program equipment.
• Oversee compliance and remediation, tracking findings and patch cycles, maintaining documentation.
• Develop and maintain program documentation, diagrams and guides.

Skills

Linux administration

OpenShift

GitLab

Harbor

Ansible

Puppet

Terraform

Bash

Python

PowerShell

Networking basics

PKI/cert management

Windows administration

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

Nessus

Rapid7

OpenShift

GitLab

Harbor

Job description

Lead Systems Administrator

Tucson, AZ, US

Salary Range: $85,000.00 To $110,000.00 Annually

Why Join Rincon Research Corporation (RRC)?

At Rincon Research Corporation, our primary business is innovating, developing, and fielding digital signal processing (DSP) products and services for the United States Defense and Intelligence Communities in support of national security.

We are seeking an IT Systems Administrator for our Enterprise Technology and Operations team (ETO). This position is Linux focused and requires an 8 to 10 years of relevant experience to take ownership of the technical management of a customer program's computing environment, from initial build through ongoing operations. You will coordinate a team supporting the program, work across a broad technology stack, and see the direct impact of your work on a system that matters to the customer's mission.

Come join the team that is creating cutting edge signal processing and geolocation systems for the future!

What are the primary responsibilities in the Lead Systems Administrator position?

Technical

• Translate program requirements into a working technical design, then carry that design through implementation
• Support and lead the design and build of the program's systems, including servers, network, and platform services, expanding it as the program grows
• Monitor, communicate, and respond to operational and cybersecurity alerts, working to identify and resolve issues such as availability, disaster recovery, and performance
• Manage platform services and developer tooling supporting the program, such as OpenShift, identity management, logging, GitLab, and Harbor
• Lead the patch cycle and hardware lifecycle management for the program's equipment, including planned refresh and expansion
• Manage program compliance and vulnerability remediation, including tracking findings, coordinating patching cycles, and maintaining documentation to meet program requirements
• Develop and maintain program documentation, including the Privileged User Guide, System User Guide, and system, hardware, and network diagrams

Leadership

• Coordinate the day to day work of the team supporting the program, working with their leads to set priorities, with opportunity for direct management of the team over time
• Act as a liaison and facilitator between the customer, program manager, and ETO by identifying needs, missed opportunities, and areas to provide solutions

What required background will make you successful?

• Active TS/SCI security clearance
• US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED

What additional background is preferred?

Certifications

• Security certification in compliance with DOD 8570 required within 90 days of hire
• Professional certification in one or more of the following areas required within 1 year of hire
• RHCSA, RHCE

Education and Experience

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline, or 8 years of equivalent hands‑on experience

Desired skills:

• Proven experience administering Linux systems (RHEL, Rocky, CentOS), including patching, remediation, compliance scanning, and security tooling such as Nessus or Rapid7
• Experience with OpenShift or similar container platforms, identity management, and centralized logging
• Experience with developer tooling such as GitLab and Harbor
• Working knowledge of configuration management and automation tools such as Ansible, Puppet, or Terraform, and scripting experience in Bash, Python, or PowerShell
• Foundational knowledge of networking concepts including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and subnets, as well as PKI, certificate management, and related security practices
• Experience coordinating the work of a team, even without direct reporting authority
• Familiarity with Windows systems administration

Where is the position located?

This an on-site position located at our Tucson, Arizona Headquarters.

*The likely salary range for this position is $85,000 to $110,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

What benefits does RRC offer?

• 100% employer-paid premiums for family medical and dental insurance, employee life insurance, short-term and long-term disability (STD & LTD)
• Flexible reimbursement spending accounts for medical expense and dependent care
• Immediate participation and vesting in the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and 401(k) Plan
• Employer contributions to RRC’s ESOP
• Employer matching contributions to the company’s 401( k) Plan
• Employer discretionary contributions to the company’s 401(k) Plan

Rincon Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.