Linux Server Engineer Senior

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 88,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Michigan ITS is seeking a Linux Server Engineer Senior to engineer and support core Linux infrastructure, including server platforms and critical systems, in collaboration with the ITS Container Service team.

You will leverage automation and integrate with cloud-native systems, reporting to the Linux Infrastructure Engineering Manager. Hybrid/mobile work is determined by the department.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, business computing, or related field (or equivalent).
• Minimum of five years progressive Linux-focused experience in on-premise and cloud environments.
• Experience writing, debugging, and maintaining Python or Bash scripts.
• Advanced ability to perform root-cause analysis and use diagnostic tools.
• Foundational knowledge of enterprise storage (LVM, NFS), DNS, SSH, and OS hardening.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily support and administration for Linux distributions across on‑premise and cloud platforms.
• Automate and document procedures to install, patch, configure, and manage Linux systems.
• Research, diagnose, and resolve complex incidents including RCA and long-term remediations.
• Collaborate with project teams to design scalable, secure infrastructure aligned with standards.
• Monitor performance, manage capacity, and perform security hardening and vulnerability remediation.
• Support disaster recovery planning, backup operations, and system restorations.
• Mentor junior team members and demonstrate technical leadership.

Skills

Python scripting

Bash scripting

Linux administration

RHEL & Ubuntu

Root-cause analysis

Security hardening

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT or related field

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Puppet

Chef

Salt

Docker

Kubernetes

VMware vSphere

Job description

Who We Are

ITS supports the University of Michigan faculty, researchers, staff, and students by creating cohesive digital experiences and enabling university-wide innovations. We value proactive problem-solving, a sense of urgency, and a collaborative, inclusive work environment. Our mission is to be trusted enablers of technology for the U-M community. For more information, visit https://its.umich.edu/.

Job Summary

Information and Technology Services (ITS) is seeking a Linux Server Engineer Senior to join the Systems Operations group. In this role, your primary focus will be engineering and supporting the core Linux infrastructure at ITS-including server platforms and critical systems-while collaborating closely with the ITS Container Service team. You will leverage high degrees of automation and integrate with modern cloud-native systems. This position reports to the Linux Infrastructure Engineering Manager.

Responsibilities*

• Provide daily support and administration for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, and other enterprise Linux distributions across both on-premise and cloud platforms
• Develop, automate, and document procedures to install, patch, configure, manage, and maintain Linux operating systems using configuration management tools
• Research, diagnose, and resolve complex technical incidents, performing root-cause analysis (RCA) and implementing long-term remediations
• Collaborate with project teams and system architects to design and build scalable, secure infrastructure aligned with organizational standards and vendor requirements
• Proactively monitor system performance, manage capacity planning, and conduct security hardening and vulnerability remediation
• Support disaster recovery planning, backup operations, and system restoration processes to ensure continuous availability
• Utilize analytical and creative problem-solving skills to protect systems, enforce security compliance, and ensure overall infrastructure stability
• Demonstrate quality service, operational accountability, and effective technical leadership in resolving requests and mentoring junior team members

Required Qualifications*

• Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, business computing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, certifications, and experience
• Experience: Minimum of five years of progressive experience in a related role, with a focus on troubleshooting, analyzing, and independently supporting enterprise Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions across on-premise and cloud environments
• Automation & Scripting: Demonstrated experience writing, debugging, and maintaining Python or Bash scripts to automate administrative tasks, deployments, and operational workflows
• Technical & Diagnostic Skills: Advanced ability to leverage administrative tools for root-cause analysis, log analysis, performance monitoring, and service restoration (including backup, recovery, and failover operations)
• Networking, Storage & Security: Sound foundational knowledge of enterprise storage management (LVM, NFS), core network services (DNS, TCP/IP, SSH), and OS hardening/security standards
• Leadership & Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to manage complex technical projects, maintain awareness of emerging industry best practices, and effectively mentor team members or influence technical decisions through a consensus-building approach

Desired Qualifications*

• Automation & Infrastructure as Code: Hands-on experience developing and maintaining playbook/configuration repositories using automation tools such as Ansible, Terraform, Puppet, Chef, or Salt
• Containers & Kubernetes Systems: Experience supporting Linux host OS nodes, container runtimes (e.g., Docker, Podman, containerd), or Kubernetes and container orchestration platforms
• Cloud Infrastructure: Practical experience architecting, deploying, and managing Linux workloads within cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform)
• Automated OS Provisioning: Experience implementing automated operating system deployment and image creation tools (e.g., Kickstart, Cloud-init, Packer)
• Observability & Log Analytics: Familiarity with enterprise monitoring and log analytics tools such as Splunk, Elastic Stack (ELK), Prometheus, or Grafana
• Virtualization: Experience configuring and managing virtual machines within VMware vSphere or hyperconverged infrastructure environments
• Hardware & Data Center Operations: Experience configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting physical server hardware, specifically enterprise HPE and Dell platforms (including out-of-band management via iLO/iDRAC)

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Work Schedule

This position is local to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and currently operates primarily remotely. Future work may require an agreed-upon frequency of time in the office. On-call availability and occasional work during non-business hours or weekends are required.

Underfill Statement

This position may be filled at the Senior level ($88,212 - $98,013) or the Intermediate level ($74,336 - $82,595). Starting salary and position level are dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.

Additional Information

The successful candidate must comply with federal, state, and local laws and university policies regarding the protection of sensitive institutional data (e.g., ITAR, EAR, HIPAA, FISMA).

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.