Senior Linux Systems Administrator

Saic; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a Senior Linux Systems Administrator to support NOAA GFDL in Princeton, NJ. The role involves leading junior admins, prioritizing customer issues, and driving multiple complex system projects in a dynamic, high-interrupt environment.

The position requires strong Linux administration, RHEL familiarity, scripting, backup management, and CM tools experience, with a Public Trust clearance. Expect a mix of project and user-focused work.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Computer Science, IT, Software Engineering, or related field with 5+ years experience; Master’s 3+ years; PhD 0 years.
• Experience in Linux administration best practices.
• Knowledge of RHEL or derivatives is a plus.
• Scripting experience with shell, bash, perl, python, ruby.
• Experience with centralized backup systems.
• Knowledge of access methods (VPN, SSH).
• Experience with Percona XtraDB/MySQL cluster is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide mid- to top-tier systems administration in a heterogeneous environment.
• Maintain security posture and patching schedules.
• Manage backup and storage solutions and patch deployment tools.
• Document problem resolutions and HPC assets.
• Develop technical justifications for hardware and software procurement.

Skills

Linux administration

RHEL derivatives

Scripting

Backup systems

Configuration management

VPN/SSH access

MySQL cluster

Smart card authentication

Public Trust Clearance

Education

B.S. in Computer Science/IT/related

Tools

Ansible

Chef

Puppet

SaltStack

Job description

Description

SAIC is recruiting for a Senior Linux Systems Administrator to join our program as a general technologist to support our NOAA GFDL program in Princeton, NJ serving the NOAA GFDL lab in a highly scientific user and mission driven facility. This individual would support both projects (60%) and user (40%) actives in a high interrupt tiered support environment requiring rapid response to the most complex customer systems inquiries. On a daily basis this individual may divide their time between (1) managing junior Admins to support lower level issues; (2) identifying, evaluating and prioritizing customer problems to ensure that inquiries are resolved appropriately; (3) conducting project work on several complex system projects simultaneously; and (4) managing and actively reporting on project status.

The duties will include, but not be limited to:

• Providing Mid-Tier to Top-Tier Systems Administration for clients and servers in a heterogeneous environment.
• Systems Administration - Maintain IT Security posture according to organization requirements, Manage rigorous patching schedule for all systems, Manage existing Patching deployment tools, maintain and enhance current tools, replace the current backup system with a new one.
• Installing SW packages, compiling where necessary, Maintenance inventory of all assets and applications.
• Managing smart card authentication infrastructure.
• Supporting Project (60%) and User (40%) actives in a high interrupt environment.
• Writing/updating/enhancing system documentation concerning problem resolutions and HPC assets).
• Writing technical justifications for the procurement of hardware & software.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related field and five (5) years or more experience; Masters and three (3) years or more experience; PhD and 0 years related experience.
• Years of experience accepted in lieu of degree.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Linux administration best practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) or derivatives (e.g., AlmaLinux OS, CentOS, Oracle Linux, Rocky Linux) is a plus.
• Understanding of licensing structures for Red Hat products is a plus.
• Documented experience with scripting (e.g., shell, bash, tcsh, perl, python, ruby).
• Documented experience with managing, deploying, or migrating centralized backup system(s) (e.g., Amanda, Bacula, Backup Exec, NetBackup, ReaR).
• Documented knowledge of configuration management tools (e.g., ansible, chef, puppet, or saltstack).
• Experience with configuration and support of access methods (e.g., VPN, SSH tunneling).
• Experience managing and maintaining database clusters, preferably Percona XtraDB/MySQL cluster.
• Experience managing software scalable network file systems and centralized storage appliances.
• Experience supporting enterprise logon with smart card authentication on Linux (e.g., BeyondTrust, Centrify, SSSD).
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust Clearance.

Target salary range: $80,001 - $120,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.