Senior Linux Systems Administrator

Peraton; Herndon (VA); Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton is seeking a Senior Linux Systems Administrator to support the CAEIO program for the Department of State. The role is remote-friendly with on-site contingencies in the Washington, DC area, requiring a Secret clearance and strong Linux administration experience.

You will automate builds with AAP, Satellite, and Puppet, provide Tier 3 support, and contribute to secure operations while mentoring junior staff and maintaining robust documentation.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship and an active SECRET Government Security Clearance.
• 5 years of experience in a similar role within a large, multi-site production environment.
• Strong knowledge of RHEL and/or Oracle Linux.
• Proficiency with Ansible.
• Experience working with Security teams to translate CVE into actionable mitigation steps.

Responsibilities

• Leverage Red Hat and Oracle Linux experience to deliver measurable results in a fast-paced environment.
• Assist in troubleshooting complex issues that cross many functional areas.
• Perform Linux Administration using AAP, Satellite, and Puppet to automate system builds, upgrades, patching, and hardening.
• Provide T3 level support for Red Hat Enterprise and Oracle Linux environments.
• Deliver technical and user documentation as required.
• Provide off-hours support.
• Train junior team members on patching and other O&M tasks.
• Comply with certification and accreditation requirements.
• Create and maintain SOPs.

Skills

RHEL / Oracle Linux

Automation

Troubleshooting

Ansible

Security collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree + 8 years experience

Master's degree + 6 years experience

Associates + 10 years

HS diploma + 12 years

Tools

Satellite

Puppet

OpenShift 4.x

VMware vSphere

Apache HTTP Server

Job description

Senior Linux Systems Administrator

Job Locations

US

Requisition ID

2026-173574

Position Category

Information Technology

Clearance

Secret

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Responsibilities

Peraton is seeking a Senior Linux Systems Administrator (Linux Sys Admin) to join our team of qualified and diverse individuals on our Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Diplomatic Technology (DT) Consular Affairs Enterprise Infrastructure Operations (CAEIO) Program. CAEIO provides IT Operations and Maintenance to modernize the legacy networks, applications, and databases supporting consular applications services globally.

The Linux Sys Admin will be a member of the Infrastructure Support team, supporting CA servers, storage platforms, systems, networking equipment, and hosted systems in use at DOS domestic and overseas facilities. The team works closely with other program team members, contractors, DOS leadership and business stakeholders to monitor performance, address faults, ensure secure service delivery, and craft and implement solutions for operational issues and new requirements.

Location: This position is fully remote; however, candidates must reside in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area (DMV) to accommodate occasional onsite meetings, training, or customer support activities at the Washington, DC, customer location or the Peraton office in Sterling, VA. The number of days the Sys Admin works on-site in Washington, DC, or Sterling, VA, is subject to change based on government/program requirements (for example, surge support might require the individual to be in the office five days per week).

Core Work Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 AM ET - 4:00 PM ET (Flexible with manager approval. The Linux Sys Admin can expect to work off-hours, including weekends, to support period surge requirements.)

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Leverage Red Hat and Oracle Linux experience to deliver measurable results in a fast-paced, professionally challenging environment.
• Assist in troubleshooting complex issues that cross many functional areas.
• Perform Linux Administration using AAP, Satellite, and Puppet to automate system builds, upgrades, patching, and hardening.
• Provide T3 level support for the Red Hat Enterprise and Oracle Linux environments.
• Deliver technical and user documentation as required.
• Provide off-hours support.
• Train junior team members on patching and other O&M related tasks.
• Comply with certification and accreditation requirements.
• Create and maintain SOPs.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree and 8 years of experience or Masters degree and 6 years of experience or Associates degree and 10 years of experience or a High School diploma/equivalent and 12 years of experience.
• U.S. citizenship and an active SECRET Government Security Clearance.
• 5 years of experience in a similar role within a large, multi-site production environment.
• Strong knowledge of RHEL and/or Oracle Linux.
• In-depth knowledge of and real-world experience in automation.
• Ability to quickly troubleshoot and mitigate issues.
• Proficiency with Ansible.
• Experience working with Security teams to translate common vulnerability and exposures (CVE) into actionable mitigation and remediation steps.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience running databases on Linux (Oracle, MySQL, or PostgreSQL).
• Experience with any of the following: vCenter, VMWare vSphere, Apache HTTP Server.
• Hands-on experience working with Openshift 4.x - RBAC, AD/LDAP Integration, CI/CD, Certificates, SSL/TLS.
• Red Hat Certified Engineer; Red Hat Certified System Administrator.

Target Salary Range

$104,000 - $166,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

Benefits Statement

Peraton offers eligible employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, health savings account, short/long term disability, EAP, parental leave, 401(k), paid time off (PTO) for vacation, and company paid holidays. A full listing of available benefits can be viewed at https://www.careers.peraton.com/benefits.

Application Statements

The application period for the job is estimated to be 30 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

By applying to this job, you are expressing interest in the role and the Company. During the review of your application, you may be required to participate in an on-camera interview, as well as participate in a process to verify your identity.

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools of any kind during Peraton interviews is strictly prohibited unless the candidate has obtained prior written authorization. All interview responses must be the candidate's own.

EEO

Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.