System Administrator 3

Columbia Technology Partners; Corridor North (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Vision and dental

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Life and disability insurance

Profit sharing

Referral bonuses

Job summary

Columbia Technology Partners in Maryland is seeking an experienced System Administrator 3 to provide implementation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and operational support for mission-critical IT systems. The role emphasizes RHEL administration and automation with Ansible.

The ideal candidate will support STE/STN and Red Hat Satellite environments, work with operations teams, and ensure system availability, security, and performance in a demanding government-related environment.

Qualifications

• Fifteen (15) years of experience as a Systems Administrator; alternative for degree: 5 additional years may substitute for a bachelor’s degree.
• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline from an accredited college or university.
• DoD 8570 Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level I certification or higher.
• Strong hands-on experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) environments and leveraging Ansible for automation and configuration management.
• Experience supporting STE/STN systems, Red Hat Satellite Server, and complex troubleshooting across hardware, software, and networks.

Responsibilities

• Provide implementation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and operational support for enterprise IT systems.
• Manage daily configuration, operation, monitoring, and optimization of system infrastructure.
• Administer and maintain Linux and Windows operating systems, with emphasis on RHEL.
• Utilize Ansible automation tools to streamline system administration and configuration management.
• Support and maintain STE/STN and Satellite Server environments.
• Provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 support, including problem identification, diagnosis, escalation, and resolution.
• Analyze and resolve complex issues involving server hardware, software, and system integrations.
• Monitor system performance, optimize resource utilization, and conduct capacity planning.

Skills

RHEL administration

Linux/Windows administration

Troubleshooting complex IT issues

Capacity planning

Collaboration and communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

Ansible

Red Hat Satellite Server

STE/STN environments

Job description

Description

Columbia Technology Partners is seeking an experienced System Administrator 3 to provide implementation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and operational support for mission‑critical IT systems. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience supporting Linux‑based enterprise environments, managing infrastructure components, resolving complex technical issues, and ensuring the availability, reliability, and performance of systems supporting customer operations.

This role requires a strong background in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) administration, automation using Ansible, and experience supporting STE/STN and Satellite Server environments. The selected candidate will work closely with operations teams, engineers, and end users to maintain system integrity and deliver responsive support across a dynamic mission environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide implementation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and operational support for enterprise IT systems.
• Manage the daily configuration, operation, monitoring, and optimization of system infrastructure.
• Administer and maintain Linux and Windows operating systems, with an emphasis on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
• Utilize Ansible automation tools to streamline system administration and configuration management activities.
• Support and maintain STE/STN and Satellite Server environments.
• Provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 support, including problem identification, diagnosis, escalation, and resolution.
• Analyze and resolve complex issues involving server hardware, software applications, and system integrations.
• Monitor system performance, optimize resource utilization, and conduct capacity planning activities.
• Assist users with access, functionality, and troubleshooting of IT systems and services.
• Support incident response, dispatch operations, and hardware troubleshooting through resolution.
• Maintain system security, integrity, and reliability through proactive administration and enhancements.
• Support system architecture, mission infrastructure design, and hardware integration efforts.
• Collaborate with technical teams and stakeholders to communicate system status and support escalated issues.

Qualifications

• Fifteen (15) years of experience as a Systems Administrator supporting programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity; an additional five (5) years of experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.
• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline from an accredited college or university.
• DoD 8570 Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level I certification or higher.
• Strong hands‑on experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) environments and leveraging Ansible for automation and configuration management.
• Experience supporting enterprise server infrastructure, including STE/STN systems, Red Hat Satellite Server, system performance optimization, and complex troubleshooting across hardware, software, and networked environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting large‑scale enterprise or mission‑focused IT environments.
• Knowledge of Service‑Oriented Architecture (SOA) concepts and system interdependencies.
• Experience with infrastructure performance tuning, capacity planning, and system optimization.
• Familiarity with virtualization, enterprise storage solutions, and network infrastructure.
• Experience supporting highly secure government or DoD environments.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.
• Certification Requirements:
  • DOD 8570 IAT Level I Certification
• This position requires an active Security Clearance with appropriate polygraph.

Benefits

• Medical: 3 superior plans, in‑network and out‑of‑network options.
• Vision + Dental: both free to you and paid in full by CTP.
• Retirement: 401(k) – 6% company contribution.
• PTO + Leave: generous paid time off, jury duty, bereavement, military leave.
• Career Growth: up to $10,000 for approved learning and tuition.
• Life and AD&D/Short‑Term & Long‑Term Disability: zero cost.
• Profit Sharing Bonus: end‑of‑year cash added to bottom‑line.
• Referral Bonus Program: tiered bonuses ranging from $7,000 to $20,000 if referral joins the team.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Columbia Technology Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law. Our EEO policy reflects our commitment to ensure equality and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Our policy applies to all employees, job candidates, contractors, stakeholders, and visitors.