System Administrator Level I-III

TAP Engineering; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 83,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

401(k) match & profit sharing

Medical coverage

Dental & Vision

Life Insurance

Short/Long-term disability

FSAs

Tuition reimbursement

Employee assistance program

Wellness incentives

Bonuses & referral bonuses

Job summary

TAP Engineering seeks System Administrators at multiple experience levels (I, II, III) to support large-scale enterprise computing environments at Fort Meade, MD. The role covers operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, and performance optimization across compute, storage, and network platforms.

Qualified candidates will have active TS/SCI with polygraph and DoD 8570 IAT II certification, plus Linux-based system administration experience in a 24/7 environment.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience requirements for System Administrator I, II and III as listed in the posting.
• I: 3+ years with a degree or 8+ years without a degree; II: 5+ years with a degree or 10+ years without a degree; III: 10+ years with a degree or 15+ years without a degree.

Responsibilities

• Implement, maintain, troubleshoot, and sustain enterprise IT systems.
• Perform day-to-day system operations, monitoring, and incident response.
• Support system deployments, upgrades, and transitions to production.
• Provide Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support based on experience level.
• Escalate issues appropriately and communicate status to stakeholders.
• Optimize system performance, capacity, and resource utilization.
• Follow established policies, procedures, and operational best practices.

Skills

System administration

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

24/7 operations

Education

3+ years with a degree or 8+ years without a degree

5+ years with a degree or 10+ years without a degree

10+ years with a degree or 15+ years without a degree

Tools

Linux (RHEL/CentOS/SUSE)

Windows Server

Server hardware

High-speed networking

Job description

System Administrator I / II / III

Location: Fort Meade, MD

Clearance: Active TS/SCI with Polygraph (most recent poly within the past 7 years)

Certification: DoD 8570 IAT II (Required)

Education Requirement: See Below

Experience Requirement: See Below

Compensation Range: $83,000-$158,000

Position Overview

TAP Engineering is seeking System Administrators at multiple experience levels (I, II, III) to support large-scale, mission-critical enterprise computing environments. This role is responsible for system operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, and performance optimization across compute, storage, and network platforms. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, 24/7 operational environment and works effectively with cross-functional technical teams to ensure system reliability, performance, and availability.

Technical Environment

• Linux operating systems: Red Hat, CentOS, SUSE, and vendor-specific platforms
• Enterprise compute environments, including clustered and high-performance systems
• Shared and distributed storage platforms
• High-speed networking and interconnect technologies
• Server, storage, and network infrastructure

Key Responsibilities (All Levels)

• Implement, maintain, troubleshoot, and sustain enterprise IT systems
• Perform day-to-day system operations, monitoring, and incident response
• Support system deployments, upgrades, and transitions to production
• Provide Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support based on experience level
• Escalate issues appropriately and communicate status to stakeholders
• Optimize system performance, capacity, and resource utilization
• Follow established policies, procedures, and operational best practices

System Administrator I (Junior / Entry-Level)

• Provide Tier 1 support and routine system administration
• Assist users with system access and basic issue resolution
• Support hardware and software refresh initiatives
• Perform standard maintenance tasks under guidance

System Administrator II (Mid-Level)

• Provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 support for moderately complex issues
• Perform in-depth troubleshooting and root cause analysis
• Configure, manage, and maintain Linux, Unix, and Windows systems
• Troubleshoot system integrations, network components, and hardware issues
• Document findings and provide analysis for escalated incidents

System Administrator III (Senior / SME)

• Serve as a technical lead and subject matter expert
• Resolve highly complex system, hardware, and software integration issues
• Support system design, architecture, and infrastructure planning
• Analyze system interdependencies to improve operational reliability
• Mentor junior administrators and lead major incident response efforts

Education & Experience Requirements

• System Administrator I:
  • 3+ years with a degree or 8+ years without a degree
• System Administrator II:
  • 5+ years with a degree or 10+ years without a degree
• System Administrator III:
  • 10+ years with a degree or 15+ years without a degree

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Full Scope Polygraph
• DoD 8570 IAT II certification
• Experience administering Linux-based systems
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a 24/7 operational environment

Benefits Overview

TAP Engineering offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including:

• Paid Time Off: 15-25 days annually based on tenure, plus 11 paid holidays (never use-or-lose)
• Retirement: Up to 15% employer contribution to a 401(k) through match and profit sharing
• Medical Coverage: Free medical insurance for employees; optional buy-up plans for dependents
• Dental & Vision: Employer-paid plans with optional enhancements
• Insurance Coverage: Employer-paid life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Healthcare and dependent care FSAs
• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $36,000 per year for approved coursework
• Additional Benefits: Employee Assistance Program, wellness incentives, discount programs, virtual care, prescription savings, and travel support
• Performance-Based Rewards: Merit increases, performance bonuses, and referral bonuses

Clearance Requirement

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance with Polygraph, based on a current Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI/SBI). Clearance and polygraph processing are conducted by the U.S. Government.

Factors considered include, but are not limited to:

• U.S. citizenship
• Favorable criminal history review
• Education verification
• Drug and substance use review
• Credit history review
• Subject interview

Additional Information

By submitting your resume, you acknowledge that TAP Engineering may share your application materials with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for consideration for other available positions.

TAP Engineering is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.