System Administrator (Clearance Required)

Kroll; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare coverage

401(k) with company matching

Generous PTO and leave policies

Job summary

Kroll is seeking a Linux-focused System Administrator in Fort Meade, MD, to support mission-critical programs. The role requires a Top Secret/SCI clearance and focuses on the administration of Linux infrastructures within a secure environment.

The successful candidate will manage system security, provide application support, and ensure compliance with NIST standards. Benefits include comprehensive healthcare and competitive compensation ranging from $100,000 to $150,000.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in system administration in classified environments.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph is required.
• Experience with virtualization platforms like VMware.

Responsibilities

• Administer Red Hat, Rocky Linux, and CentOS server environments.
• Apply DISA STIG configurations and remediate findings from scans.
• Manage containerized workloads and environments.

Skills

Linux proficiency

DISA STIGs compliance

IP networking fundamentals

Container platforms management

Storage management

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, or related

Tools

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Docker

Kubernetes

VMware vSphere

Job description

System Administrator (Clearance Required)

Technology

Technology | Washington, DC, United States | 21014382

Location: Fort Meade, MD

Clearance Required: Top Secret/SCI with Active Full Scope Polygraph

We are seeking an experienced Linux-focused System Administrator (Level 2) to support a mission‑critical program within the Intelligence Community at Fort Meade, MD. This is an on‑site position in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) environment requiring a TS/SCI clearance with an active Full Scope Polygraph prior to consideration. The successful candidate will be responsible for the day‑to‑day administration, security compliance, and operational health of complex Linux‑based infrastructure spanning virtualized environments, container platforms, and classified networked systems.

The SA Level 2 operates with a high degree of independence and serves as a technical authority on Linux systems engineering, PKI/cryptographic policy enforcement, storage management, IP networking, and security compliance. This role carries significant responsibility for System Security Plan (SSP) maintenance, STIG implementation, and supporting Secure Telephone Equipment/Network (STE/STN) infrastructure within a heavily regulated RMF/NIST framework.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer, configure, harden, and maintain Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Rocky Linux, and/or CentOS Stream server environments.
• Apply and maintain DISA STIG configurations using OpenSCAP and other SCAP‑compliant tooling; remediate findings from automated scans.
• Manage system performance tuning, patch management (yum/dnf), software package management, and OS lifecycle operations.
• Configure and manage system services, daemons, scheduled tasks, logging (rsyslog/journald), and audit frameworks (auditd).
• Provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 application support and general troubleshooting across all Linux‑based systems.

Security Compliance – SSP, RMF, and STIG

• Support ongoing System Security Plan (SSP) development, maintenance, and compliance activities in accordance with NIST SP 800‑53 Rev 5 controls.
• Conduct and document Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities including control implementation statements, POA&M tracking, and continuous monitoring.
• Perform and respond to vulnerability assessments; coordinate CVE remediation and ensure timely patching.
• Maintain system authorization boundaries, support A&A activities, and coordinate with the ISSO/ISSM.

STE/STN Support

• Install, configure, and maintain Secure Telephone Equipment (STE) and Secure Telephone Network (STN) infrastructure.
• Coordinate STE/STN provisioning, moves, adds, and changes (MACs) with communications and security personnel.
• Troubleshoot STE/STN connectivity and interoperability issues.
• Maintain accurate inventory and documentation for all STE/STN endpoints.

PKI, TLS, and Cryptographic Management

• Manage DoD PKI operations including certificate issuance, renewal, revocation, and trust store management.
• Configure and maintain TLS/SSL for system services and applications.
• Administer hardware security modules (HSMs) and software‑based key management systems where deployed.
• Apply and enforce system crypto policies to ensure FIPS compliance across all managed systems.

Containers and Cloud Environments

• Deploy, operate, and maintain containerized workloads using Docker and/or Podman.
• Administer Kubernetes or OpenShift container orchestration clusters within classified/air‑gapped environments.
• Manage container image pipelines including base image hardening, vulnerability scanning, and approved image registries.
• Support lifecycle management of containerized applications.
• Administer VMware vSphere/vCenter environments including ESXi host management.
• Manage KVM/QEMU‑based virtual environments on Linux hosts.
• Coordinate capacity planning and resource optimization across virtualized infrastructure.

Storage Management

• Administer NAS and SAN systems; manage LUN provisioning, zoning, and multipath I/O.
• Operate and maintain Ceph distributed storage clusters.
• Configure and manage LVM, RAID arrays, and filesystem operations.
• Implement and verify data‑at‑rest encryption requirements.

IP Networking and Firewall Management

• Configure and manage host‑based firewalls (firewalld, iptables/nftables) on Linux systems.
• Troubleshoot TCP/IP networking issues including routing, DNS, DHCP, VLAN segmentation.
• Interface with network engineers on firewall rule changes and ACLs.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field. Equivalent experience may be substituted.

Experience: 5+ years of system administration experience in classified or secure DoD/IC environments.

Additional Required Qualifications:

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph—must be active prior to start.
• Deep hands‑on Linux proficiency across RHEL, Rocky Linux, and/or CentOS.
• Demonstrated experience with DISA STIGs and SCAP compliance scanning.
• Working knowledge of NIST SP 800‑53 controls and RMF process.
• Experience with SSP development and A&A/ATO activities.
• Hands‑on STE/STN installation, configuration, and support experience.
• Solid understanding of PKI/TLS/cryptographic standards including DoD PKI and FIPS enforcement.
• Strong IP networking fundamentals and host‑based firewall management.
• Experience with container platforms (Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, or OpenShift).
• Experience with virtualization platforms (VMware vSphere, KVM/QEMU).
• Storage management experience with NAS, SAN, LVM, and/or distributed storage.
• DoD 8140 IAT Level II compliance (Security+, CASP+, or equivalent).

Desired Skills

• Experience with Ansible, Puppet, SaltStack, or Chef.
• Proficiency in Bash and Python scripting.
• OpenShift Container Platform experience in classified deployments.
• Experience with cross‑domain solutions (CDS).
• Familiarity with DoD cloud environments (AWS GovCloud, C2S).

Benefits

Healthcare Coverage: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.

Time Off and Leave Policies: Generous paid time off (PTO), paid company holidays, generous parental and family leave.

Protective Insurances: Life insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability coverage, and accident protection.

Compensation and Rewards: Competitive salary structures, performance‑based incentives, and merit‑based compensation reviews.

Retirement Plans: 401(k) plans with company matching.

The current salary range for this position is $100,000 to $150,000.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of gender, gender identity, race, religion, color, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, age or disability.